Transformative Learning of Educationally Active Women in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: The study aims to determine whether educationally active women present signs of transformative learning in their own experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus of the study is the relationship between experiencing transformative learning in a pandemic and the sense of loneliness, received social support, sense of life satisfaction and age. Methods: The study was conducted among 258 educationally active women – part-time students, as well as students of the Universities of the Third Age. Age of the surveyed women: from 19 to 87 years. Data were collected using the online test method. A statistical significance of differences was tested with the U Mann-Whitney test and the two proportion z-test. Results: Most of the surveyed women manifested elements of transformative learning in their experience of the pandemic. Those scoring high on the Transformative Learning in a Pandemic Situation scale have had their life satisfaction decrease to a greater extent than those scoring low. The group scoring high on the Transformative Learning in a Pandemic Situation scale is characterised by a higher sense of loneliness. No relationship was found between perceived manifestations of transformative learning and age, social support, place of residence and education. Discussion: The transformative potential of learning can be seen in a pandemic situation. The obtained data provide arguments supporting the supposition that the feeling of loneliness, influencing the lowering of satisfaction from life, is a factor triggering learning and leading to the change of habits of thinking and acting of educationally active women.