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Live streamed lecture:

A snapshot of the transformative learning theory.

18.12.2015, 14:00 (CET), online

Thirty years ago, when Jack Mezirow first introduced a theory of adult learning, it helped explain how adults changed the way they interpreted their world.

This theory of transformative learning is considered uniquely adult—that is, grounded in human communication, where “learning is understood as the process of using a prior interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one’s experience in order to guide future action” (Mezirow, 1996, p. 162). Since then, transformative learning theory became one of the most influential in adult education research and practice. However, now it is not single theory but there are many different approaches to transformation. Some of them are more embedded in the depth psychology and Jungian school of thought, while other put emphasize on social transformation. During the lecture Mezirow’s perspective on the transformative learning theory will be presented, as well as the main critics of his work. The main approaches to the theory will be briefly explained and discussed.

Direct Link to online resource
 https://olat.vcrp.de/url/RepositoryEntry/1449984411/CourseNode/92671066894418
 (Please create an OLAT account in order to enter)

Dr. Katarina Popović is Associate Professor at the Department for Pedagogy and Andragogy, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade and the new Secretary General of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and a Member of the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame.  Until 2014, Dr. Popović was Vice President of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), where she had been a member of the Executive Board since 2008. Given her new post in ICAE, she relinquished her position as an EAEA Board member.

Dr. Popović has had a distinguished career in academic and in civil society settings. In addition to her position at the University of Belgrade since 1989, Katarina’s visiting professorships in Adult Education took her to Otto-Friedrich University, Bamberg, Germany; University “Ivan Rilski”, Sofia, Bulgaria; Institut für Berufs- und Weiterbildung; Pedagogische Hochschule Vorarlberg/Feldkirch – Austria; and Universität Duisburg-Essen Institut für Berufs- und Weiterbildung.  Katarina has also been active in the Serbian peace movements, and worked for many years in collaboration with the German International Development Agency for Adult Education.

From September 2000 to present, Dr. Popović has served as president of the Adult Education Society, Belgrade.  She has published widely, with over 35 authored or co-authored works to her credit, since 2009, and Katerina’s extensive experience in adult education includes editor-in-chief of the Serbian journal Andragogical Studies.

Dr. Maja Maksimovic is Assistant Professor at the Department for Andragogy / Adult Education, Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Belgrade and a researcher at the Institute for Pedagogy and Andragogy. Maja has a diploma in andragogy, obtained in Belgrade, Serbia, MA in counselling studies obtained at the University of Nottingham, UK, and PhD in Andragogy, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade.

She is the assistant editor of the adult education journal “Andragogical studies” and the author of the numerous publications. As a Board member of EAEA she is actively involved in various activities in European adult education and lifelong learning. Beside her experience in teaching and writing, her interests are related to performance art and theatre. Her academic interests are related to adult education and power relations, gender, arts in education, embodied learning.