Michael Kroth

This chapter presents the essential concepts of Profound Learning (PL) leading to human flourishing as they relate to instructional design and technology. Here we discuss the ways instructional designers can incorporate the principles of PL for human flourishing into their work, offering examples. Additionally, the relationship of PL for human flourishing to other frameworks for understanding human learning are considered. This chapter closes with an exploration of the future of PL for human flourishing.

This chapter argues for the centrality of spirituality in lifelong and adult learning theory and practice. As embedded in human experience, the spirituality of learning, including exploring awe and wonder, is vital. We introduce the processes and outcomes of lifelong spiritual formation, profound learning, and human flourishing as underpinnings for a theoretical, spirituality‐based framework.

This paper explores the adult learning theory related to Profound Learning (PL). A discussion of the ways in which PL is linked to Formative Design processes and traditional teaching/learning models is presented. PL is defined, including PL practices, components, and an image of application of PL to Formative Design processes. A linkage between PL, Formative Design, design thinking, and community is briefly made before reviewing already accomplished research.

This article introduces formation as an organizing model for lifelong learning and places existing lifelong learning theory into this larger context. Further, in order to demonstrate how this framework might be applied, we suggest a lifelong learning agenda based on formation, which includes intentionality, meta‐learning skills, and meta‐practices. Meta‐learning skills are strategic tools for facilitating lifelong, profound formation, while meta‐practices are the strategic implementation of those meta‐learning skills. Lifelong learning as continual formation has substructures such as deformation, reformation, and transformation. Profound learning practices lead toward profound living, more broadly described as human flourishing.