Koksma, a staff member of the Radboud Health Academy, collaborates with the Radboud Teaching and Learning Centre to research transformative learning: the type of learning that professionals or organisations need when undergoing a fundamental change that requires a whole new way of seeing things and thinking. Learning ‘after an eye-opener’.
Acquiring new experiences
‘Our capacity for imagining that things could genuinely be different is often limited’, Koksma explains. ‘You often have fixed ideas about how to do things, what you need to know and, therefore, what and how you should learn. In order to challenge this, you have to go through the change yourself and thus gain new experiences. There is a snag, however: people are often not convinced at all that things need to be different. And if you think that, you’re not going to look for new experiences. That is why many things that could be improved remain the same’.
But if you are open to new experiences and perspectives, Koksma does have an example of how this can work. ‘We have, for example, linked the worlds of art and care in a course for medical students who worked with artists in their studios for seven Saturdays. Learning was open, which means that there was no assessment afterwards. Nor were learning objectives formulated in advance. We only wanted the students to open up to new perspectives. The participants soon noticed that everyone sees, thinks and feels differently. And that it is exciting to enter a learning environment where you do not know exactly what is expected of you. It will then soon become clear that you are always ‘you’ – and that you can use this, also in doctor-patient contacts. This notion is more profound when you experience it for yourself than if somebody tells you so.’
‘Purpose-driven’ teaching
As part of a new interdisciplinary project called ‘the Future of Academia’, Koksma and other researchers are investigating the question of what the university of the future could look like. ‘When I look at the future of academic education, I would prefer that the slate be wiped clean and to let all those smart people who work and study here find out how we can all learn in meaningful ways. I still see a lot of “we have agreed on these learning outcomes and they define what you should know” and little purpose-driven teaching, while there are enough difficult social issues that I believe we would like to address. We could also choose to ask ourselves what role we can play in the world, how we can be meaningful and lead the way.’
Transformative learning is not only about more or different knowledge but also about another way of teaching – for example, by giving students more ownership of their education and more responsibilities to tackle real problems. Koksma: ‘Transformative learning is thus not setting aside a few hours in every degree programme to talk about sustainability. It could mean, however, that lecturers, too, ask themselves how their teaching contributes to a better world or think about reducing hierarchical differences, for example, or taking student experiences seriously. Transformative learning is about the steps towards a more fundamental level. It is about cognitive, affective and more experiential learning and learning environments that promote other ways of learning’.
Education in the future
Koksma says that the time is ripe. ‘There are many pilot studies and experiments with new forms of teaching and learning, also in secondary education. And I have the impression that it is gradually being seen as the education of the future rather than as something that could help people who cannot keep up’.
‘It may sometimes seem hopeless because we do not appear to be moving away from the endless merry-go-round of learning outcomes, quality requirements, visitations and so on. But if you work together, you can achieve surprising and inspiring results, even very quickly. If you dare to do so, provided that it is safe to think out loud about change’.
If you would like to know more and be inspired about developing higher education, visit the Radboud Education Days from 15 to 18 March 2021 (entirely online).
Photo by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash