Ryan Seiter

English 111
Mr. Christopher Wyman
3 December 2016

Yesterdays Students. Todays Classroom.

There is a plethora of ways that learning can be accomplished, due to the fact that there are
many different types of learners. We know of the main genres of visual, auditory, and hands on
learning. These three aspects are just a very general and surface based learning initiatives, and
behind them lies branches of learning styles. But how can someone learn in a diverse classroom
with home grown prejudices causing a communication barrier? Adult learning has become a
hot topic because there are many problems in this system that need answers. Why are adult
students facing a struggle at the collegiate level? All students are expected and liable to be
treated equal no matter their race, gender, or orientation, as they should. The problem is that
older students are struggling because the classroom is not what it was yesterday. Older students
have a bias view on the culturally diverse millennials in the classroom that constrict their own
learning productivity.
Millennials are at the core of college campuses worldwide. A new era of acceptance and
tolerance has become the driving force of social evolution. However, that concept can be hard to
find in previous generations. Over a period of generations, the American society has taken a
rather perpendicular route compared to where it was 50 years ago. Equal rights for various ethnic
and orientational groups have taken mile long strides, and roughly three oversea wars/ disputes

have been resolved. For the younger, dominant population of students who havent lived through
any of these affairs, equality for all is what weve been raised on. However, for an older
population that hasnt been known for acceptance of change, it would only seem natural to have
an internal dispute of biasness when surrounded by a group(s) that one already is prejudice
against. The Transformative Learning Theory is the process of effecting change in ones frame
of reference. Meaning that we all have a coherent body of experience. Adults dating previous to
the millennial generation have different lines of reference. What older adults grew up with such
as expectations, experiences and values almost seem synonymous to a younger group of
students, which in reference, can make for a rather uncomfortable or difficult personal
atmosphere in the classroom. Jack Mezirow, professor of adult education at Columbia University
wrote in his article, Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice, Habits of mind or more
durable that points of view. (269) When put in perspective, it can easily be seen how
predispositions can lead to a struggle when partaking in group discussions or projects. Openmindedness is non-existent when an adult student is not accepting of a certain race, religion,
sexual orientation, etc. In such a culturally diverse population, acceptance is a fortified value of
modern learning.
Transformative learning can sometimes be mistaken with communicative learning because
they both define themselves within the boundaries of ones role within the outside world.
However, communicative learning is a more proactive view of understanding ones self, rather
than just addressing predispositions and prejudices. Patricia Cranton from the University of
Brunswick and Elizabeth Kasl of Castro Valley wrote an article in response to Mezirows Theory
of Transformative Learning. In the context of their writing, the two scholars attempt to address
answers for the problematic theories of transformative learning. There is no denying that

judgement among students, especially older adults causes barriers that affect the ability to accept
the work and ideas of people they may hold a bias against. Cranton and Kasl said that various
ways that people can come to a shift of habits of mind, such as critical reflection and constant
exposure to cultural arts and ideology critiques. (278) It is inevitable that a bias adult student
may exile themselves in the beginning rounds of a classroom, but in order to overcome these
prejudice ideologies, constant exposure throughout the class course may lead to learning more
than just what the subject of the class is.
Exposure to a culturally diverse world is beneficiary to everyone. Unless someone plans on
staying in a small, single ethnic dominant region their whole life, they must be tolerant and open
minded for the world ahead of them. For instance, author Mike Rose narrated his early life
experiences in southern California in the 1950s in a short novel titled I Just Want to be
Average. Born of Italian immigrants in search of the American Dream, Rose explains his
constant exposure to mostly older men of diverse backgrounds. Leading with his past
experiences, he was open minded when sent to a Catholic school in South Los Angeles. He made
friends quickly which helped shaped who he was, but there was one man that made the biggest
impact on not only him, but also the not as accepting students brought in from L.A. His English
teacher from the University of Columbia, Jack MacFarland. This man, witch tobacco stained
teeth and a seemingly authentic personality had the ability to keep even the most difficult
students in line, and had the struggling students reading complicated works of Shakespeare and
analyzing philosophical ideologies. (308) Although untold, Mr. MacFarland seemed to a master
of what Cranton and Kasl referred to as communication learning. MacFarland seized an
opportunity to mold the minds students from sub-par backgrounds whose upbringing reflects on
their frame of reference, much like Mezirows Transformative Learning Theory. Mary Sherry

from Dominican University had multiple statements in her short article In Praise of the F
Word that seem to be sum of Mezirows Transformative Learning Theory and Roses I Just
Want to be Average. By stating that We excuse this dishonest behavior by saying that kids
with cant learn if they come from terrible environments. No one seems to stop to think that- no
matter what environments they come from- most kids dont put school first on their list unless
something is at stake. (339), she implies that students from tougher backgrounds have a more
difficult time becoming educated. In contrast, this can relate to older students coming into a
diverse classroom where they were raised on different beliefs rather than what is more common
today. A lack of education is the result of ignorance.
There is no denial that transformative learning is a problem with some adult students. Brought
up in the beliefs of prejudice and biasness. However, with communicative learning, exposure to
other cultures through ideological critiques and cultural arts, and with the help of teachers like
Mr. MacFarland, adult students overcome their internal differences and thrive in the classroom
and carry out an optimistic future.

Works Cited
Cranton, Patricia & Kasl, Elizabeth A Response to Michael Newmans Calling Transformative
Learning Into Question: Some Mutinous Thoughts
Exploring Relationships: Globalization and Learning in the 21st Century
Pg 274-278
Mezirow, Jack Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice
Exploring Relationships: Globalization and Learning in the 21st Century
Pg 268-274
Rose, Jack I Just Wanna be Average
Exploring Relationships: Globalization and Learning in the 21st Century
Pg 295-312
Sherry, Mary In Praise of the F Word
Exploring Relationships: Globalization and Learning in the 21st Century
Pg 338-340