Case study of transformative learning and the development of a Christian worldview in a Christian school, A

This case study looks at the alumni of one Christian high school in western Canada and the possible connections between their experiences in the Christian education program and their Christian worldview development. This study is grounded in transformative learning theory and Christian worldview development. The purposes of this study are to (a) relate the effects of the school’s Christian education program to alumni’s transformative learning experiences, and to (b) explore how alumni’s experiences in the Christian education program have influenced their Christian worldview development and, consequently, their long-term faith retention. The research questions ask: 1) What Christian education learning activities contributed to alumni’s transformative learning experiences? 2) What Christian education learning activities contributed to alumni’s Christian worldview development? and, 3) How do alumni perceive their interactions with religious thought and worldview development subsequent to their graduating from a Christian high school? To answer these questions, the researcher utilizes a parallel research method including an anonymous electronic survey and in-person semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the Christian education program in this case study may not have had a significant impact on the respondents’ transformative learning experiences and the development of Christian worldview development; however, other school influences did have an impact. These influences include staff and student relationships, event-based activities, school missions trips, and extra-curricular activities. Based on these findings, the researcher recommends (a) that Christian school staff work to collectively understand the process of worldview formation and develop an inclusive worldview statement, (b) the development of a discipleship pathway for staff and students to refer to, and (c) the increased incorporation of varied disorienting dilemmas into Christian education programs.