HOW TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING CONTRIBUTES TO SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE?

Susana Simes Leal, ID 10298566, from MSc in Learning for Sustainability- September 2010.

ABSTRACT: This article will discuss about the need of changing from the educational system and, Key words: consequently, business schools curriculum and methodologies. It purpose change education from

transmissive to a transformative way, introducing new methods and tools of learning. It shows how the organicist paradigms from sustainability could influence the mechanistic culture of business schools. And to reflect about the potential of shifting which it can produces in business world and their consequence in the human actions to minimizing Earths ecological and social footprint impacts. Introduction Education is the solution for the current century, not solely to prepare young people for business or careers in the global economy but to encourage people to have critical thinking, creativity, ecological and social awareness ( Orr in Sterling, 2009). This article will discuss about the changing an educational system from transmissive to transformative, introducing tools and new ways of learning. And to reflect about knew paradigms which are shifting from mechanist to holistic paradigms in business schools by transformative learning. From transmissive to transformative education The old educational system has been specially confronted by new paradigms of sustainable education which have a more holistic, practical, democratic and ecological view than the narrowly, instrumental, centralized and standardized way that was chosen by the traditional education (Orr in Sterling, 2009). Sterling (2009) has proposed that a new educational paradigm reflecting upon an important distinction between different orders of changing and learning. The first-order change and learning takes place within adaptive learning that leaves basic values unexamined and unchanged, and does not require examination of values and beliefs . This traditional dimension of learning is basically engaged on formation, to know about. With a transmissive methodology, the process is more instructive and associated with transfer of information. By contrast, the second-order change and learning involves critical and reflective learning. The learners examine the assumptions that influence first-order learning and going deep to another dimension. It is a way to think about our thinking,

which engages the learner in constructing and owning meaning. Besides this, at a deeper level, is the third-order learning where learners are able to see things differently, into a more creative way, which involves a deep awareness of alternative worldviews and ways of doing things. With a transformative methodology the education is more constructive and participative, respects existing knowledge, recognizing local culture and reality (Sterling, 2009). This way had to be learnt from the failure of more transmissive and imposed methods. Even, such constructive methodologies are more difficult to apply, because they were timeconsuming and unpredictable situations, the changing is owned and notable among participants. It could be called as a real education for change and, therefore more likely to be sustainable. Thus, the sustainable education has to be essentially transformative, constructive, participatory and produce a real changing, concludes Sterling (2009). The educational literature presents a wide variety of methods in transformative learning which tutors could use the three domains of learning cognitive (head), psychomotor (hands) and affective (heart) to engage learners, according Cotton and Winter (2010). Examples of these strategies could be seen through group discussions, debates, critical reading and writing, stimulus activities, critical incidents, personal development planning and Fieldwork. Between those, it could detach the stimulus actives which involve watching critically a documentary video, or looking at pictures or newspaper to extract and initiate a reflection or discussion. Students may even be fostered in producing their own work such as photos or videos taken around their community (Oulton et al, 2004). These documents enable the tutor to bring in wide range of viewpoints for critical analysis, even with large groups. Another good example of experiential pedagogy which has a high potential of students emotional influence is Fieldwork. This kind of methodology can help learners to

understand multiple stakeholder perspectives in situ and promotes broader benefits for learning by encouraging active and reflective learning (Hope, 2009). The table below shows contrasting approaches and values between transmissive and transformative education (Sterling, 2003).
TRANSMISSIVE EDUCATION PRACTICES
TRANSFORMATIVE

Sustainability, a new paradigm in Business Education Higher education, especially in businesses schools, have been generally shaped into highly specialized areas of knowledge, traditional disciplines, and stresses individual learning and competition, resulting in professionals who are ill prepared for cooperatives efforts. Learning is fragmented, and provides low capabilities to response a long-established professional requires. The learners are often discouraged from extending their studies beyond other disciplines or for interdisciplinary collaboration (Cortese, 2003). That design, for a sustainable human future, requires a paradigm shift toward a systemic and holistic perspective emphasizing collaboration and cooperation), argues Cortese (2003). As Albert Einstein were told, The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we used when we created them (Calaprice, 2000, p. 317). Therefore, learners need a fundamental and transformative shift in thinking, values, and action detaching leaders and professionals (Cortese, 2003). To be better and effective, the educational system may have to consider what change need to happen in the world context. Countries such as United States of America the average may not know that for every 100 pounds of product produced there, they move 3,200 pounds of material and energy, over 94 percent of which goes to waste before the product or the service goes to market (Hawken 1997). That example is one, among many others in our world context which have to be answered by the education system. This example demonstrates, from Sterling (2009) the ecological point of view, that the mechanistic paradigm as the root of the world life becoming increasingly untenable. However, there is evidence of an emerging post-modern paradigm, even there is no certainly that will prevail, which needs to be recognized and widely understood. According to Capra (1996), it represents a new perception of reality which has profound implications not only for science and philosophy, but also for business, politics, health care, and every day life (Sterling 2009). However, may be could change the current tension between mechanistic and organicist way of thinking which are struggling in Business world. The complexity theory is pioneering a new language in management which questions the validity of long term planning, the heavy top-down system and rather understand management as an art to deal with dynamics and relationships. Ideas are emerging in which businesses are a living system, rather than as a machine, and that means a shift from systematic control towards systematic learning. This new paradigm could be seen in the following table suggested by Sterling (2009).

Instructive
Instrumental Training Teaching Message communication Interested in behaviour change Information one size fits all Control kept at centre First order change Product oriented Problem-solving Rigid Factual knowledge and skill

Constructive
Instrumental/intrinsic Education Learning (interactive) Meaning construction Interested in mutual transformation Local appropriation knowledge important Local ownership First and second order change Process oriented Problem-reframing Responsive/dynamic Conceptual understanding and capacity building

EDUCATION POLICIES

Imposed
Top-down Directed hierarchy Expert-led Pre-determined outcomes Externally inspected & evaluated Time-bound goals Language of deficit and managerialism

Participative
Bottom-up (often) Democratic networks Everyone may be an expert Open-ended enquiry Internally evaluated through iterative process, plus external support On-going process Language of appreciation and cooperation

The transformative education goes beyond an accommodatory response, requires a deeper understanding which goes way beyond a simple add-on. It also requires a new educational system, institutions and educators to acquire responsability. It necessitates a deeper, more empathetic response from learners. It means putting heart, soul and spirit back into our thinking and practices (Sterling, 2009).

MECHANISTIC

ECOLOGICAL

STYLE OF MANAGEMENT

professionals, as well population is needed.

as

the

general

Goal oriented Product oriented Controlling change Focus on single variables & parts Aware of casual relationship Power-based hierarchy Command and control Vertical structures Intervention from outside system Interested in prediction Problem solving Adaptative learning External evaluation Quantitative indicators Planning Closed

Direction oriented Process oriented Facilitating change Focus on sets of relations and the whole Aware of emergence Leadership and self-ma nagement at all levels Democratic and participative Flatter and integrated structures Working with and from inside system Interested in possibility Problem reframing and situation improvement Adaptative, critical and creative learning Self-evaluation with support Qualitative and quantitative indicators Design Open

In conclusion, It can be affirmed that, in spite of the struggle between the older modernist scientific paradigm and the new sciences of complexity, studies have indicated that humans need to live in a fundamentally participative world, which it has an urgent challenge to change the educational system using a transformative way of learning. The same path could to be followed by Business Schools to assume a more humanistic and ecological paradigm in their values and practices through education for sustainability. As Cortese (2003) argued, It could mean all professionals and business people understanding their connections to the natural world and to other humans, people really knowing where products and services come from, and where wastes go. Consequently, people also will be more aware of the consequences of their actions to humans and other living species, and of how to minimize their Earths ecological and social footprint impacts.
REFERENCES: Capra,F.(1983) The Turning Point:Science, Society and the Rising Culture, Wildwood House , London Calaprice, A., ed. 2000. The Expanded Quotable Einstein. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Cortese, A.D. (2003).The Critical Role of Higher Education in Creating a Sustainable Future Higher - education can serve as a model of sustainability by fully integrating all aspects of campus life. Cotton,C. and Winter, J. (2010). Its Not Just Bits of Papeand Light Bulbs:A Review of Sustainability Pedagogies and Their Potencial for Use in Higher Education: Sustainability Education- Perspectives and Practices Across Higher Education. Ed. Paula Jones, David Selby and Stephen Sterling. chapter 3.,Earthcan, London Hawken, P. 1997. Natural Capitalism. Mother Jones, March/April, 4053. Hope,M.(2009) The importance of direct experience: A philosophical defense of field-work in humageography, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, vol 3, no 2, pp169-182 McIntosh, M., K. Cacciola, S. Clermont, and J. Keniry. 2001. State of the Campus Environment: A National Report Card on Environmental Performance and Sustainability in Higher Education. Reston, Va.: National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved December 1, 2002, from the World Wide Web: ww.nwf.org/campusecology/ stateofthecampusenvironment .cfm. Oulton,C.,Dillon, J. and Grace, M.(2004) Reconceptualising the teaching of controversial issues, International Journal of Science Education, vol 26, no 4, pp411-423 Orr,D.(1994) Earth in Mind: on education, environment and the human prospect, Island Press, Washington Sterling, S(2009) Sustainable Education re-visioning learning and change, Schumacher Briefings, vol 06, Ed Green Books Ltd Foxhole, Dartington, Totnes, Devon, Sterling, S(21996) Education in Change in Huckle, J., and Sterling, S Education for Sustainability, Earthscan, London

EFFECTS ON SYSTEM (TENDENCES)

Standardization Homogenization Dependency Externally directed Dysfunctional emergent properties Poor ability to respond to change Unsustainability

Diversity and innovation Heterogeneity but coherence Interdependency at all levels Self-organization Healthy emergent properties Flexibility and responsiveness Greater sustaniability

The ideological struggle between sustainability concepts and businesses management views based upon competitiveness, consumption and constant economic growth, and the sustainable approaching calls for fundamental change of the structures from the modern capitalism is apparent. It is necessary a mind-set changing to achieve this view and a long-term effort to transform business education at all levels (McIntosh et al.2001). According to Cortese (2003), the dream is that all current and future generations are able to have meaningful work and opportunity to realize their full human potential both personally and socially. Moreover through a way of working and living people, will have reduced dramatically resource consumption, pollution, waste and have done this in a developing world. He also argues that this dream is shared by a vast majority of people whom agree with these ideals. However, to accelerate the process, of these ideas and create this future, a fundamental transformative shift in thinking, values, and action all of societys leaders and