Response of a first-year anatomy class to transformative learning in an extended curriculum programme

Abstract

This qualitative study explores students’ engagement in transformative learning in a Human Anatomy course in an undergraduate university environment. Although Mezirow’s (1975, 1978, 2000) Transformation Theory has been applied and discussed with regard to adults in postgraduate, pre-service and in-service programmes, it has received little consideration concerning undergraduate students who have entered university straight from high school, and thus for the first time. This lack of focus is unfortunate in relation to the probable developmental ability of students at this age and the goals that are ascribed to undergraduate education. In accordance with critiques of Mezirow’s (1975, 1978, 2000) Transformative Learning Theory, Freire’s (1970, 1981) philosophy of emancipatory education, Burbules’ (1986) concept of power relations in the learning environment; and other gaps in the literature, this exploratory study addresses one main question and five sub-questions. The main question is: How can the introduction of transformative learning in a first-year Human Anatomy course improve students’ understanding of the subject? The study employed participatory action research design to address how the introduction of transformative learning in a first-year Human Anatomy course could improve students’ understanding of the subject. The population consisted of a first-year Human Anatomy foundation class of forty-four students who were registered for the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Extended Curriculum Programme (MBChB ECP) degree in 2017, at a health sciences university in South Africa. Data were collected using open-ended questionnaire, student self-reflective report and observation checklist. The data were analysed using logical analysis through coding and classification (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Creswell, 2014; Maddison, 2005; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Wolcott, 1994; 2014) and the Atlas.ti program (www.atlasti.com). The findings indicate that for the students in the study, participating in the process of transformative learning included seeing personal relevance in the Human Anatomy course, and topics or issues dealt with during the Human Anatomy class, identifying tensions due to differing perspectives, and exploring deeper by considering fundamental assumptions and contexts. Instead of being an individual process, as suggested by Mezirow’s Transformation Theory, students’ descriptions emphasise a social procedure or practice that is shaped by sharing experiences and working together to understand the assumptions that underlie their experiences. The students wrote about changes in their assumptions that resulted from their experiences, which involved cognitive-affective reflection and cognitive-behavioural action. The factors that facilitated transformative learning involved exploring multiple perspectives, which included challenging the traditionally presumed authority of the lecturer, discipline, and academic knowledge; challenging the more traditional way of organising lessons; and building or creating relationships by concentrating on interpersonal support. By making use of the power of experience, issues or topics in Human Anatomy dealt with in the class moved beyond the dichotomies that are critiqued in the literature to incorporate emotion and cognition in learning, integrated individual and social learning and change, and provided students with a different experience of power. The notion of power in transformative learning is advanced further and the implications for practice and theory around the role of undergraduate education in transformative learning are discussed. Recommendations include the need for future research to improve on the methodology by including more course categories at various levels of study and other universities.

Ucwaningo olusebenzisa inkulumo luhlola imibono yabafundi mayelana nohlelo lwemfundo lwezinguquko esifundweni se-Human Anatomy esizindeni sasenyuvesi seziqu zokuqala (undergraduate). Yize ithiyori kaMezirow (1975; 1978; 2000) yezinguquko iye yasetshenziswa futhi yaxoxwa mayelana nabantu abadala ezingeni leziqu zesibili (postgraduate), mayelana nelwazi lomsebenzi langaphambilini kanye nezinhlelo zokufunda usebenza, le thiyori ayikaze ibhekwe kakhulu mayelana nabafundi beziqu zokuqala abangene enyuvesi basuka ngqo ezikoleni eziphakeme, kanti lokhu bekuyihlandla lokuqala kwenzeka. Lesi senzo sokungabhekisisi sibuhlungu mayelana namathuba okuthuthukisa izakhono zabafundi kule minyaka kanti nezimpokophelo zemfundo yeziqu zokuqala. Ngokuhambisana nabagxeki bethiyori yemfundo yezinguquko ka Mezirow (1975; 1978; 2000), ifilosofi yemfundo yenkululeko ka Freire (1970; 1981), umqondo omayelana nokushiyana ngezikhundla esizindeni sokufunda, okungumqondo ka Burbules (1986), kanye nezinye izikhala embhalweni wobuciko, lesi sifundo socwaningo sihlose ukulungisa umbuzo omkhulu owodwa kanye neminye imibuzo emincane emihlanu. Umbuzo omkhulu yilo olandelayo: Ngabe ukwethulwa kohlelo lwemfundo yezinguquko onyakeni wokuqala wesifundo se-Human Anatomy kungathuthukisa kanjani ulwazi lwabafundi lwesifundo? Isifundo sisebenzisa isakhiwo socwaningo esibandakanya abantu ukulungisa indlela uhlelo lwemfundo yezinguquko onyakeni wokuqala wesifundo se-Human Anatomy singathuthukisa ulwazi lwabafundi lwesifundo. Inani eliphelele labantu liqukethe iklasi yabafundi be-Human Anatomy abanngamashumi amane ababebhalisele iziqu ze--Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Extended Curriculum Programme (MBChB ECP) ngonyaka ka 2017, enyuvesi yesayensi yezempilo yaseNingizimu Afrika. Idatha yaqoqwa ngokusebenzisa uhlu lwemibuzo (questionnaire) evulekile, umbiko ohlola umfundi qobo lwakhe kanye nohlu lokubhekisisa ukuthi izinto ziphelele. Idatha yahlaziywa ngokusebenzisa uhlelo lokuhlaziya oluzwisisekayo, ngokusebenzisa izimpawu (coding) kanye nokwehlukanisa ngezigaba (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Creswell, 2014; Maddison, 2005; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Wolcott, 1994; 2014) kanye nhlelo lwe--Atlas.ti program (www.atlasti.com). Okutholakele kucwaningo kuyakhombisa ukuthi abafundi ocwaningweni, bazibandakanye ohlelweni lwemfundo yezinguquko kuxutshwa phakathi ukubona ukuhambisana komuntu kanye neisfundo se-Human Anatomy, kanye nezihloko noma izinto ezidingidwe ngesikhathi kunesifundo saseklasini ye-Human Anatomy, ekwazi ukubona izimo eziyingxabano ngenxa yemiqondo eyehlukahlukene, kanye nokuhlolisisa ngokujulile ngokugxila kwiziphetho zoqobo kanye nezizinda/nezimo. Kunokuthi kube wuhlelo lomuntu ngamunye, njengokusho kwethiyori yezinguquko kaMezirow, izincazelo zabafundi zigcizelela ingqubo yabantu noma ukwenza kwabantu okwakhiwa wukuxoxisana ngolwazi kanye nokusebenza ndawonye ukuzwisisa iziphetho ezakhiwa wulwazi lokuqala... Abafundi abake babhala ngezinguquko kwiziphetho zabo ezidalwa wulwazi lwabo, oluxuba ukuzibheka indlela ocabanga ngayo kanye nangendlela yokuziphatha ngokwemfundo. Izinto ezikhuthaza uhlelo lwemfundo yezinguquko bezixuba ukuhlola imiqondo eminingi, yona exuba ukuphosela inselelo kwigunya lomfundisi (lecturer), ukuziphatha kahle kanye nolwazi lwezemfundo, ukuphosela inselelo indlela yakudala yokuhlela izifundo, kanye nokwakha noma ukwakha ubudlelwano ngokugxila phezu koxhaso oluphakathi kwabantu.. Ngokusebenzisa amandla olwazi, izinto noma izihloko zesifundo se-Human Anatomy ezidingidiwe eklasini yafika ngaphezu kwezigaba ezigxekwayo embhalweni wobuciko ukufaka imizwa kanye nokuzuza ulwazi ngesikhathi sokufunda, uhlelo lokufunda oluhlangene kanye nokufunda kwabantu kanye nezinguquko, kanye nokunikeza abafundi ngolwazi olwehlukile lwamandla. Umbono wamandla ohlelweni lwemfundo yezinguquko uthuthukela phambili kanti okuhloswe yingqubo kanye nethiyori mayelana nendima yemfundo yeziqu zokuqala ohlelweni lwemfundo yezinguquko kuyizinto ezixoxiwe. Izinqumo ezithethwe zixuba phakathi isidingo sokuthi kube nocwaningo oluqhubekayo esikhathini esizayo ukuthuthukisa imethodoloji ngokuxuba izigaba eziningi zemfundo emazingeni ahlukahlukene esifundo socwaningo kanye namanye amanyuvesi.

Thutelo ye ya go kwešiša mabaka le dikgopolo e hlohlomiša, ditiro tša baithuti ka go go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo thutong ya Human Anatomy (Thuto ya Ditho tša mmele wa Motho) tikologong ya yunibesithi ya dithuto tša tikrii ya mathomo. Le ge teori ya phetogo ya Mezirow (1975; 1978; 2000) e be e dirišwa le go boledišana ka yona malebana le batho ba bagolo ka go dithuto tša ka morago ga tikrii ya mathomo, mananeong a nako ya pele ga ge motho a tšea modiro woo o nyakago tlhahlo le ao a diregago nakong ya gago ya modirong, e hweditše tlhokomedišišo ye nnyane malebana le baithuti ba dithuto tša tikrii ya mathomo bao ba tsenego yunibesithing thwi ka morago ga sekolo sa godimo, ka gona e lego la mathomo. Tlhokego ye ya nepišo e a nyamiša malebana le bokgoni bjo bo ka bago gona bja tšweletšo pele ya baithuti mengwageng ye le dinepo tšeo di tswalanego le thuto ya dithuto tša tikrii ya mathomo. Go ya ka baswayadiphošo ba teori ya Mezirow’s (1975; 1978; 2000) ya go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo, boikgopolelo bja Freire (1970; 1981) bja thuto yeo e fetolago dipeakanyo tšeo di gatelelago batho ditšhabeng tša bona, kgopolo ya Burbules (1986) ya bokgoni bja go laola batho ba bangwe tikologong ya go ithuta, le dikgaleng tše dingwe tša dingwalo, thutelo ye ya tlhohlomišo e araba potšišo ye kgolo le dipotšišwana tše dingwe tše tlhano. Potšišo ye kgolo ke: Na tsebišo ya go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo thutong ya ngwaga wa mathomo ya thuto ya Ditho tša Mmele wa Motho e ka kaonafatša bjang kwešišo ya baithuti ya thuto ye? Thutelo e dirišitše tlhamo ya mokgwa wa dinyakišišo wo o gatelelago tiragatšo le go tšea karolo go rarolla ka moo tsebišo ya go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo thutong ya ngwaga wa mathomo ya thuto ya Ditho tša Mmele wa Motho e ka kaonafatšago kwešišo ya baithuti ya thuto ye. Batšeakarolo e bile mphato wa ngwaga wa mathomo wa mokgahlo wo o theilwego go thuša diprotšekeng wa baithuti ba masomennenne bao ba ingwadišitšego dithutong tša tikrii ya Bachelor of Medicine and Extended Curriculum Programme (MBChB ECP) ka 2017, go yunibesithi ya disaense tša maphelo ka Afrika Borwa. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka go diriša lenaneopotšišo leo le nyakago dikarabo tše di fago ditlhalošo, pego yeo e bontšhago boinaganišišo le lenaneo la dilo tšeo motho a tlo di lebelelago. Datha e sekasekilwe ka go diriša tshekatsheko ya go hlama dikgopolo tša diteori le go laetša dipoelo tše mpsha go tšwa go tšona ka go hlatholla le tlhopho (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Creswell, 2014; Maddison, 2005; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Wolcott, 1994; 2014) le lenaneo la Atlas.ti ((www.atlasti.com). Dikhwetšo di bontšha gore go baithuti thutelong ye, go tšea karolo tshepedišong ya go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo go akareditše go bona maitemogelo a maleba a motho go thuša go hlama ditlhalošo dithutong tša Ditho tša Mmele wa Motho, le dihlogotaba goba ditaba tšeo di hlalošwago nakong ya dithuto tša Ditho tša Mmele wa Motho, go šupa dithulano ka lebaka la dikgopolo tšeo di fapanego, le go hlohlomiša ka go tsenelela ka go naganišiša dikgopolo le dikemo tša motheo. Go ena le go ba tshepedišo e tee, go ya ka teori ya phetogo ya Mezirow, ditlhalošo tša baithuti di gatelela tshepedišo goba tlwaelo ya leagong yeo e bopšago ke go fana maitemogelo le go šoma mmogo go kwešiša dikgopolo tšeo di hlalošago maitemogelo a tšona. Baithuti ba ngwadile ka ga diphetogo ditšhišinyong tša bona tšeo di hlotšwego ke maitemogelo a bona, tšeo di akareditšego tebelelo ya kwešišo ya motho, seemo le tsenelelano gare ga motho le seemo le tiro ya thušo go boitshwaro bjo itšeng. Mabaka ao a kgonagaditšego go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo a akareditše tlhohlomišo ya ditebelelo tše ntši, tšeo di akaretšago go botšiša ka ga bolaodi bja mofahloši bja tlwaelo bjoo bo lego gona, lefapha le tsebo ya thuto; go hlohla tsela ya tlwaelo ya peakanyo ya lenaneo la go ruta, le go bopa goba go hlola ditswalanyo ka go hlokomela thekgo gare ga batho. Ka go diriša maatla a maitemogelo, ditlhagišo goba dihlogotaba ka Ditho tša Mmele wa Motho tšeo go boletšwergo ka tšona ka diphapošingborutelo di fetišitše dikaroganyo tšeo di swyaswayilwego ka go dingwalo go akaretša maikutlo le go hwetša tsebo le go kwešiša nakong ya go ithuta, go ithuta ka bowena le ka go lemoga boitshwaro bja batho ba bangwe le phetogo go lebeletšwe merafe ka moka, le go fa baithuti maitemogelo ao a fapanego a maatla. Kgopolo ya maatla ka go go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo go tšwetšwa pele gomme ditlamorago tša tlwaetšo le teori ka ga karolo yeo e ralokwago ke thuto ya dithuto tša tikrii ya mathomo go go ithuta go go hlolago phetogo di a hlalošwa. Ditšhišinyo di akaretša tlhokego ya dinyakišišo tše dingwe tša nako ye e tlago go kaonafatša mokgwakabo ka go akaretša magoro a mangwe a dithuto magatong ao a fapanego a thuto le diyunibesithing tše dingwe.