Mezirow & Spenser Mezirow's Arguments

Mezirow & Spenser Mezirow's arguments center around the individual learning process in the adult education paradigm. According to this author, the individual learns primarily for the purpose of gaining knowledge to emancipate themselves form existing ideologies and social paradigms. In other words, in learning, the individual investigate alternative ways of thinking and being within his or her specific society. As such, emancipation and transformation occurs within the individual rather than in terms of society as a whole. Spencer argues that Mezirow's theory is one of adult learning rather than education.

It separates the individual learning process from social and political processes and thus individualizes the process. Critics of this perspective on learning theory hold that the purpose of adult education should precisely be the transformation of society as a collective whole rather than individuals each accomplishing personal transformation but little else. The fundamental disagreement between proponents and opponents of Mezirow's view, according to Spenser, lies in their respective interpretations of the concept "transformation": Those supporting Mezirow argued that his is a theory of transformation because learners to change.

Those who support the view that adult education's primary purpose is to bring about change in objective conditions disagree; for them, transformation only occurs when the learner become social actors. (Spenser) The central weakness of Mezirow's view then, according to Spencer, is that it addresses only the learner's individual process, without considering the effects of this process in terms of the social collective. Many critics, including Spenser, feel that the concept of education implies a collective whole, whose purpose in the learning process is eventually social change.

While Spencer then does not deny the value of Mezirow's perspective of individual transformation in the learning process, he does note that this only holds value as education insofar as it provides the learner with the motivation to act for the purpose of social change. Specifically, Spencer notes a number of Mezirow's perspectives in substantiation of the fact that his ideas pertain to adult learning rather than adult education.

As such, adult learning not only emancipates, but also separates the individual learner from the social process in progress around him or her. In this, the individual becomes aware of the dependency roles and relationships induced by the particular culture involved. As the individual then completes the learning process, he or she develops strategies to overcome these oppressive paradigms. Individuals are as it were both emancipated and separated from the oppressive rule of society. As such, each individual is consciously transformed by means of self-reflection and self-knowledge.

This is the transformation, as mentioned above, that might or might not lead to social action and transformation. For Mezirow's critics, the transformation process is only complete once social change takes place as a result of individual transformation. Individuals are made aware of new possibilities for their interactions and relationships, and are hence spurred to action. On the other hand, they may be content simply with the knowledge and individual transformation gained by their learning, and not continue towards a collective transformation process.

Mezirow's 1994 writing on the topic appears to adequately address the main concerns of his critics. In his writing, Mezirow takes great pains to explicate his Transformation Theory in detail. At its basis: Transformation theory is intended to be a comprehensive, idealized, and universal model consisting of the generic structures, elements, and processes up adult learning." In terms of culture, Mezirow furthermore holds that the constructivist assumption of the theory entails the critical reflection and rational discourse that are the basis of adult education as he sees it.

In many ways, according to Mezirow, this discourse and reflection accompany rapid social change. Education for adults is then a way for these adults to make sense of their changing cultures and worlds. They no longer only react to either the traditional oppressive types of rule or the change towards a different way of living, but with education, they are also able to reflect critically about their roles and relationships within these changes.

Mezirow then emphasizes that, in his theory of transformation, he does not have in mind only the individual transformation of the learner, but also how this will serve as a basis for taking further action, whether on an individual or collective basis. As such, Mezirow appears to recognize that the individual begins the learning process on the basis of his or her experiences to date. These experiences and their effects upon the psyche results in learning that occurs in a certain way within learners and their.