Challenges and Opportunities in Applying Transformative Learning Theory: A Critical Reflection through Collaborative Autoethnography

Abstract

This article presents insights gained from utilizing Collaborative Autoethnography (CA), a qualitative research method, by two international faculty members who documented their experiences from a year-long participation in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) at a midwestern university in the US. The FLC aimed to create a supportive environment where international faculty and graduate students could discuss their challenges, struggles, and joys related to their 'international-ness'. Through autoethnographic reflection, the study highlights how FLC participation helped mediate initial anxieties and dilemmas for one faculty member (Galina) and facilitated a productive reconceptualization of teaching for the other (Henny). The findings demonstrate the value of reflecting on personal experiences through autoethnography, allowing the participants to draw practical lessons that connect their FLC involvement to their individual teaching contexts and personal struggles in establishing a viable teacher identity. The article concludes with pedagogical recommendations on structuring future FLCs to better address the needs of international faculty.