Course content

In the public debate on quality and learning in school as well as in various reform and management documents, it has been argued that Norwegian schools must become learning organizations and develop their capacity for common learning. It has also been argued that teachers' skills development must be more school-based, and that teachers must develop professional learning communities. The whole debate demands some kind of learning in schools as organizations, but what is such a learning? What is organizational learning? The course focuses on what learning in organizations is and what generates and hinders knowledge development in organizations. Theories of organizational learning, learning organizations and knowledge development are treated with a view to providing insight into learning processes in organizations. Students are introduced to the research field of organizational learning. The course also focuses specifically on organizations that have learning and knowledge development as their main goal, such as schools and educational institutions, and how learning and development at individual and group level are conditioned by organizational processes. The course give insight into how different groups, such as professions and leaders, can influence learning processes as well as how different views of knowledge also can shape such processes. The course will provide opportunities to discuss questions like: How can organizations, and not just individuals, learn? What dilemmas arise in the tension between individual and collective professional practice? What can prevent educational institutions from learning and what can facilitate common learning? What is the importance of professional learning cultures? What role does knowledge in organizations with education as a task have? How can organizational memory be achieved? Assignments can be handed in in Norwegian or English.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The candidate is at the forefront of knowledge about

• different directions and positions in organizational learning and learning in organizations
• their relevance to organizational development
• recent learning theories and their relevance to organizational development

Skills

The candidate

• can discuss and analyze challenges related to learning processes and knowledge development in organizations, especially in the field of education
• can identify different discourses of knowledge and attitudes to knowledge in an organization

General competence

The candidate

• is able to identify and analyze what promotes and inhibits learning and development of learning organizations, especially within the field of education

Learning methods and activities

Seminars with lectures, discussions, pleanary, and groups. Student presentation in colloquia and plenary. Assignments can be handed in in Norwegian or English. The exam consists of an essay of 12-15 pages. By the last seminar, the students presents her or his preliminary product for fellow students who act as peer reviewers. If desired, guidance can be given on a draft to the essay.

Compulsory assignments

• 80 % attendance
• Presentation

Further on evaluation

Individual paper.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Master's degree or equivalent. PhD students are ranked first upon admission. Admission restrictions*: The course is limited to a of maximum 25 students, where 6 spots are reserved for applicants from other institutions affiliated with NorTED (www.nor-ted.com). If there are less than 5 applicants, the Department of Teacher Education reserves the right to cancel the course. * Applicants will be ranked based on the following criteria and deadline for applications can be found here: https://ntnu.edu/ilu/phd-courses

Course materials

Curriculum of 500 pages.

Credit reductions