Abstract:

This paper provides an auto-ethnographic account on the experiences of two academics who participated in an Erasmus exchange, one in Italy and one in the UK. The researchers aimed to ‘learn from’ and ‘transfer to’ an unknown context some skills, knowledge and methods in their learning and teaching activities. A reflexive and interdisciplinary dialogue, underpinned by sharing materials, research tools, lived experiences, has originated processes of adapting the teaching and learning strategies and of negotiating meanings on the educational themes. Informal discussion, participant observation and the analysis processes involved in the learning and teaching metaphorical journey are the methods of data collection employed. The analysis of the findings will be discussed through the lens of the transformative learning approach. In particular the dynamics of switching the roles of being a learner who takes the risk of undertaking an experience abroad and being a teacher who is open to act in an unknown and unfamiliar context has originated new knowledge. The paper will demonstrate how the Erasmus exchange has developed a better awareness on the professional competences required by a young researcher really involved in the field of pedagogy and in promoting educational practice and social transformation.

Keywords:

Trasformative Learning.