









































Contreras, E. & Bedford, L. Global Journal of  
Transformative Education (2024) Vol 4   
pp 23-30  DOI  10.14434/gjte.v4i1.34388

Open Access

Published by the Global Insitutute of Transformative Education (http://www.gite.education)
© Contreras & Bedford. 2024. Open Access This journal is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 
NonCommercial NonDerivative 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which 
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction without revision in any non-commercial medium, provided you 
give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,

The Transformative Nature of Graduate Education

Elizabeth Contreras1 and Laurie Bedford2

Abstract

Doctoral education is a complex and sometimes intimidating process. However, it is also transformative. 
Transformational Learning Theory, developed by Mezirow in 1991, helps to explain how graduate education 
is transformative through embracing education in a cognizant and reflective way. Transformational Learning 
Theory states that learners change the perception of their experiences and interpret it differently as they prog-
ress in their learning. By helping students connect with the school community, their professors, and their own 
metacognitive process, Transformational Learning Theory helps explain the evolution students go through as 
they progress through doctoral programs. Written as a personal reflection on the transformative experience of 
doctoral education, this article explores Transformational Learning Theory in a real-world, practical manner, 
providing helpful strategies to apply the Transformational Learning Theory to the doctoral education experi-
ence, helping doctoral students embrace their own transformation.

Keywords:  Transformational learning, Graduate education, Doctoral students, Growth mindset,  
Discourse- reflection cycle. 

Full listing of authors and contacts can be 
found at the end of this article.

What does it mean to earn a doctorate? Does it 
mean to develop expertise in one specific, narrow area 
of a dissertation study? Does it mean to grow as an 
academic and evolve in one’s academic acumen? Does it 
mean to contribute to the scholarly community and join 
the discourse of researchers in the world of academia 
through unique research that fills gaps in the overall 
intellectual knowledge base? Does it mean to acquire 
more qualifications that enable the progression to 
university professor or academic? Put simply, the doc-
toral experience and the process of earning a terminal 
degree is a combination of the answers to each of these 
questions and because of this is naturally transforma-
tional. I knew as a child that I wanted to earn a Ph.D., 
but it was not until thirteen years into my career as an 
educator that I finally achieved this ambition. What I 
discovered is that at its core, the doctoral journey is one 
of transformation. I began my journey with one inter-
pretation of what it meant to be earn a doctorate and 

when I finished, I realized it was a much deeper expe-
rience than I had expected. My intention in this article 
is thus to examine and evaluate my experience in the 
doctoral journey and true growth that came once I 
embraced the transformational nature of the doctoral 
journey. In this article, I will relate my own experiences 
and reflection as a doctoral candidate. I will examine 
the discourse-reflection cycle, the need for community, 
and the best practices that assisted me in transforming 
from an educator with a master’s degree to a doctor 
with a Ph.D. By juxtaposing my experience with the 
Transformational Learning Cycle, I will endeavor to 
help the novice doctoral candidate understand that the 
doctoral and dissertation process is transformational in 
nature and how to best embrace this philosophy. 

Transformative Learning Theoretical Framework
Transformative Learning developed by Mezirow 

(1991, 1998) is the process of evolving assumptions 
and interpretations of a student towards their learn-
ing and is based on the experiences the learner goes 
through. Transformational learning according to 

23



Contreras & Bedford, Transformative Nature of Graduate Education 24

Mezirow (1998), evolves as a series of frames of 
reference that change based on the experiences of 
the student. The theory is based on the idea that 
students interact with their professors and fellow 
students in a discourse reflection cycle that helps 
inform the student’s understanding of their learning. 
This is encapsulated in the Transformational Learning 
Process (Mezirow, 2000). According to Mezirow 
(2000) in the beginning of the process, students 
experience a disorientation phase in which they may 
feel confused or overwhelmed. When the student 
becomes self-aware, they progress to self-examination, 
assessment, recognition, and exploration. Once these 
stages are complete, the student’s interpretation 
of their experience changes and they enter into a 
more proactive stage of planning a course of action. 
Once complete, the student begins to actively, and 
consciously acquire knowledge and begin to try out 
different roles. This leads to the stage of developing 
self-confidence. Finally, the student reintegrates 
into the process as they start a new stage in their 
development and the process begins all over again. 
This process helps the student to grow and transform 
as they progress from a stage of disorientation to 
self-confidence. This process, according to Mezirow 
(2000) is best facilitated when students engage in a 
discourse-reflection cycle. This involves interacting 
with professors and classmates productively and using 
their feedback to reflect on the learning experience. 
Such community connections help to form the basis 
of an inquiry process in which the student actively 
participates in meaningful research and reflection. 
Through the community connections, discourse-
reflection cycle and inquiry process, students develop 
a growth mindset. This mindset helps them to become 
conscious of how their interpretations of their 
experiences have changed and the transformative 
process is complete. 

Transformational Learning Cycle
To begin, I will review my path to the doctoral 

program to establish a foundation for how the doctoral 
process was transformative.. I earned my master’s 
degree in history in 2004 at the age of 22. I decided to 
start working as a teacher instead of continuing my 
education. Ten years later, I determined that it was 
time to go back for my doctorate. However, the ten-year 
furlough in my education was long enough that when I 
went back, the systems had changed. Instead of a face-
to-face program, I determined an online program

worked best for my needs and I had to adjust to the 
unique nature of online learning. Between finishing 
my masters and starting my doctorate, the nature of 
education had changed, and I had changed as well. 
My interpretation of what I needed in a program had 
transformed from wanting a face-to-face program as 
in my masters to deciding on an online program for 
my doctorate. So too, I found the writing and citation 
format of APA instead of Chicago, the nature of 
research, and even the generally acceptable sentence 
structures were vastly different from what I was 
accustomed to coming from the world of history. I 
entered my doctoral program with a master’s in history, 
and as an accomplished educator but realized that I 
was very much a novice researcher. My interpretation 
of where I was, as Mezirow’s (1998) theory illustrates, 
had altered. I quickly recognized I would need to 
grow, evolve, adapt, and change. In simple terms, to be 
successful, I would have to transform. When I realized 
this, my progress in the doctoral program increased 
and I found it highly rewarding. It was clear that the 
feedback from professors on papers, the assignments 
I completed, and every interaction was part of the 
transformational process, taking me from accomplished 
educator and master historian to scholar and academic. 
Through their feedback, I was able to grow and my 
interpretation of what I needed changed to one of 
seeing every interaction as a constructive one and 
part of my process of growth. Transformative learning, 
according to Mezirow (1998), is based on the evolving 
interpretations and assumptions of the student as they 
progress through the program. 

It is for this reason that the Transformational 
Learning Theory is so important for doctoral 
candidates to understand. Transformational Learning 
Theory, developed by Mezirow (1991) is based 
on the idea that learners’ interpretations of their 
learning experiences evolves and changes as they 
progress through their educational journey. It helps 
to explain the nature of doctoral education as a 
process of evolution and metamorphosis. Thus, before 
examining how it relates to the doctoral process and 
my own journey, it is essential to understand what 
Transformational Learning Theory is and how it 
helps to shape the doctoral process. Transformational 
Learning Theory was developed by Mezirow in 1991. 
Based on a constructivist paradigm, Transformational 
Learning Theory provides insight into the process that 
doctoral candidates go through in that it helps explain 
how developing expertise, growing as an academic, and

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2024) Vol 4



Contreras & Bedford, Transformative Nature of Graduate Education 25

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2024) Vol 4

taking the important step of entering the world of 
university research are evolutionary processes (Craig 
et al., 2001; King, 2002). In this lens, doctoral education 
is viewed as the process of gaining professional 
knowledge and skills that the individual can use to 
enhance their practice and the discipline. In other 
words, the doctoral candidate transforms from a master 
in their respective field to a scholar-practitioner by 
absorbing new ideas, information and experiences. 
Their interpretation of what they need and how they 
view themselves in the process grows and changes. The 
transformational nature of the doctoral program, is 
therefore, inherent in the doctoral journey. 

However, beyond the cognitive experiences, 
doctoral education should also result in a personal 
transformation that includes shifts towards expanded 
consciousness and professional emotions (Stevens-
Long, et al., 2012).  This means that as the student 
progresses in the doctoral process, their interpretation 
of what they need and how they see their journey 
changes. While there are many macrostructures 
that define the doctoral and dissertation process 
(Anderson, Alexander, & Saunders, 2020), such as 
enrollment and writing proficiency requirements, 
a primary consideration is that while doctoral 
candidates may conduct and publish a formal study 
in their dissertation, the process is what facilitates 
transformation. The doctoral candidate is in a state of 
evolution or transformation, learning the processes 
necessary to become a contributing member of the 
academic community and in this process interpreting 
and reinterpreting how they view their experience. 
The doctoral candidate, upon entering the doctoral 
program, or even when defending their dissertation 
is not expected to be perfect. What is essential is not 
the flawlessness of the journey but how the process 
of working conducting research that culminates in a 
completed dissertation helps the doctoral candidate 
build the skills necessary to practice at a higher 
academic level. The dissertation process, like doctoral 
course work and the experience as a whole, is a training 
process meant to assess how adept the doctoral 
candidate adapts to circumstances, meets challenges, 
and solves complex problems. It is the ability to adapt, 
evolve, and respond that is both evaluated and at the 
center of the transformative process because it helps 
students to grow (Steven-Long et al., 2020). When 
doctoral candidates understand this, they can reflect 
on the learning process and become conscious of how 
their interpretations of their growth has changed 

(Mezirow, 1997), ultimately making the transition from 
apprentice researcher to advanced scholar (Garcia & 
Yao, 2019). 

Discourse Reflection Cycle
When I began to consciously evaluate how my 

interpretation of my experience was changing, and 
was thus able to see the doctoral process as one of 
transformation, I was able to make real gains in my 
own knowledge base and develop a perspective that 
enabled me to grow. When I was younger, getting my 
master’s degree, I was wedded to the words of my 
thesis and each time my Chair gave me advice and 
constructive criticism, I was offended and felt that 
he was judging the merits of my paper and my worth 
as a scholar and writer. However, when working 
through the doctoral program, it was clear, after ten 
years as an educator, that my professors, in providing 
me feedback were not judging my academic merit or 
criticizing my worth as a scholar but were instead 
attempting to guide me through constructive criticism 
to hone my understanding. This epiphany helped me 
to understand this as transformative experience. My 
interpretation of the writing process transformed as 
per the Transformational Learning Theory. I realized 
that if I were to reflect upon the feedback and discourse 
with professors, I could grow and develop competence 
in my ability to conduct rigorous academic research. 
This discourse-reflection cycle, when viewed through 
the lens of Transformative Learning as described by 
Mezirow (1991), assisted me in making the most of 
the discourse with my professors and assisted me 
in gaining the skill set and foundation necessary to 
embark upon my dissertation research. Without this 
frame of mind, my outlook would have stayed fixed 
and while I may have successfully completed my 
dissertation, I would not have made the gains necessary 
to join the academic community. But, by becoming 
conscious of my the transformative nature of my 
experience and  by embracing feedback and using it to 
grow, my mind was open to change, and evolution was 
inevitable. Not only did I complete my dissertation, 
but I absorbed a wide variety of ideas, techniques, and 
methods from my various professors and developed a 
strong knowledge base from which to start my life as a 
professional at the doctoral level.

Therefore, what is the discourse-reflection cycle 
and how it is informative to the doctoral candidate and 
fit into Transformative Learning Theory? As candidates 
begin in the doctoral program, they are often unfamiliar



26

with academic processes. To help them become con-
scious of how their experiences inform their inter-
pretation and reinterpretation of their learning and 
transform into scholars capable of conducing strong 
research, support from faculty is essential. Discourse 
and guidance from professors help doctoral candidates 
to successfully learn the research procedures and 
processes as well as write and present their findings in 
the way deemed acceptable by the academic commu-
nity. The discourse-reflection cycle can happen when 
doctoral candidates converse through email, virtually 
or in-person with professors. It can also take place with 
other members in the university community. The key 
is that the initial interaction is followed by reflection 
about those conversations. The intent is for the doctoral 
candidate to take the advice and critiques provided and 
use them to reflect on where they are and where they 
need to go in their doctoral journey. Through commu-
nication and reflection, doctoral candidates draw on 
previous experiences to make meaning of new practices 
through constructivist discourse and reflection. During 
this process, doctoral candidates learn from the guid-
ance of professors as well as their peers. By interacting 
with other doctoral candidates with shared needs and 
common goals, the doctoral candidate finds support, 
guidance, and inspiration. This can act as a catalysis 
for doctoral candidates to engage within the discourse 
reflection cycle and to internalize the meaning of each 
new experience and by doing so the student’s interpre-
tation of their learning process and their experiences as 
a student transforms (Swaggerty & Broemmel, 2016). 

The key, however, is that communication is a 
purposeful and conscious reflection embedded in the 
process (Swaggerty & Broemmel, 2016). If the doctoral 
candidate does not value the feedback of professors and 
reflect upon it, the discourse reflection cycle may not 
occur, and transformation may be stymied. Reflection 
must focus on what is gained and how it helps the stu-
dent to grow and change. Thus, emphasis on purposeful 
communication and thoughtful-conscious reflection are 
key to doctoral candidates being able to successfully 
complete the discourse reflection cycle and use it as 
part of their transformational process. 

As related previously, embracing the discourse re-
flection cycle helped me embrace the transformational 
process. When I realized that the feedback was con-
structive in nature and that conversations with tutors, 
members of the IRB, and professors could help me to 
better understand not only the expectations but also 
the mechanisms at my disposal to complete my 

program, I was able to make great gains in my 
doctoral journey. By viewing each conversation as an 
opportunity to grow and useful to my development, 
my reflection was purposeful and deliberate. I took 
notes on feedback suggestions and used those notes 
early in the program for my next assignment and later 
in my dissertation as my guide for what I needed to 
do and include in my research. By using the discourse 
reflection cycle in this way, I was aware of how my 
interpretation of my learning and growth. This made 
the transformation from competent educator with a 
master’s degree in history to a Doctor of Education. 
However, beyond the credential, I learned the process 
of researching and writing on the doctoral level, 
something that is and will continue to be a benefit in 
my journey as it continues into the world of academia. 

The need for community connections
As intimated above, an integral part of the 

transformational process and an imperative aspect of 
the discourse reflection cycle is the need for community 
connections. Whether in a face-to-face or online 
program, doctoral candidates must become part of the 
university community. According to Cranton (2016) 
humans are by nature communal and developing 
strong communicative knowledge helps people within a 
community to understand the social norms, values, and 
code of beliefs within the community. Once graduated, 
doctors join a much larger academic community of 
fellow doctors and researchers, and this understanding 
of the importance and value of this community 
is essential to a successful doctoral program and 
dissertation process (Dowling & Wilson, 2017). 
Having a community helps doctoral candidates and 
new doctors to make purposeful connections. These 
connections help the individual to grow and change, 
this transformation, especially when deliberate and 
thoughtful changes the interpretation of the individual 
towards their experience. Many doctoral candidates, 
like myself, are enrolled in online doctoral programs 
(Garcia & Yao, 2019). In my experience, the connections 
made through the university community were not only 
integral but an essential aspect to my success in the 
program.

However, the unique nature of online learning can 
create barriers to participation in this community and 
can lead some doctoral candidates to not realize that 
a community exists. Because of the barrier of time 
and distance, online doctoral candidates can feel a 
disconnect between themselves and their professors

Global Journal of Transformative Education (2024) Vol 4

Contreras & Bedford, Transformative Nature of Graduate Education



27

and other classmates (Sekulich, 2020). The ability to 
engage with professors and other doctoral candidates 
may be limited. This then disrupts the discourse-
reflection cycle since the doctoral candidate is not as 
easily able to engage in dialogue with others in the 
academic community. This lack of connection can 
undercut the efficacy of the reflection process. The 
doctoral candidate may begin to garner a negative 
self-perception of themselves as a student and their 
transformation can progress in a negative manner. 
While the doctoral candidate may still be able to reflect 
on their journey, without the ability to see how fellow 
doctoral candidates are experiencing the doctoral 
program, online doctoral candidates can lose the social 
connections and the perspectives those provide that 
are a natural part of the traditional brick and mortar 
university. As Cranton (2016) explained, when students 
and professors communicate regularly, students feel 
more empowered and are better able to make use of the 
skills, knowledge, and information they need in order 
to be successful. However, professors often expect 
online doctoral candidates to initiate contact, while 
doctoral candidates feel a greater need for support 
(Sekulich, 2020). This discrepancy can leave doctoral 
candidates feeling unsupported in their efforts (Ray, et 
al, 2019). Such feelings of social isolation, while often 
more pronounced for international doctoral candidates, 
can impact all doctoral candidates, resulting in negative 
academic and personal learning outcomes (Ray et al., 
2019). Subsequently, these experiences may interfere 
with a doctoral candidate’s ability to successfully 
experience a positive transformational process and 
result in stagnation as a beginning scholar (Swaggerty 
& Broemmel, 2016). 

Therefore, in the online environment, allowing time 
for both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration 
is helpful in bridging this gap and helping the doctoral 
candidate to feel the support needed (Swaggerty & 
Broemmel, 2016). When virtual interactions take 
place, doctoral candidates are better able to engage 
in critical reflection since they can broaden their 
perspective and help them become aware of their 
changing interpretations. They also learn from other 
doctoral candidates and benefit from the knowledge 
of their peers and professors. The discourse, although 
virtual is key to a successful online program. According 
to Swaggerty and Broemmel (2016), when doctoral 
candidates work closely with professors, whether in an 
online or traditional program, they are better able to 
understand the process and their sense of self-efficacy

increases. They also can better engage in reflection, 
deepening their own connection with their learning 
and broadening their perspective. Cranton (2016) also 
explained that students in an asynchronous online 
discussion setting often are able to engage with peers 
in a more meaningful and personal manner in an online 
setting, allowing them to be more forthcoming with 
their struggles or feelings since they are not talking to 
people face-to face. Cranton (2016) referred to this as 
the “stranger on the train” phenomena and explained 
that because students in an online setting do not know 
their classmates and cannot see their face, they may 
be more likely to share information that they would 
otherwise keep private. This freedom to explore 
topics and feelings in a more open manner leads to 
greater reflection and can help students embrace the 
transformative process. Through interaction their 
interpretation and reinterpretation of their learning 
grows, leading them through the process of change 
inherent to the Transformational Learning Theory.

Doctoral candidates additionally benefit from 
opportunities to engage with other doctoral candidates 
and professors in synchronous face-to-face meetings 
and asynchronously through community forums, 
emails, or discussions boards, (Alexander et al, 
2013). This ability to connect with and find mentors 
in professors can help the doctoral candidate in the 
discourse reflection cycle as well as the transformative 
process. Ultimately, when doctoral candidates work 
with professors in a mentoring relationship, they are 
more likely to experience holistic success since they 
can share ideas, discuss and evaluate their dissertation 
journey as a transformative process (Sekulich, 2020). 
By proactively seeking opportunities for community 
engagement, doctoral candidates can better develop a 
sense of meaning in their research and develop a strong 
sense of self-efficacy. This enables them to reflect in a 
meaningful manner and embrace the transformational 
nature of the program. As their interpretation of the 
process becomes reflective, they are better able to make 
meaningful gains in their academic progress.

Reflecting on my own experience, it took some time 
for me to realize that a virtual community existed at my 
university. I found, as Sekulich (2020) intimated, that 
my professors, while sending an automated welcome 
email and providing a welcome video on the homepage 
of the course, waited for me to reach out and establish 
contact. In the earlier courses, I did not engage with 
my professors or other doctoral candidates in any real 
meaningful way and my connection to the experience

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Contreras & Bedford, Transformative Nature of Graduate Education



28

was limited. However, by my second semester, I had 
realized that a community forum existed in the form 
of online discussion boards. I also discovered that 
professors and other school personnel held regular 
webinars and the tutoring center was available to 
assist with most any question from statistical analysis 
to writing help. When I started taking advantage 
of these outlets, my growth as a budding doctoral 
candidate became more substantial and I was able 
to better reach out to professors, engage with them, 
ask questions, and then use those interactions to help 
strengthen my own knowledge base. I became part of 
the virtual community and especially when writing 
my dissertation, this community was an integral part 
of my success since it enabled meaningful discourse 
and reflection which enabled true transformation. By 
becoming part of the community, I changed from simply 
going through the motions to being aware of how my 
interpretation of my experience was changing as part of 
the Transformational Learning Theory.

Strategies for Success
In order to help facilitate the transformational 

process and find success in a doctoral program, in 
addition to what has already been discussed, doctoral 
candidates need to be aware of certain strategies or 
best practices to help facilitate their learning. The first 
of these are research skills.  Dowling and Wilson (2017) 
explained that when research skills are the focal point 
of a doctoral program, doctoral candidates are better 
able to hone their researching skills and develop the 
skill set necessary for successful completion of the 
dissertation. It is helpful when the program focuses on 
helping doctoral candidates understand how to write 
research questions, develop strong hypotheses, write 
up findings, and craft a strong literature review. Arsian-
Ari, et al. (2017) explained that doctoral candidates 
are more successful when research skills are the focus 
early in the doctoral program and carried throughout 
until the dissertation. This enables the student to grow 
and their understanding of the writing and research 
process changes. This change is an inherent element 
of the Transformational Learning Theory.  Therefore, 
when choosing a doctoral program, doctoral candidates 
should find programs that emphasize the research 
skills necessary to help them develop the skill set 
needed to complete their dissertation. However, if 
already committed to a doctoral program that may or 
may not focus on such skills, doctoral candidates can 
use each research assignment and project as an

opportunity to develop their research abilities. By 
engaging with every assignment as if it were the 
dissertation, putting the same level of care and detail 
into it, doctoral candidates can, as the adage goes, 
practice as they play and thus when they arrive at the 
dissertation are better able to understand the task 
before them and can progress through it easier and 
more successfully.

To enable research to be effective, time 
management is also an essential tool. Time 
management is, in my opinion, the single most 
important aspect of a successful doctoral program. As 
Alexander, et al. (2013) asserted, developing a work-
life balance can be difficult for doctoral candidates. 
The doctoral program is rigorous, demanding and can 
consume a great deal of time. Oftentimes, doctoral 
candidates can become overwhelmed by the process 
and devote too much time to it, neglecting self-care 
and burning out early, or they procrastinate the 
important tasks needed to complete a successful 
program and draw it out indefinitely. To alleviate either 
extreme, developing a work-life balance and good 
time management skills are necessary. In my case, I 
completed my doctoral program while still employed 
full time. I could not, therefore, devote the entire 
workday to my doctoral studies. As such, I set aside 
the first two hours of everyday to my doctoral studies. 
Upon waking each morning, I spent two hours working 
either on my course work or my dissertation. While 
during the execution of my study for my dissertation 
I spent more time in the field conducting surveys, I 
kept very strictly to this two-hour time frame. When 
the two hours ended each day, I saved my work and 
closed it. Key to this, however, was that during those 
two hours, I did not focus on anything else. I closed 
off email, silenced my phone, and concentrated only 
on my doctoral studies. This hyper-focus allowed me 
to work efficiently while internalizing the information 
needed to grow and transform as a doctoral candidate. 
I did not deviate from this strict routine and because 
of it, I finished my doctoral program in three and a half 
years. By making a conscious routine, I was aware of 
how the routine impacted my progress and changed it 
accordingly. Effective time management can, therefore, 
relieve stress and change the interpretation of the 
doctoral process from one of stress to one of growth. 
This is a key element to the Mezirow’s (1991) ideas. 

Within both strategies introduced here, key to both 
was support from professors and reflection. Mentoring, 
according to Dowling and Wilson (2017) and Alexander

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Contreras & Bedford, Transformative Nature of Graduate Education



29

et al. (2013) is key to helping doctoral candidates 
develop strong research skills and time-management 
skills. When professors share with doctoral candidates 
their strategies in both areas, doctoral candidates are 
better able to reflect on their own needs, strengths 
and areas of growth and can make the necessary 
adjustments to become successful researchers who can 
manage their time effectively. Added to this, reflection is 
key. When doctoral candidates engage in the discourse-
reflection cycle to facilitate their development of an 
effective study schedule and research regimen, they 
are better able to see where they are successful and 
where they still need to grow. Honing one’s skills as a 
researcher and paying attention to time management 
are inherent parts of the Mezirow’s (1991) 
transformative process and help budding doctoral 
candidates to be successful. 

Conclusion
Circling back to the opening questions, what does 

it mean to earn a doctorate? Does it mean to develop 
expertise in one specific, narrow area of a dissertation 
study? Does it mean to grow as an academic and 
evolve in one’s academic acumen? Does it mean to 
contribute to the scholarly community and join the 
discourse of researchers in the world of academia 
through unique research that fills gaps in the overall 
intellectual knowledge base? Does it mean to acquire 
more qualifications that enable the progression to 
university professor or academic? When considering 
what it means to become a doctor and what it means to 
traverse through a doctoral program, transformation is 
inherent. 

In my experience, the transformative process 
was propelled by seeking out connections within 
the university community and engaging in active, 
conscious, and critical discourse and reflection. This 
was assisted by developing strong time-management 
skills and balancing the demands of the doctoral 
process in a way that maximized my time spent 
studying and enabled me to make the critical steps 
necessary to transform from an educator with a 
master’s degree to a doctor. 

What is key, however is that this process of 
transformation, once discovered is evident in every 
step forward as an academic. To answer the opening 
questions progressing through the doctoral process 
should be done through open and conscious reflection. 

The candidate should be aware of how their 
interpretation of their progress is evolving and 
changing. If they do this, they can better reflect on 
the process and grow as a professional. Once entering 
the post-doctoral world, the new doctor continues 
to transform. I have found the Transformational 
Learning Theory especially helpful in describing this. 
Transformation does not end with graduation but 
defines every new development and evolution that one 
undergoes as one grows as a doctor. 

By embracing the doctoral experience as one 
of transformation, I have been able to continue to 
consciously evolve and transform in my post-university 
life and will continue to do so. By examining the 
doctoral journey as one of transformation born through 
community engagement, discourse and reflection and 
strong research and time management strategies, one 
can become successful not only within the confines of 
the university and its program but afterwards as well. 

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30

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iheduc.2016.10.002

1 Elizabeth Contreras (econtreras@dccd.edu) is a 
Professor in the School of Law and Public Service at 
Dallas County College, Dallis, Texas, USA.

2 Laurie Bedford (lbedford@ncu.edu) is a Professor in 
the Department of Education at Northcentral University, 
Denver, Colorado, USA.

Authors

Contreras & Bedford, Transformative Nature of Graduate Education

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