“Rewild School: A Pedagogy of Possibility” by Shawn Humphrey (2024)

This is Transformative Learning in all but name. In a research space that is often overly intellectualized, Dr Shawn Humphrey refreshes the field by bringing back the authenticity that it so desperately craves. Through an honest and sometimes gritty narrative and self-reflection, Dr Humprhey describes his journey of pedagogical development and how it culminated in one of the greatest examples of transformative learning in practice. Although the words “transformative learning” are not directly written, Dr Humphrey’s innovative pedagogy of “Rewilding” his undergraduate economics students is indeed transformative learning, in the way it is originally described by Jack Mezirow. Instead of teaching students from an economics textbook, he formulates a series of deep reflective exercises to get students to directly face their assumptions regarding wealth, inequality, the nature of economics, and its connections to lived experiences. Then, after deconstructing these assumptions, he builds upon the fresh foundation with the work of thinkers like Paolo Friere (who himself had ideas foundational to Transformative Learning Theory) to transform his students’ understanding of economics and its practical applications and limitations. A great example of a transformative learning case study as applied to undergraduate economics, and a refreshing and authentic example of transformative learning in practice.

Learn more at rewild.school (ABOUT THE BOOK – Rewild School)