Sustaining change in a learning organization

Abstract

This article looks at how the application of the concept of a ‘learning organisation’ can be used at a specific organisation in South Africa to change the work performance of its employees. We do this by exploring different theories, models and definitions of organisational learning, learning organisation, organisational knowledge and knowledge management in the field, and against this background examine the perceptions of employees at a South African Organisation. The article underpins this approach by uniquely balancing conceptual rigour with practical experiences of employees at this institution. The view is taken that organisations are living systems that have the capacity to renew themselves by continuously reflecting on their practices and thereby create new knowledge, share and leverage it. Knowledge acquisition and sharing is closely linked to the core values of the organisation in order to achieve business competitiveness, set goals, efficiency, and overall strategic success. The purpose of this article is to understand how an organisation's training department could use the concept of a learning organisation within the South African context to sustain change. To achieve this objective we (the researchers) used a qualitative research paradigm. A phenomenological design presented the research with opportunities to analyse, interpret, and describe the perceptions, feelings and experiences of the participants at the organisation. Eight semi-structured individual interviews provided data for the purposes of this research. The data was analysed to identify categories, themes and sub-themes. The five main themes discussed are organisational learning, organisational culture, organisational change, globalisation and knowledge management and these were linked to the theory of learning organisations and were based on the findings.     

Reality versus perception: Restructuring tertiary education and institutional organisational change – a case study

The purpose of this study was toinvestigate the outcome of restructuring thetertiary system in New South Wales, Australiafive years after its announcement in the late1980s. It was hoped that lessons could belearned to assist policy makers in Nova Scotia,Canada in their attempt to restructure highereducation. Twenty-four senior administratorswere interviewed to collect data on `why' and`how' decisions were made in response to avoluntary restructuring policy. Qualitativedata analysis revealed that (1) voluntaryamalgamations and federations take place whentertiary institutions fear governments willmandate restructuring; (2) restructuring oldestablished institutions is more difficult; (3)personal ambitions of leaders negotiatingmergers play an important role; (4) loosefederations are likely to become morebureaucratic and less efficient; (5)organisational change and development arepoorly understood by senior administrators.To achieve organisational change, more than onefactor must be present. Congruence betweenthese factors is critical to achieve desiredoutcomes. The data inferred that there is arelationship between leadership, restructuring,managing staff relations, organisationaldevelopment, external pressure for change, andorganisational change. To illustrate thisrelationship, the `primary triad model' wascreated suggesting a holistic approach toachieving desired outcomes. Otherwise,organisational change may be perception ratherthan reality.     

刍议高中生物教学中如何培养学生的元认知能力

随着我国经济的发展,教育行业进入了全面改革阶段,素质化教育实施以后,高中生物教学方式逐渐多元化,教学内容比较注重对学生元认知能力的培养。高中生物教学中对元认知能力的培养,很大程度上提高了学生的自我意识,这一点在学习中尤为重要,它是现代教育改革中比较重要的一个课题。本文主要阐述了元认知能力的培养在高中生物教学中的重要性。     

浅谈如何在小学英语课堂中进行生活化教学

《英语新课程标准》强调学生能用所学的英语做事情,在做事情的过程中发展语言、思维以及交流与合作的能力。学习是为了更好的生活,只有让学习回归生活,才能达到学习的真正目的。     

在中等职业学校学生综合素质下降情况下如何做好学生的思想教育工作

本文根据新时期职业学校学生的心态,作者有针对性地提出了思想教育工作中应注意的若干原则和方法问题,着重探讨提高学生综合素质的途径。     

在中职体育教学中如何把握健康教育

鉴于健康教育对中职体育教学的重要性,本文首先介绍了中职学校体育健康的教育现状,根据现状及健康教育的重要性,简要地探讨了如何在中职体育教学中把握健康教育,并提出了具体的措施。     

Student differences and environment perceptions: How they contribute to student motivation in rural high schools

This research investigated relationships among characteristics of students and learning environments influencing variables related to motivation for learning and achievement in rural high schools. Participants were 625 students in all four grades, in 19 rural, public high schools. Questionnaires assessed two environmental factors, three self-perceptual characteristics, two motivational outcomes and three achievement-related outcomes. Regression analyses were utilized to identify differential predictive relationships. Overall, teacher characteristics appeared to more strongly predict students' positive self-perceptions and motivation than did peer characteristics. Perceived ability and valuing most strongly predicted learning and future goals, which, in turn, most strongly predicted motivation. Motivational outcomes strongly predicted grade in class, but not intention to complete high school or postsecondary aspirations. Important differences emerged by subject area. Implications for research and classroom practice are discussed.     

Who goes to SLD schools? Aspects of policy and provision for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties who attend special schools in England

This article focuses on aspects of policy and provision for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) who attend special schools in England. The findings reported below are from a larger study, which aimed to answer the question: ‘Who Goes to SLD Schools in England?’     

学导式教学法在高三政治复习课中的应用

“学导式”教学法是一种在教师指导下学生自主学习的教学方法,要求教师以“学”为出发点和归宿,注重学生学习的激发和学生主体地位的落实,最大限度地开发学生的智能,升华学生的思想,以促进学生素质的全面发展。结合政治学科的特点,在高考复习中的读书、讲解、归纳、训练四环节中将“学导式”教学法加以运用,对开拓学生思维,提高学生素质和能力,会起到很好的作用。     

How to promote knowledge transfer through a problem-based learning Internet platform for vocational high school students

This study aimed to explore how vocational high school students transfer knowledge through a problem-based learning (PBL) Internet platform. A PBL Internet platform was provided to 33 sophomore mechanical engineering students for a 6-week teaching experiment. A survey questionnaire, observation and interview were research instruments. The findings include: 1) factual, conceptual and process knowledge are the major types of knowledge and the sources of knowledge transfer (KT) include students, instructors and industries, but may be acquired differently depending on the level of problem-solving needs; 2) students’ KT includes highly experienced tacit knowledge and more concrete explicit knowledge; 3) students’ attitudes toward the six domains of using the PBL Internet platform all show positive significance, including the platform, the platform instructors, the platform mobility, online interaction, the PBL and the platform interface mechanism of students’ perceptions; 4) the capability and the willingness for KT in instructors, industries and students all have some impact on the effectiveness of KT.     

关于办学思想大讨论的几点思考

章论述了办学思想大讨论的必要性、办学思想的内涵、重点内容以及怎样开展办学思想大讨论的方法与要求，对于端正办学指导思想具有重要意义。     

在加强本科院校建设中如何体现自己的办学特色

高等院校要实现可持续发展,必须树立“正确定位,办出特色”的办学理念,必须树立人才培养质量是生命线的办学思想,必须加强科学研究能力,走科研兴校之路,必须营造良好的校园氛围。     

‘校企合作“是高职”双师型“师资队伍建设的重要途径

“双师型”师资队伍的建设是高等职业技术教育发展的关键。高职院校与企业建立“产一学一研”结合的合作关系,将教师派到企业参加实践,聘请企业人员任兼职教师及与企业合作进行科研及项目开发,对于建设高素质的“双师型”师资队伍,进而推动学校的改革与发展,是十分必要的。     

对韶关市中学生参加课外体育锻炼现状及影响因素分析

采用问卷调查、数据统计、文献资料和逻辑分析方法,对韶关市6所学校的中学生参加课外体育锻炼的现状进行了有效的调查分析。针对存在的问题,提出了若干对策,旨在为提高学生身体素质、增进健康提供科学依据和策略参考。     

关于建立一支忠诚于企业的员工队伍的思考

企业要在激烈竞争的市场中立于不败之地,建立一支忠诚的员工队伍是关键,本文就如何使员工忠诚于企业进行了探讨.     

浅谈如何搞好初中英语学年教学

根据初中英语各阶段的教学任务,教师要狠抓基础训练,针对不同年级学习英语的方法和特点,认真地完成每个学年的教学任务,确集各学年教学质量。     

The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme

This paper reports a study ofthe effectiveness of an innovative approach tostaff development, the conceptual changeapproach, which attempts to change teachers'frameworks for conceptualising teaching andlearning. The evaluation investigated theprogramme at three levels: the impact on theconceptions of teaching of the participants,the resultant impact on teaching practices, andthe consequential effect on student learning.Encouraging results were obtained. Theprogramme brought about detectable conceptualchange or conceptual development in two-thirdsof the sample group. Subsequently, all the`changed' teachers received better ratings ontheir teaching practices from their students inthe following academic year while none of thosewho did not change their conceptions showedsimilar gains in student rating scores. Aresultant positive impact on their students'studying approaches was observed for half ofthe teachers who changed their conceptions.     

Stretching performances in education: the impact of gay parenting and activism on identity and school change

This paper features one gay parent activist in the complex social milieu of his child’s school and his community, his actions meeting both resistance and concurrence as a larger movement operated locally and nationally to make schooling more accepting of and acceptable to gays and lesbians. The paper traces this man’s parenting processes and their effect on the schooling of many children, not only his own, and then contrasts his voice with the reluctant, often denying, and finally acquiescent voices of school people. The narrative captures the essence of cultural and identity change as well as individual and institutional processes. Turning to theory, I use postmodern dilemmas to define the episodic movements of the groups and the multipositionality of the individuals involved. Agency, social roles, and collaborative and individual activity illuminate the agenda of social groups effectively working with and through this parent to meet political goals for students.     

论高职高专公外教材的合理选择和使用

本文从如何选择和使用高职高专公外教材入手,重点阐述了选择公外教材的原则与程序;在如何使用好公外教材方面．笔者认为除了要合理取舍和调整教材内容之外,还应该适当地补充一些教辅材料,学生也必须发挥他们的主观能动性,这样才能真正使用好教材。     

The use of drama to teach social skills in a special school setting for students with autism

For children with autism, social challenges may be both part of the disability and a barrier to accessing education. This article reports on a project that used drama to address such challenges by drawing on the social skills of non‐autistic peers in a special school setting. The article demonstrates how drama's flexibility may be harnessed in order to help students support each other's development of creative and communicative skills. Focusing on two children in particular, specific examples are given to illustrate how they participated in group work, made imaginative contributions to verbal and physical representations and engaged with abstract ideas. The project's outcomes suggest that, given a concrete structure and an invitation to collaborate, drama can be a powerful learning medium for children with autistic spectrum disorder. The conclusion reflects on the diverse meaning of inclusive practice that can be achieved within specialist settings.