Using e-learning to enhance personal and professional

development: how reflective blogs can illustrate

transformational learning

Occupational Approaches to Health & Well Being

• Health behaviour change• Transition• Meaningful occupations• Lifestyle Redesign model• Health promotion (primary, secondary, tertiary)

Shared blogs

• Each fortnightly session had an associated blog– Why did I choose this module?– How does policy impact on my personal and

professional life?– Has my knew knowledge had an impact on me?– What now?

Tina's shared blog

"I need to...lose weight...and stop making excusesget more exercise...but I hate going to the gymconsider whether this is the right job for me"

12 comments/responses supporting and encouraging Tina

Transformational learning

"deep shift in perspective during which habits become more open and more permeable"

(Cranton 2010)

Is it an individual transformation (Mezirow 2000) or is there an element of social context?

Tutor presence online can be critical (Morris et al 2005)

References

Cranton, P. (2010) Transformational learning in an online environment. International Journal of Vocational Education and Technology, 1(2), p.1-9.

Mezirow, J. (2000) Learning to think like an adult. In Mezirow, J(ed) Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress, p.3-34.

Morris, L.V., Xu, H. & Finnegan, C.L. (2005) Roles of faculty in teaching asynchronous undergraduate courses. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 9(1), p.65-82