Can East Lothian Schools be Learning Organisations? February 18, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Dissertation, Learning Organisations , 2comments
I have been taking some leave to get some work done on my MSc dissertation. I have finally put finishing touches on proposal and have been working on the methodology for the study . During my reading i have noted that many works consider that schools are “institutions of learning” however they are often “incapable of innovation”(Senge) due to structural barriers and are unable to become learning organisations themselves. As an EL education employee you may disagree..
What I hope to do is (In summary);
” The author intends to in this study examine and identify the key characteristics of learning organisations and select an appropriate diagnostic tool to collect data within the author’s organisation (Scottish Local Education Authority) and by further analysis examine the question of whether educational establishments can become learning organisations. The findings will also consider the application of the selected diagnostic tool in terms of it’s potential to support Outdoor Management Development Courses”
I intend to use a diagnostic tool in the form of a questionnaire which will give holistic data on where the organisation (East Lothian Education) measures up on some of the key traits of learning organisations. The sampling will be on purposive basis i.e. non probability and I intend to the questionnaire out to a;
- Secondary School
- Primary School
- Education support staff and management (JMH)
I realise it will be with school or department approval and will of course keep the questionnaire to a manageable form and hopefully get it in staff in trays at an appropriate time - I realise the timing will be unique for all of the above.
The data could prove to be useful for future training and development within East Lothian as well as for my own aim in identifying whether educational establishments can become learning organisations and whether findings could support content on OMD style courses. It may also assist helping shape future revolutions / visions of EL Education?
Although I have approached in principal with Education Management it will be up to the schools as to whether they will allow me to distribute the survey. I have had one or two agree on principal but would welcome any volunteer schools.
IS YOUR SCHOOL A LEARNING ORGANISATION?
Make my day punk! -Dissertation Detectives October 11, 2007
Posted by Bill in : Dissertation, Outdoor Learning , add a comment
I have been at Sheffield Hallam University for the last couple of days on a dissertation workshop. Its been enjoyable to meet other people going through the same difficulties, hopes and aspirations in choosing research topics and research methodology. The conversations with students going through the same learning process can be very powerful as the delegates bring huge experience in a variety of fields from all over the world. ( USA, France, Mauritius, India and of course Scotland). It is certainly helping me look at my topic from different perspectives.
A one to one with inspirational Colin Beard helped focus my dissertation question.(More on this later). An excellent session by Colin using famous detectives to help us investigate different ways of consulting and researching was extremely enjoyable (I’m a big fan of the use of metaphor and analogy as a learning aid). We analysed the profiles of Dirty Harry, Columbo, Poirot and Sherlock Holmes and nomothemic and ideographic approaches The session certainly helped focus our thoughts on choosing methodologies and the methodological perspective and I am now starting to look forward to the research although I might veer away from using the Dirty harry technique of detecting.
Dissertation #1 September 20, 2007
Posted by Bill in : Dissertation, Outdoor Learning , 1 comment so far
After completing my PGDip. I received my materials to start my dissertation for my MSc in Outdoor Management Development this evening. Half of me say great lets get going, the other says oh no what have I let myself in for! I have a residential workshop to attend next month and then it’s full steam ahead. Now I have to come up with some topics to shape into a dissertation. I have been looking into a few idea lately but can’t seem to settle on one line of research. I am quite keen to investigate and form a question in one of the following following areas;
- Is there transferability of management skills gained in outdoor learning experiences?
- How do employees perceive Learning Organisations (could be East Lothian research)?
- Story-telling in organisations are there differences between management & employee perception of events and how they shape the work environment?
So much work to do. Narrowing it down is the first thing, topic 3 is attractive could be laborious as there is not a great deal of literature available. Anyway 2 weeks to narrow it down! A bit of blogging might help me focus.