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A study of Ghim Moh School as a learning organisation : teachers' perspectives on how school leaders can facilitate a culture of thinking
Author
Lam, Ai-Leen
Supervisor
Chong, Keng Choy
Abstract
This action research study is an investigation of teachers' perception of Ghim Moh Secondary School as a Learning Organisation. The study focuses on team learning and explores how school leaders can facilitate a culture of thinking by fostering the learning capacity of teams in the school. It examines the knowledge, skills, attitudes and emotions of teachers towards team learning, the work situations they are in which either promote or impede team learning. It attempts to identify the influences and constraints that affect team learning and explores what school leaders can do to facilitate a team learning culture.
Data was gathered through administration of the Learning Diagnostic Questionnaire to examine individual learning, and the Learning Organisation Assessment Questionnaire to study the school team learning culture. A dialogue session was also conducted with a high performing team to clarify the findings and explore for enabling factors that facilitate team learning. Questionnaire data were statistically analysed, and data collected during the dialogue session were content analysed.
The staff perceived that the school provided a supportive learning environment with many opportunities for growth. However, despite their positive attitude and commitment to continual learning, their ability to learn from experience was impeded by their inadequate knowledge and skills about the learning process.
Teachers identified the five enabling routines and practices to be (1) management's commitment to matching training with developmental needs, (2) the belief that there are alternative and better ways to do something, (3) recognition for innovative solutions to problems, (4) acceptance of different viewpoints, and (5) the opportunities to learn from one another. On the other hand, teachers find (1) their heavy workload, (2) the lack of time to step back and reflect on practice, and (3) the high stress level as the three main blocks to learning.
The report suggests that there is scope activities to further enhance team learning skills to increase the school's learning capacity. Leaders could ask action oriented questions to identify strengths and weaknesses in promoting a learning culture and use the PDCA cycle to explore creative ways to address the identified learning blocks. Training in the Five Disciplines would equip leaders with the tools to build learning communities in their own work groups. To enhance the individual's personal mastery and increase the learning capability of the team, teachers could be matched as learning buddies. It is crucial for the collective organisational memory to be preserved and "lessons learned" made readily accessible. Failure to learn from past experiences will hinder the school's capacity to learn. It is also essential to put in place spiral feedback mechanisms to provide a true picture of current reality and systematic processes to facilitate cross-functional learning. Setting Laboratory Environment in the school will encourage a spirit of reflective inquiry and experimentation in self-emerging collaborative teams.
Data was gathered through administration of the Learning Diagnostic Questionnaire to examine individual learning, and the Learning Organisation Assessment Questionnaire to study the school team learning culture. A dialogue session was also conducted with a high performing team to clarify the findings and explore for enabling factors that facilitate team learning. Questionnaire data were statistically analysed, and data collected during the dialogue session were content analysed.
The staff perceived that the school provided a supportive learning environment with many opportunities for growth. However, despite their positive attitude and commitment to continual learning, their ability to learn from experience was impeded by their inadequate knowledge and skills about the learning process.
Teachers identified the five enabling routines and practices to be (1) management's commitment to matching training with developmental needs, (2) the belief that there are alternative and better ways to do something, (3) recognition for innovative solutions to problems, (4) acceptance of different viewpoints, and (5) the opportunities to learn from one another. On the other hand, teachers find (1) their heavy workload, (2) the lack of time to step back and reflect on practice, and (3) the high stress level as the three main blocks to learning.
The report suggests that there is scope activities to further enhance team learning skills to increase the school's learning capacity. Leaders could ask action oriented questions to identify strengths and weaknesses in promoting a learning culture and use the PDCA cycle to explore creative ways to address the identified learning blocks. Training in the Five Disciplines would equip leaders with the tools to build learning communities in their own work groups. To enhance the individual's personal mastery and increase the learning capability of the team, teachers could be matched as learning buddies. It is crucial for the collective organisational memory to be preserved and "lessons learned" made readily accessible. Failure to learn from past experiences will hinder the school's capacity to learn. It is also essential to put in place spiral feedback mechanisms to provide a true picture of current reality and systematic processes to facilitate cross-functional learning. Setting Laboratory Environment in the school will encourage a spirit of reflective inquiry and experimentation in self-emerging collaborative teams.
Date Issued
1998
Call Number
LB1607.53.S55 Lam
Date Submitted
1998