Can universities become true learning organizations?

Abstract

PurposeAims to assess whether a university can become a true learning organization.Design/methodology/approachFocuses on the need for, and challenges of, transforming universities into true learning organizations.FindingsObserves that few of the underlying values that serve as the underpinnings of the learning organizations are actually honored in universities.Originality/valueOffers some possible avenues to help transform universities toward becoming learning organizations.

Work Stress Among University Teachers: Gender and Position Differences

“…Our study clearly shows that assistants are fi nd themselves more exposed to adverse interpersonal relationships than other positions, which largely stems from distancing (36,37). Institutions of higher education all over the whole world often encourage this behavioural patterns (38).…”

Teachers learning and innovating together : exploring collective learning and its relationship to individual learning, transformational leadership and team performance in higher vocational education

“…The archetype of a learning organization is seen as a promising response for schools to the demands made on them to learn continually (see for example Watkins, 2005), to adjust (see for example Schechter, 2008), and to restructure (see for example Silins et al, 2002;Collinson et al, 2006). In line with this archetype, ideas about organizational learning are being applied to educational settings (see for example De Laat & Simons, 2002;Kezar, 2005;Verbiest et al, 2005;White & Weathersby, 2005;Bowen, Rose & Waren, 2006;Collinson et al, 2004;Lick, 2006;Austin & Harkins, 2008;Tynjälä & Nikkanen, 2009;Veisi, 2010;Bui & Baruch, 2011). In this context there is also recognition for the fact that organizational development not only depends on individual learning, but also on processes of collective learning Verbiest et al, 2005;Castelijns, Koster & Vermeulen, 2009).…”

“…It is advantageous for Universities of Applied Sciences to have research done on learning from the perspective of organizational development that is applied in their own context: "research from organizational theory suggests that techniques and practices are more easily and successfully adopted within an institution when the approach has been tested within that particular setting and adjusted for that context..." (Kezar, 2005, p. 14). Moreover, universities have specific characteristics (see White and Weathersby, 2005) that should be taken into account when developing theories for this context. Assuming the premise is true that changes to higher vocational education can be achieved using a learning strategy, our study is focused on the value of 'organizational learning' in Universities of Applied Sciences.…”

“…Moreover, collaboration might be uncomfortable for teachers, because it requires that they subject their work to scrutiny, which can be extremely threaten-ing (Mitchell & Sackney, 2000). White and Weathersby (2005) therefore argue that social learning is an espoused ideal rather than actual practice in universities. In advocating the importance of 'collective learning' for the educational context, we should be aware of the specific culture that can be found in many schools.…”

Transforming engineering education institutions to be learning organizations

“…However, as occurs in every effort to implement a new model in general, there are a number of challenges that must be overcome so that transformation runs effectively. Challenges associated with the practice of transformation towards LO are partly linked to community cultural differences [9], organizational culture, organizational structure, and politics [14][15].…”