The pedagogical model for developing students’ independent thinking in the context of transformative learning

Abstract

This article presents the theoretical foundations of the pedagogical model for the development of the students' independent thinking within the context of transformative learning. From this perspective, independent thinking is conditioned by several determining factors, while transformative learning stands out as a relevant framework for stimulating it. The proposed model is based on a constructivist approach to learning, centered on the learner, personal experience, critical reflection, and the reconstruction of the learner’s beliefs and thinking patterns. The paper analyzes recognized theoretical concepts from the specialized literature, such as the constructivist paradigm, the theory of transformative learning, and their correlations with cognitive autonomy, cognitive self-regulation, and epistemic responsibility which are considered decisive in all phases of the transformative learning process. This study provides a well-argued vision of configuring the academic reality, focused on developing independent thinking in the context of transformative learning, which challenges students to reconsider their own perspectives and cultivate their qualities of an independent thinker.