Success Stories
Transformative Learning as
Lived by Low-SES Students
Success Stories
A Hermeneutic Phenomenological
Mathematics Education Dissertation Study
The Problem
My Teaching Experience
The obstacles faced by
these students were
remarkably similar
Why is most of our
research focus here…
…and
very
little
here?
As a result there is an increasing
call within the mathematics
education community for more
studies of success and quality
rather than continued gapgazing at disparities
(Cobb & Hodge, 2002; Lubienski &
Gutierrez, 2008; Stinson, 2010;
Walker, 2006).
desirable student outcomes measured by
multiple indicators, student retention or
persistence, educational attainment,
academic achievement, student
advancement, and holistic development
Holistic development applies to the
development of the whole person across
multiple dimensions; intellectual development,
emotional development, social development,
ethical development, physical development,
and spiritual development
We can only understand something
or someone for whom we care.
(Binswanger,1963)
My
Research
Stance
too many
…isms
pragmatism
constructivism
critical
ethical
“As persons, we are incomparable,
unclassifiable, uncountable,
irreplaceable.”
(Auden, 1967)
"Many central and important
phenomena in the world of human
being are immeasurable.”
(Dahlberg, Nystrom, Drew, 2001)
Describing
Interpreting
Methodology
Methodological Rationale
Phenomenology is the study of lived
experience.
Hermeneutics is the art and science of
interpretation and thus also of meaning.
Hermeneutic Phenomenology is the study
of experience together with its meanings.
(Henrik & Friessen, 2012)
Methodological Rationale
A Way Rather than a Method
“Since phenomenology, for me, is
not only a philosophy and human
science research methodology, but
it is also and importantly, I think, a
way of being, becoming, living, and
moving through the world.”
(Vagle, 2014, p 12 )
Natural Science vs. Human Science
Natural Science Research-detached
observation, controlled experiment, and
mathematical or quantitative measurement
Human Science Research-description,
interpretation, self-reflective or critical
analysis
(van Manen, 1990, p 27)
“…we explain nature, but human life we
must understand”
(Dilthey, 1976)
Methodological Structure
Human Science Research
Turning to the nature of lived experience
Investigating experience as we live it
Reflecting on essential themes
The art of writing and rewriting…and
rewriting…and rewriting…
Maintaining a strong and oriented
relation
Balancing the research context by
considering the parts and the whole
(van Manen, 1990)
…many underprepared students do
persist and succeed; undergoing a
perspective transformation as
described by Mezirow’s transformative
learning theory.
(Sitomer et al., 2012).
Understanding perspective
transformation as experienced and
understood by previously unsuccessful
now successful students will provide
essential understandings as to how we
might foster change from destructive to
productive mathematical dispositions.
Research Question
What has been the
participant’s experience
with mathematics?
…from the lit review
Cognitive, Affective, Relational
Cobb and Hodge (2002) call for
attention to the relational
perspective, including the
students relation to the
institution, the local community.
A holistic approach requires an
understanding of context.
Affective Domain
Four concepts have been
identified in the research on
affect in mathematics
education: beliefs, attitudes,
emotions, and values.
(Hannula, 2004)
A HOLISTIC APROACH
Goldin (2002) asserts
the cognitive
demands of
mathematical
learning cannot be
addressed
independently of the
affective demands.
Successful Transitions
from Failure to Success
Howard’s (2008) phenomenological
study of successful developmental
mathematics students. Five dominant
themes emerged from the study.
Successful Transitions
from Failure to Success
1) turning point
2) attitude
3) motivation
4) learning environment
5) learning strategies
Research in the Unique Context
of the Community College
Mesa V., Wladis C., Watkins L., Research problems
in community college mathematics education:
Testing the boundaries of K-12 research. Journal
of Research in Mathematics Education, Vol 45. N.
2 (March 2014). pp. 173-192. NCTM
Sitomer, A., et al. Moving from anecdote to
evidence: A proposed research agenda in
community college mathematics education.
MathAMATYC Educator. Vol 4. N. 1 (September
2012). pp 35-40. AMATYC
Participant
Selection
Purposeful
Sampling
Maximum variation of race, ethnic background,
gender, familial status, rural, urban across the
experience of the common phenomenon.
Initial-Researcher
Bracketing-Bridling
Interview
Researcher
Reflexive Journal
Participant
Interviews
Data Collection
Focus Group
Member Check
…a group of scholars from a variety of
departments, such as psychology,
philosophy, literature, nursing, education,
business and forestry.
…focuses on utilizing phenomenological and
other qualitative methods to gain a better
understanding of human experience in its
various manifestations.
Bracketing or Bridling Interview
Themes from my personal transformational
learning experience
Critical world view
Greater appreciation for learning
Learning to do school
Experience from the school of life
Transitions and turning points
Shame to success
Watching my mother’s example
Success Stories
The beginnings of the thematic analysis
of the study.
The power in these stories has been
overwhelming.
For the participants the opportunity to
have someone listen to their story has
provided a sense of satisfaction.
Sparking
Transformation
(paraphrased) I saw the other older girls
(strippers) they were all strung out and on
drugs…becoming prostitutes…looking rough.
I couldn’t let that happen to me. I had to
educate myself or that was going to be me
(paraphrased) I had to change or I was
going to be dead. I had to get an
education…
On Academic Success….
... and, for me, with the A's, and I'm so sorry
for this, this analogy, but it's so true. Uh,
once I got that first A, Oh, I was chasing that
high, just like an addict chases that first high,
I was chasing that high., the As. The
differences, and this is an awesome
difference, I met that high, every time I got
that A, whereas with the drugs, you just fall
short, you never quite reach that initial high
ever again. But with that A, every time I got
one, it was just as awesome as the last time,
and in some cases, even more awesome,
On Placement Tests….
Well, when I took the placement test, I
didn't want to read through it, I didn't
want to take my time to try and say
hey....umm... this is the right answer,
this is the right
answer...so...(laugh)....silly me,
because I do watch a lot of Cosby
shows...(laugh)...
On Placement Tests….
...(laugh)... I remember what Bill Cosby
had said on TV. (laugh) He was talking
to one of his daughters and he said; "
Anytime you take a multiple-choice test
do C, A, B, which spells CAB, (laughing)
so on my placement exam at Tharbad
State that's all I went down there and I
started doing, putting, C, A, B, C, A, B,
spelling CAB...you know
On Placement Tests….
...(laugh)... ...you know...and so when
it came time for me to take the
course...um...I sat in there and I was
just so upset with the fact that I had to
take the (developmental math)course...
Teachers……
…villains or heroes?
Mostly Heroes!
…most of my support has been from
instructors
…because he gets you, the student
involved and participating...and if you
want to learn, you're eager to learn,
you will be up at the board, if not, of
course, you will be sitting in your seat
or not come.
Mostly Heroes!
…she (social worker) gave me a reason to
want to live
…and, um, you know, I got my GED. I was
encouraged by several people(including
teacher from the program). I was within
five points of a perfect score on the GED.
I'm extremely proud of that. That was the
first evidence that I ever had that I wasn't
stupid, ever!
…with a few Villains!
“Hey... you know…I don’t
understand”. (mimicing teacher)
“Well, okay, I will teach it to your
real quick, but we have got to
move on”
…with a few Villains!
...and looking back today, I can
look and honestly say, those
teachers, there did not have a
passion....I felt like....did not have
a passion to say....."Hey, we're
going to get you through this, it's
gonna be alright...you
know...uhhh..."what can I help you
with",
…with a few Villains!
“I took, um, inferential statistics. From a
gentleman that started the very first class
with "In my experience women are not
good at math”. I, I'll go ahead and tell you
he was about 960 years old, uh, (laughing)
and he was very good at math... and I had
a great time proving that man wrong by
having the highest grade in the classroom
that semester. Out of all the males, I had
the highest grade.”
“Your give a damn is broken”
“...there's something my mom pointed
out that, when you're younger,
particularly when you're taking like
freshman and sophomore classes, as a
traditional student, you don't want to
say a whole lot, and...(clears
throat)...as an older student, um, at
that point your give a damn is broken
(laughing).
“Your give a damn is broken”
“... coming in as a nontraditional student you
know exactly what you're there for, at least
in my case. And, you know, you have an idea
what you want to get out of class, and, it's
not going to bother you to point something
out, or ask a question, or anything like that,
cause, you just don't have that fear or worry
about what anybody else in the room is
going to say, you just don't care, cause I
know what I want out of it…
“Your give a damn is broken”
…I'm going to ask the questions and
make the points I need to do...to get
what I need to get out of it.”
“When you educate a man you educate
an individual; when you educate a
woman you educate a whole family.”
Robert MacIver
Paying it Forward
…..."Man, Momma and Daddy, they
went to school while we were going
to school, they did it!...you
know..."They were determined. I
could do it to!“
Paying it Forward
…..."and not only am I setting an example
with my immediate family, but I'm setting an
example for these teenagers that are coming
straight out of high school to come into
college...and by me setting that example, I'm
determined to say, Hey...you know...this is
the proper way how you want to organize,
because, take it from me, I have life skills to
bring to the forefront, that I can teach you
how to be organized. I can teach you how to
be prepared…
Paying it Forward
…but it's up to you to be determined, if
you're ready to come to school and to
learn...and for me I'm determined to
come and learn.
…from the lit review
A Synthesis
Vygotsky’s (1962)
social-cultural (social constructivism)
Kolb’s (1984)
Experiential Learning
Mezirow’s (1981)
transformative learning theory
Mezirow’s (1981)
Transformative Learning Theory
asserts that success for adult
learners hinges on a perspective
transformation by the learner.
Core Elements (Taylor, 2009)
Individual Experience, Critical Reflection,
Dialogue, Holistic Orientation,
Awareness of context,
Authentic Relationships
Implications for Practice
How might we
help students
experience
positive
turning points?
Closing Thoughts
In our current climate of the acceleration
narrative, the wholesale dismantling of
productive developmental education
programs, and the continued pointless search
for the one-size-fits all remediation scheme,
we must be reminded that at the community
college we are in the business of being open
access, democratic institutions providing
everyone a chance at higher education.
Closing Thoughts
We are tasked with educating
people, other human beings,
not numbers. Many of the
current “reforms” would have
made these success stories
and my own impossible.
John Smith
jtsmith2@pstcc.edu