1 Autobiographical reflection and perspective transformation in adult learners returning to study: Research in progress

Throughout the course of our learning careers we are at times presented with the opportunity to reflect on our lives, to consider the experiences and people that have contributed to the shaping of our sense of self, and to the expectation we subsequently have of ourselves and our potential capacity. Nelson (1994) suggests we have the potential to transform our perspective if we have been enabled to explore the schemas that have woven themselves into the fabric of our self-identity and to consider the impact this brings to our life and learning,. He speaks of this autobiographically reflective process as coming to imagine a future previously untold. I have increasingly come to include autobiographical reflection as a learning tool for the learners with whom I work, predominantly women over forty returning to the workforce and formal learning. They speak of the journey of self-discovery they undertake through this process of self-reflection and the positive outcomes they come to recognise in their own lives. Once identified, named and acknowledged, a once limiting past can be reconciled to enable a new path of identity formation that allows learners to step into a future of possibility. This paper draws on the writings of Nelson, Brookfield, Mezirow and Freire and examines the potential capacity of autobiographical reflection to foster perspective transformation among adult learners returning to study. It outlines the conceptual framework and methodology for a postgraduate thesis on the topic and seeks feedback on the proposed research design, which explores an under-researched topic in VET: In what ways can telling and reflecting on their story provide these learners with greater engagement in the learning process, and potentially promote more beneficial learning and vocational outcomes for these individuals, and through them to society