Transformative Learning Theory: A Systematic Review of Travel and Tourism Scholarship.

Transformational education is emerging as a key area of study in travel and tourism research. Determining how to facilitatetheory-driventransformational education is vital to the success of this emergent academic agenda. The purpose of this article is to: (a) recommend John Mezirow’s transformative learning theory (TLT) as a framework to guide this agenda, and (b) systematically review travel and tourism research, using TLT as the screening criteria, to identify strategies for successfully implementing this framework as educators. Fifty-three articles were identified, with only 14 published in tourism journals, indicating that research utilizing TLT in travel and tourism is in its infancy. Results suggest that a greater understanding of the theoretical basis of TLT, as well as scholarship highlighting intentional, creative, and effective uses of TLT in the tourism classroom is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]