Understanding and Applying the Benefits of Learning Organizations Essay Example for Free

Understanding and Applying the Benefits of Learning Organizations Essay With today’s increasing challenges created by diversity and proliferation of information, organizations are continuously adapting to address these developments and relate these trends with the overall objective of promoting its values and principles. At the same time, there has been a commitment among institutions and organizations to bridge the gap brought about by cultural differences and conflict. It is through this area that they seek to create an environment where active learning and fostering elements of participation take place. Operating on this idea, there is a need towards creating an environment wherein collective responsibility and accountability is fostered. By applying this concept, better appreciation can be deciphered and lead towards greater application of an organization’s overall purpose. In the end, by recognizing the relevance of values, goals and practices and supplementing it with an appropriate leadership style, it can actively facilitate effective interplay of power among members and augment the needed areas for change. Organizational Learning vs. Learning Organizations Prior to dwelling into the analysis of the concept, it is essential to differentiate the term organizational learning with learning organizations. This is important because it can give out the necessary parameters where this term functions and how it can create the viable opportunities for application. Looking at it, the term organizational learning circumvents around the initiative to develop and enhance processes associated to increase effectiveness in both production and output. It operates in such a way that â€Å"organizations have invested much energy in making improvements in company performance using TQM, reengineering, external consultants and a host of other techniques concerned with the continuous improvement processes† (Dar-El, 2000, p. 186). On the other hand, the term learning organizations is a relatively new concept that seeks to create a move towards change in a more holistic setup. â€Å"Learning organizations [are] organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together† (Smith, 2001, p. 1). It is in this area that the people conceptualize on creating a framework that is admissive and responsive to the challenges given. With these given, it can be argued that these two practices have different outlook towards the facilitation of learning and improvement. Though these two ideas may be similar in the promotion of change, it has become divergent on how it can be applied and implemented within an organizational setup. â€Å"The literature on organizational learning has concentrated on the detached collection and analysis of the processes involved in individual and collective learning inside organizations; whereas the learning organizations literature has an action orientation, and is geared toward using specific diagnostic and evaluative methodological tools which can help to identify, promote and evaluate the quality of learning processes inside organizations† (Smith, 2001, p. 1). Application Applying the concepts given in my professional practice as an educator, there have been several facets and elements that can characterize it as a learning organizations. Among these principles that shall be elaborated include: (1) mission and vision, (2) values and principles, (3) communication/dialogue, (4) feedback mechanism, and (5) leadership. These facets have been instrumental towards guiding both my educational institution and as an educator to actively address the challenges of 21st century education and promote an environment wherein not only the student achieves growth but also the organization I work for. Lastly, these components allow active measurements that both coincide with standards and increasing needs of students as far as accountability and responsibility is concerned. Mission and Vision One important aspect that makes my institution be characterized under learning organization is having the effective mission and vision. This element is essential because it serves as a benchmark and foundation of how it can address the needs for improvement. By elaborating on the core values that can impart education to students and allow the institution to grow in the process can guarantee that it is adherent to both standards and change. Likewise, this initiative allows both administrators and educators to take a step closer to transformative education and creating values that is responsive to student objectives and the hurdles associated with the practice (First and Way, 1995). Similarly, under this facet, the incorporation of core values are then utilized and synchronized towards intensifying ways and methods in making the organization evolve and grow in the process of education. It outlines the essential models that will allow such mission and vision to be realized. Seeing the process, â€Å"it encompasses the passions, drives and motivating factors that propel the organization into the future† (E-How, 2004, p. 1). In the end, these actions not only cultivate the needs of the present times but also outline the necessary parameters for future practice in both education and organizational growth. Seeing this, the institution that I am part of considers this importance that is why it has aligned its mission and vision to actively respond to the need of the school to learn and find ways to improve. That is why it has abolished and created new practices that are deemed significant to this overall objective. Values and Specific Objectives Another significant aspect why I consider my organization geared towards learning is having the effective values and principles. Understanding these two concepts, it can be argued that they are the facets that make the mission and vision become applicable in the educational environment. By actively aligning these standards towards organizational learning, it can generate and create educators and students who are responsive to the challenges of 21st century education. â€Å"When the values of the organization are focused on the higher levels of consciousness and employees are focused on the lower levels of consciousness, employees are encouraged to grow and develop† (Barett, 2003, p. 4). Applying this principles in my organization, I can argue that majority of our school’s objectives adheres to the idea of learning organizations. The values and objectives are actively aligned to standards and cultivate the capabilities of educators to provide instruction. At the same time, it provides mechanisms wherein administrators can actively incorporate new values that is considered essential not only on the growth of the students but also on the educational institution. Lastly, it presents several programs and mechanisms that allow these objectives to be realized. By allowing these methods to be applied with considerable consideration on feedback and monitoring, it allows the school to hone its policies which in turn leads to growth and learning. Imparting Communication into Practice Communication is also another crucial element in the practice of learning organizations. This process allows the creation of new patterns and methods that can be beneficial in practice. Such practice can serve as a medium wherein the goals and vision can be administered and facilitated. â€Å"Communication methods that convey the essence of the vision vary from formal meetings, to publication and casual conversation† (E-How, 2004, p. 1). By realizing that these processes are possible, the organization can apply its objectives and advance on the interplay of power using different mediums of interaction and facilitation with an end goal becoming learning organizations (Bamburg, 2000). Such practice makes the overall goal easier and compliments the overall intention of introducing change. Opening up avenues for dialogue and exchange of ideas can also provide the needed boost in facilitating conflict resolutions that affects performance and ability to perform goals and objectives. At the same time, by incorporating a standardized way of engaging with others, individuals and groups realize the essence of what truly matters and deepens their relationship with each other. This then in turn results towards further advancement and learning. â€Å"When people talk and listen to each other this way, they create a field of alignment that produces tremendous power to invent new realities in conversations, and to bring about these new realities in action† (Kofman and Senge, 2006, p. 33). In our educational institution, there had been several ways that the school created to reinforce dialogue not only with teachers but also on other important actors within the community. This process allows each party to rethink and analyze the current strategies at play and formulate new strategies that can be employed which will strengthen and intensify the level of cooperation among groups involved. At the same time, there exist both formal and informal arenas wherein educators, administrators and related parties can point out and further their interests concerning organizational development. In our aspiration to become learning organizations, we had realized that we must use communication and dialogue to further our interests and promote administer our target and expected outcomes. Creating Feedback Mechanisms The inclusion of feedbacks in every organization is another relevant component in attaining continued growth and expansion in learning organizations. By allowing this practice to be incorporated within the framework of every institution, it allows insight on instruments that matter and find new ways to redefine on methods that are considered to be obsolete or ineffective. â€Å"Recognizing success and failures helps create a shared learning within the organization that continues to drive the organization towards becoming a learning organization† (E-How, 2004, p. 1). Under this process involves several strategies that can introduce and incorporate the values and objectives in practice. It can range from documentation towards training which overall outlines the relevant areas that can shift from traditional actions into becoming a group that is holistic, administrative, and encompassing (Szostek, 2002). Likewise, this initiative calls for active and responsible ways of enacting organizational objectives and policies. By allowing feedback to come into play, it ensures that efficient measurements are given to actively gauge both the direction and response an organization has made in achieving its objectives. â€Å"When successful methods are developed, recognizing the importance of modeling those successes throughout the organization creates the paradigm of a learning organization† (E-How, 2004, p. 1). Considering this application in my present organization, I feel that the school provides several instruments that can provide avenues for learning organizations. Not only does it give out measurable objectives but it also caters to increasing chances for all parties to respond to the scheme implemented. In this process, there are available mechanisms that will actively measure the performance of teachers given to administrators and parents. It presents criteria of what things are relevant and important in the classroom. At the organizational level, we teachers are given a feedback form to determine the feasibility of student and school programs and what other issues need to be improved and developed. These methods enable us to continuously adapt not only to student needs but also incorporate on new ways to improve the current system. Realizing the Significance of Leadership Every organization for it to pursue its objectives and goals, it must have an entity that serves as a guide in paving its direction. It must be able to allocate the needed resources and recognize the significance of each actor in the attainment of its vision and mission. Seeing this, as the elements of learning organizations come into place, it requires an important component to strengthen and bind these together; leadership. In such manner â€Å"Learning organizations use shared leadership principles to maximize their resources and develop leadership capacity within individuals† (Kansas State University, 1998, p. 1). At the same time, the application of leadership style does not solely rely on a single approach. Rather, it must be a mixture of several strategies that seek to promote and intensify the practice of learning organizations. These approaches in turn must also take into consideration the background, history, affiliations, and culture of members to become encompassing and facilitative of each actors needs (Dar-El, 2000). By catering into these principles, the leader can now set programs and mechanisms that can establish a firm foundation for learning to take place in different levels. Lastly, the leader must be able to capture the needs of all actors involved in an organization. He/she must outline the issues revolving not only within the institutional arena but also focus action in enhancing group dynamics. This diversity of issues thus requires a myriad of approaches to make it adaptive and resilient to change. â€Å"A comprehensive view of a learning organization is that it is an organization in which learning begins at the level of the individual, proceeds through the level of the team, and is codified and stored at the level of processes and systems† (Kansas State University, 1998, p. 1) In the end, it clearly assumes that the overall process of learning organizations revolve not only on one level but on various dimensions that effective leadership can only control and provide. In applying this tenet in our educational institution, we in the school together share the dimensions of leadership that is mentioned. As an educator, I am not only tasked and responsible for student growth but at the same time I should seek for opportunities wherein I can contribute in the academic and professional realm. I believe that my actions together with other educators can contribute to the overall goal of achieving learning organizations in a collective manner. This form of collaborative setup is what makes our institution dynamic and susceptible to challenges. Also, our educational institution tries to reach out and take into consideration the relevant contribution of group dynamics and other actors in the process of achieving our goals and objectives. Not only shall this outlines further cooperation in enhancing education, it also gives the institution new insights to make facilitation and instruction better; thus creating an effective learning organization. Conclusion The call for learning organizations has increased opportunities for many individuals and groups to maximize and realign their goals to supplement this objective. Due to this, it has allowed the creation of processes and outputs that is more dynamic and effective in practice. Not only does this contribute to a renewed interest in organizational dynamics but also allowed the interplay of dialogue, power and administration be geared towards further growth and development in a holistic manner. References Bamburg, J. D. Learning, Learning Organizations, and Leadership: Implications for the Year 2050. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from, http://www. newhorizons. org/trans/bamburg. htm Barrett, R. (2003) The Importance of Values Alignment. Retrieved April 20, 2009. 1-4 Dar-El, E. (2000) Chapter 9: Learning Organizations in Human Learning. (US; Springer) Retrieved April 20, 2009. 185 – 210. E-How (2004) How to Develop a Learning Organization. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from, http://www. ehow. com/how_2263534_develop-learning-organization. html First, J. A. and Way, W. L. (1995) Parent Education Outcomes: Insights in Transformative Learning in Family Relations. 44 no. 1 Retrieved April 20, 2009. 104-109 Kansas State University (1998) Leadership in a learning organization. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from, http://www. oznet. ksu. edu/leads/FACT%20Sheets/fact9. pdf Kofman, F. and Senge, P. M. (2006) Communities of Commitment: The Heart of Learning Organizations in Learning Organizations: Developing Cultures for Tomorrow’s Workplace. ed. Sharita Shawla and John Renesch. (US; Productivity Press) 15 44 Smith, M. (2001) The learning organization in infed. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from, http://www. infed. org/biblio/learning-organization. htm Szostek, L. (2002) Creating the Learning Organization. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from, http://www. businessknowhow. com/manage/learningorg. htm

Language Grows Out of Life:Abduction, Juxtaposition, and Culture :: Education Learning Essays

Language Grows Out of Life: Abduction, Juxtaposition, and Culture Language grows out of life, out of its needs and experiences . . . Good work in language presupposes and depends on real knowledge of things. I never taught language for the purpose of teaching it; but invariably used language as a medium for communication of thought: thus the learning of language was coincident with the acquisition of knowledge (Thomas, 48). For my students in the prison, and for many students in "regular" schools, English class seems removed from the "needs and experiences" of life. My students are confused by the isolated teaching of grammar rules that seem to have no impact on their "true" use of language on the streets, in their neighborhoods, or with their families. I am equally confused. Many schools insist that teachers "transmit" a pre-determined body of information to students as if they are receptacles. For my students, many of the works of literature in this body of information are "unrealistic," and they feel they are "fake" and unimportant to them. The schools also often ask instructors to ignore their students' cultures and social circumstances. This is an impossibility. Donald Thomas states this nicely when he writes: "We bequeath to words what we cannot ourselves decipher from the rush of daily being. Words are juxtaposed to the world just as we are" (2). Simply put, culture and language are interconnecte d. We strive to make sense of the world around us through language. There is no way to separate culture and language and no reason to do so. I become more aware of how experience affects language and expression each day. Several months ago, I was working with my students on the use of setting in literary works. I tore pictures of different settings from National Geographic magazines. My students had a huge range of pictures to choose from and their assignment was to write a story that would logically take place in the setting of their picture. We had been discussing literature genres and I was sure that the student who chose the picture of the mist-surrounded castle on the rocky island would create a magical fairy tale complete with a king, knights, and a fire-breathing dragon. I was wrong. I have read many fairy tales in my lifetime. If I had received the picture of the castle, I would have written a "typical" fairy tale. My home culture has nurtured this type of story and appreciation for it.

Globalization as Neo Colonialism Essay

When in the 1950s and 60s, most colonized countries and territories across the world threw off the yolk of colonialism, there was tremendous hope and anticipation that a new era of hope, independence, freedom and self – determination was about to unfold. In most cases, it was with great reluctance that the colonial masters granted independence to their erstwhile colonies from where they had for generations held the total control that had enabled them to exploit human and material resources and perpetuate themselves in the social economic and political lives of their subjects. In Kenya and Algeria for instance, it was with extreme violence that independence was won. Thus, the Mau-Mau Movement of Kenya and the Algerian War of Independence remain to this date, significant watersheds in the movement for independence especially among African countries. However, independence has not always resulted in the anticipated changes. In some countries, once the common enemy in form of the colonial masters was rid of, local differences manifested, sometimes resulting in bitter wars. The 1947 Indo – Pakistani war is a case study. There are many other instances including Congo, Nigeria, Malaya, and even recently in Western Sahara, Eritrea and East Timor, among others where the fight for independence and independence itself has resulted in wars and strife. Sometimes, independence has come along with baggage of grief, blood and a plethora of painfully crushed hopes. Some thinkers argue that the colonial powers put in place mechanisms to ensure that the new states fail, or to allow them to continue to control the newly emergent countries even after independence. The close social, political and economic ties and relationships between former colonies and former colonial powers seem to favor this argument. Thus, 44 years after independence, Britain is still one of Nigeria’s biggest trading partners. The close ties between France and Francophone Africa, and even the US and say, Philippines lend credence to this theory. One can hardly dispute this view in light of overwhelming evidence. However, as the world continues to experience changes, the concept of neo colonialism is fast fading out of fashion. Newer and more sophisticated, yet more subtle movements are taking over, the most important of which is Globalization. The mass movement of capital, aggregated by effortless flow of human and material resources across seamless borders represents new and more challenging phenomena especially in a uni-polar world characterized by the opening up of new markets and the rise of global terror as the powers that control the global media would want us to imbibe.(Maybe Mercuse should rise and produce a new edition of his ‘One Dimensional Man’ Or Toffler should write on ‘One Dimensional Mind’). While the poorest countries in the world (usually African), are yet to be fully integrated into the emergent global market that has not stopped the negative impact of colonialism from being felt. African countries are faced with increased marginalization in the global economy and poverty is on the increase. Reports have indicated that sub Saharan Africa is the only region in the world where the living standard has actually fallen over the last 20 years or so. In the world of today, control of human and material resources is not done through forceful domination of people through military subjugation, even though President (Professor?) Bush is working hard to disprove that fact. But it remains that the new form of control is spearheaded by international finance organizations aimed at consolidating a global economic structure that very often has its head offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Frankfurt, and other investment hubs across the world. (The Chinese have just discovered this ice cream and have set about claiming their share with characteristic speed). The Gatlin guns are frozen. There are no more massacres like the 1904 Maji – Maji Revolt in Namibia where German troops systematically gunned down an estimated 60 – 80, 000 Africans. The Berlin Conference of 1884 – 1885 that partitioned Africa has been replaced by GATT, and in today’s parlance, the World Trade Organization. These days, African tribes do not need to be set upon each other while the colonial masters mop up colonies from where human and material resources were exploited. (We can do that all by ourselves, as we have demonstrated in Rwanda). The world has gone beyond such crudity. We call it free trade, and the final arbiter is the World Trade Organization whose aim is seemingly to allow a few rich countries and corporations dominate global capital and global resources. The colonial powers of today do not need military might and occupation to control the lives and destiny of billions of people in their former colonies. Perhaps in the not too distant future, Microsoft or Citi Group will have a seat on the United Nations. After all, these two companies alone generate more wealth every year than all of Africa’s 700 million people. Incidentally, the globalization of capital and other related resources is a continuation of a historical process that began with the mercantile era or indeed, is as old as man. The Dutch East Indies and the Royal Niger Company of 200 years ago are the HSBC, Barclays, USB and other multi nationals like Coca Cola, McDonalds, Exxon Mobile, Royal Shell, Sony, Philips and many others whose goal seems to be the aggregation of capital in as few hands as possible. No need to send a Cortez or a Columbus or a Drake or Cook on expeditions for huge profits. This is the Global age and a few computer screens will tell you exactly what is going on across the globe in an instant. (Remember Wall Mart’s Global Screens?) So for those who may think that colonialism is a thing of the past, it is time to think again. Imperialism and dialectical materialism as envisaged by a certain famous philosopher might not have come to pass, or at least, not as he predicted. But the sad fact remains that today, more than at any age in thousands of years of human domination through occupation and colonialism is witnessing the concentration of more wealth in the hands very few. Recent figures show that the top 5 percent control about 70 percent of global resources. And this was facilitated by Globalization. So the fact should be accepted that Globalization is another (digital?) form of Colonialism. It is good thing that most of us do not realize it.

Van Gogh Essay - 1536 Words

Van Gogh Essay In this essay I am going to discuss Vincent Van Gogh and post-Impressionism. Vincent Willem van Gogh (March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work, notable for its rough beauty, emotional honesty and bold color, had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. After years of painful anxiety and frequent bouts of mental illness, he died aged 37 from a gunshot wound, generally accepted to be self-inflicted (although no gun was ever found). His work was then known to only a handful of people and appreciated by fewer still. France in the late 19th century was in the rule of the ambitious Napoleon III. Prussian prime minister, Otto von Bismarck waged war on France, capturing Paris and claiming†¦show more content†¦Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh has risen to the peak of artistic achievements. Although Van Gogh sold only one painting in his life, the aftermath of his work is enormous. Starry Night is one of the most well known images in modern culture as well as being one of the most replicated and sought after prints. One may begin to ask what features within the painting are responsible for its ever growing popularity. There are actually several main aspects that intrigue those. Firstly here is the night sky filled with swirling clouds, stars ablaze with their own luminescence, and a bright crescent moon. Although the features are exaggerated, this is a scene we can all relate to, and also one that most individuals feel comfortable and at ease with. This sky keeps the viewers eyes moving about the painting, following the curves and creating a visual dot to dot with the stars. This movement keeps the onlooker involved in the painting while the other factors take hold.Secondly below the rolling hills of the horizon lies a small town. There is a peaceful essence flowing from the structures. Perhaps the cool dark colors and the fiery windows spark memories of our own warm childhood years filled with imagination of what exists in the night and dark starry skies. The center point of the town is the tal l steeple of the church, reigningShow MoreRelatedEssay On Vincent Van Gogh1590 Words   |  7 PagesAuthors and Artists Essay A life full of color ranging from the darkest black to the brightest yellow and days of loneliness without the company of another person is what gave Vincent van Gogh dedication to his artwork through tons of time and unwavering compassion towards his works. Through a tough life experienced many times in the wilderness, Gary Paulsen uses his past experiences to personally reach the creative minds of young children and young adults through writing. When Paulsen was 14, heRead More Vincent Van Gogh Essay1593 Words   |  7 Pages Most casual art lovers see Van Gogh as a troubled but successful artist. 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