Who is associated with the concept of learning that initiates deep and lasting personal change?

Jack Mezirow is associated with the concept of transformative learning, which emphasizes deep and lasting personal change through critical reflection. This approach shifts the individual’s perspective, often resulting in profound shifts in understanding and actions based on life experiences. Mezirow posits that this transformation occurs when learners critically examine their assumptions, beliefs, and thoughts, fostering a critical consciousness that enables them to enact positive change in their lives. His work focuses on the importance of dialogue, critical reflection, and the role of experience in the learning process, making him a key figure in adult education theories that address significant personal development.

While John Dewey contributed to experiential learning and emphasized the importance of reflection in education, and Lev Vygotsky focused on social interactions and context in cognitive development, and Jean Piaget explored stages of cognitive development in children, Mezirow's theories specifically center on the transformative aspect of learning that leads to substantial personal shifts, which is why he is the correct association for this concept.