Образ человека будущего, Том 7 (СИ)

a number of participant"s patterns of activities or behaviors through which they are usually held and reported. Based on these descriptions, he developed an overall step-by-step model of the process of transformative learning [Mezirow, 1978]. In a broad sense, these steps describe the general process of involving people in activities that may cause it to shift in semantic perspective as well as to different consequences. It is important to notice, that these steps were carried out in a unique individual manner. They are very different and in a different manner help learners to integrate their learning outcomes and give them important senses and meanings. In his work "Transformative changes of adult learning" Mezirow [Mezirow, 1991] scrupulously compared the proposed step-by-step model of transformative learning theory with other theories of adult learning, finding the many correspondences between them, noting that these steps can be implemented in different ways and in different orders. They can be cyclic or recursive and learn the individual may start with any of them or not include them at all. He described "10 phases of the transformational process" and argued that transformations often follow some variation of the following phases of meaning becoming clarified:

- A disorienting dilemma.

- A self-examination with feelings of guilt or shame.

- A critical assessment of epistemic, sociocultural, or psychic assumptions.

- Recognition that one"s discontent and the process of transformation are shared and that others have negotiated a similar change.

- Exploration of options for new roles, relationships, and actions.

- Planning a course of action.

- Acquisition of knowledge and skills for implementing one"s plan.

- Provision trying of new roles.

- Building of competence and self-confidence in new roles and relationships.

- A reintegration into one"s life on the basis of conditions dictated by one"s perspective [Mezirow, 1991].

The first phase was a disorienting dilemma. The next two phases are important aspects of

the second of the theory"s themes - critical reflection. The next phase represents the third of the theory"s themes, rational discourse. This is a very effective communication tools. The effectiveness lies on exploring with others the discovered "misfit" between your premises and your environment. And specifically it means that:

- "Recognition that one"s discontent and the process of transformation are shared and that others have negotiated a similar change;

- Exploration of options for new roles, relationships, and actions;

- Doug"s discussions with his group allowed him to explore this "misfit" how competition wasn"t always the best approach to performance situations and explored other potential roles or approaches" [Mezirow"s Ten Phases of Transformative Learning]. This approach seems to be a very actual in the "rainy days", which we are experiencing now. The modern society, which is oriented on to the competitiveness and "success race", should be changed to the society of support and cohesion. Therefore this finding balance approach is suitable for the transformation way.

A few years after the establishment of the theory in 1991, in response to criticism and suggestions, Mezirow revised its initial position and extended the original 10-steps model of the transformation process through the inclusion of an additional step: "review of existing and constructing of new relationships" on the basis of critical reflection and rational discourse [Mezirow 1994: 224]. This step can be regarded as a test on the formation of the individual as an autonomous, communicative

110 Future Human Image. Volume 7, 2017

Educational Cognitive Technologies as Human Adaptation Strategies by Marja Nesterova

and responsible subject of social relations. Therefore, we can consider this step in the direction of critical reflection as methodological basis of human adaptation strategies.

Critical reflection as foundation of educational cognitive technologies

The way of cognitive transformation starting from competitiveness to the cohesion could not be realised without proper changes in the way of thinking. Many followers of Mezirow also assign an important role to the critical reflection in the educational processes, especially in the processes of transformative learning. "Critical reflection is a tool that we use in our beliefs and assumptions, assessing their validity in light of new experiences or knowledge, considering their sources, and learning background, their underlying" [Cranton, 2002: 65]. Patricia Cranton explains that "transformative learning theory leads us to see learning as a process of understanding assumptions and their assessment" [Cranton, 1994: 730]. She also states that we always proceed from the existing complexes of assumptions that define our teaching practice, and stresses that "if basic assumptions are not challenged, the change cannot take place" [Cranton, 1994: 739].