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Creating schools as learning communities: obstacles and processes

Creating schools as learning communities: obstacles and processes Purpose – The paper sought to clarify the concept of learning organisation/community; to identify the barriers that are perceived to obstruct the creation of learning communities out of traditional schools; to identify how principals go about the task of converting their schools; and the special characteristics of leadership required to transform schools successfully. Design/methodology/approach – The study was dependent on an extensive review of the literature and generated data from structured interviews of principals from the New South Wales (Australia) public education system. Findings – Respondents lacked a clear understanding of a learning organisation despite their actions to implement the concept in their own schools; the concept may indeed be too abstract to enable a suitable workable definition; there is, nevertheless, a strong belief that the concept has much to offer; leadership is the key factor in transforming schools; and traditional school structures and cultures, lack of implementation time, and difficulty in obtaining the support of staff and parents are seen as the main barriers to implementation. Originality/value – The paper explores extensively the possible implications of the study and addresses these to schools and school systems, principals, teachers and parents. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Educational Administration Emerald Publishing

Creating schools as learning communities: obstacles and processes

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0957-8234
DOI
10.1108/09578230510586588
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – The paper sought to clarify the concept of learning organisation/community; to identify the barriers that are perceived to obstruct the creation of learning communities out of traditional schools; to identify how principals go about the task of converting their schools; and the special characteristics of leadership required to transform schools successfully. Design/methodology/approach – The study was dependent on an extensive review of the literature and generated data from structured interviews of principals from the New South Wales (Australia) public education system. Findings – Respondents lacked a clear understanding of a learning organisation despite their actions to implement the concept in their own schools; the concept may indeed be too abstract to enable a suitable workable definition; there is, nevertheless, a strong belief that the concept has much to offer; leadership is the key factor in transforming schools; and traditional school structures and cultures, lack of implementation time, and difficulty in obtaining the support of staff and parents are seen as the main barriers to implementation. Originality/value – The paper explores extensively the possible implications of the study and addresses these to schools and school systems, principals, teachers and parents.

Journal

Journal of Educational Administration – Emerald Publishing

Published: Apr 1, 2005

Keywords: Learning; Communities; Schools; Leadership

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