The College of Education for Humanities at the University of Baghdad discussed a doctoral dissertation entitled “The Effectiveness of an Educational Program Based on Transformative Learning Theory in Developing Concepts of Peace and Human Rights among Students of Colleges of Education.” The dissertation was presented by Noor Salem Jamal, a researcher in the Department of Educational and Psychological Sciences, specializing in Curriculum and Methods of Teaching.
The dissertation was examined by a committee chaired by Prof. Dr. Zainab Hamza Raji, with Prof. Dr. Dawood Abdulsalam Sabri serving as a member and supervisor, alongside a distinguished group of professors from the department. Prof. Dr. Haider Hatem Falih from the College of Basic Education at the University of Babylon also joined the committee as an external member.
The study aimed to develop an educational program for teaching the subject of Human Rights and Democracy based on Transformative Learning Theory and to measure its effectiveness among first-year students in Colleges of Education. It also sought to develop students’ concepts and understanding of peace and human rights.
The study reached several significant findings. Most notably, it demonstrated that adopting an educational program based on Transformative Learning Theory represents a qualitative shift in teaching human rights by moving beyond rote learning toward meaning-making and the development of values connected to real-life contexts. Furthermore, the program contributed to developing students’ critical and reflective thinking through dialogue and discussion, thereby enhancing their awareness of humanitarian issues and making learning deeper and more effective.
Accordingly, the researcher recommended that Colleges of Education adopt educational programs based on Transformative Learning Theory as part of their academic curricula and instructional plans.
