The Impact of Open Leadership in Being Learning Organisations for

Professional Learning

Lutfiye Fedai

, Fahriye Altınay

, Zehra Altınay

and Gokmen Dağlı

Faculty of Education, Educational Sciences Institute, Societal Research and Development Center, Near East University,

Nicosia, Cyprus

Faculty of Education, Kyrenia University, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus

Keywords: Collaboration, Learning Organisations, Professional Learning, School Culture, Shared Vision.

Abstract: The study examines the impact of being learning organisations in secondary schools culture in fostering

professional learning and development. The study sheds a light of qualities of learning organisations to

catch change and innovation in digital age. The study has qualitative nature which 26 headmasters become

part of the research process voluntarily. The self-reports were employed during the process and thematic

analysis was done. Research findings are revealed that headmasters still keep working within the frame of

traditional management approach however they reflected that approaching learning organisations is crucial

in fostering professional learning. Approaching open leadership and management can be crucial in being

learning organisation. In further studies, perceptions and experience of parents, teachers can be examined

and experimental studies can be done in detail.

1 INTRODUCTION

With the globalization, schools as organization

attempt to implement innovation and

entrepreneurship for continuous development.

Having a continuous learning skill become

significant in generating and using information in

digital age (Aksal, 2015). According to Alipour and

Karimi (2011), institutions and organizations should

aim for internalizing the approach of using

information and continuous learning to improve

their performance. Learning was defined as an

individual and organization being aware of what

they know and what they do not for continuous

improvement. Therefore, it can be highlighted the

importance of the concept of learning. Thus, the

studies revealed important suggestions for an

individual continuously learning and being open to

transformation and innovation (Smith, 2001).

Within the continuous learning process in school

cultures, the concept of learning become crucial

pattern as fundamental value and art of innovation in

digital age. The qualities of learning organizations

cover mental model, personal dominance, learning

as a team, shared vision and thought of system.

Active learning is also considered as a fundamental

value in information societies. Schools can only

adapt to these changes if they turn into learning

organizations (Jokıć et al., 2012). In a modern

educational setting, the source for the dynamics of a

sustainable improvement for schools cannot be the

directives of a central authority or the school

administrators (Lyle, 2012). Betterment and

continuous learning in schools require the

importance of sharing and exchanging information.

Learning organization is an institution which has

the ability to change behaviours in order to establish

new information and understandings based on

continuous learning cycle as information generation,

acquisition and transfer. In this respect, approaching

schools as learning organisation helps fostering

professional learning and continuous improvement

for headmasters, teachers, students and even

families. Schools which approach learning

organisation philosophy shed a light for future with

their capacity to change, innovate and develop in

digital age (Aksal, 2015).

Being open to innovations and understanding of

learning with the all associated members of the

schools become inevitable in increasing service

quality and thus, bring the importance of being a

learning organization. Similar to all institutions and

fields, being a learning organization is also

732

Altinay, F., Fedai, L., Altinay, Z. and Dagli, G.

The Impact of Open Leadership in Being Learning Organisations for Professional Learning.

DOI: 10.5220/0006384807320735

In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2017) - Volume 1, pages 732-735

ISBN: 978-989-758-239-4

important in educational institutions in terms of re-

generating information and adapting to change.

Especially in primary and secondary education

schools where the roots of future are provided, being

aware of the characteristics of learning organizations

will lead to an increase in the motivation and

willingness in the institutions that have the authority

on innovation and dynamism needed (Yikici, et al.,

2016).

Adapting to the change and importance of

technology integration in education and internalizing

innovation and re-structuring information is an

inevitable part of organization’s development and

individual’s personal and professional development.

In this respect, this study aims to examine the role of

being learning organisations for schools in fostering

professional learning and development. As it is

crucial to establish learning schools, learning

together forms the basis for social welfare and

development in order to increase the ability of our

society to adapt the changes, innovation in

digitalization. Therefore, the following research

questions are answered to examine creating the

willingness and motivation for headmasters, teachers

and families in the process of organizational learning

especially in primary and secondary educational

institutions, where our future is formed. This

emphasizes the existence of problem solving based

on cooperation in overcoming any obstacle that

affects educational and social development through

sharing.

a. How do headmasters perceive qualities of

learning organisation for their professional

learning as regards the open leadership

strategies?

b. To what extend do headmasters experience

shared vision, collaboration, continuous

learning process for professional learning?

2 METHODOLOGY

This study puts forward to examine qualities of

learning which include generating information,

spreading it through organizational basis,

internalizing it, and using the information inline with

technology integration. Significantly, this requires

the awareness, environment, leadership, and

empowerment of collaboration, learning processes

for learning schools.

This study has qualitative nature which

experiences and perceptions of headmasters,

teachers, families are covered to reveal the

significance of being learning organsations in

fostering professional learning. In order to capture

whole picture, re-interpretations of participants in

research process are crucial in examining profession.

The study is interpretive on description on practice

and issue within a frame of social phenomena

(Creswell, 2009, Denzin, Lincoln, 2003).

Case study is the research approach that in-depth

individuals’ experiences and perceptions are

investigated in particular situation and activity

(Creswell, 2009, Yin, 1994). Upon qualitative

inductive process, self reports are employed in order

to explore experiences and perceptions upon

research focus (Miles, Huberman, 1994). Thematic

analysis was done based on themes about qualities

of learning organisations. The 26 headmasters

become part of the research process. Back

translation was done for the realiability and validity

of the findings. The participants reported the impact

of approaching learning organisations for

professional learning of teachers, parents and

themselves. Matrix strategy also help coding themes

during the data analysis (Creswell, 2009; Denzin,

Lincoln, 2003)

3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The role and importance of technology in the global

world as regards the fostering learning organization

within school context for professional learning were

emphasized. Although there have been many

changes and improvements made in education and

education management in specific, it is obvious that

schools in developing countries has a long way to go

in terms of secondary schools in becoming learning

organizations and raising individuals who knows

learning. Although it is attempted to establish a new

vision, culture, school structure and strategy where

the traditional educational management

understanding is abandoned, goals and functions of

schools are re-defined with participation of all its

components. It is revealed that traditional approach,

methods and habits are still existent in schools

continue their existence solely as “teaching

organizations”.

3.1 Perceptions on Approaching

Learning Organisations

As the pace of the changes in the world is

increasing, it is essential to continuous learn new

things in order not to fall behind of these changes.

The Impact of Open Leadership in Being Learning Organisations for Professional Learning

733

That is because, people look for ways to access

information to change and improve while changing.

In this regard, institutions need to learn continuously

in order to catch up with the new age and thus,

develop the “learning organization” understanding.

The duties and responsibilities of the schools are

changing nowadays. Most of the headmasters

(N=23) perceived that traditional learning is still

where meeting the societal demands and providing

quality education service are effective

transformation and quality in education. The

development of information and technology along

with the safety and use of information became

important in the process of becoming a learning

organization and part of the profession. Head

masters reported that becoming learning

organization generate information and have a

flexible and open system that values strategies and

steps taken to develop personally as well as

institutionally professional learning. The five

disciplinary processes of Smith (2001) are used as

the theoretical framework of this study as

headmasters reported in detail. These disciplines are

personal mastery, mental models, establishing

shared vision and learning as a team for acquiring

professional learning.

The status of schools in exhibiting learning

organization characteristics in terms of dialogue,

sharing and team work, development, research

and continuous learning are highlighted as

qualities of learning organisations which are also

necessary for professional learning within

learning school dynamic.

3.2 Professional Learning of

Headmasters in School Culture

Transformation and development in education

depends on the development of individuals and

institutions. Thus, it is very important to form

learning individuals and organizations. Learning and

information generation help educational institutions

gain quality in establishing strong synergy and

structure within a frame of life-long learning and

continuous learning ability. Headmasters highlighted

that creating a synergy at the end of the interaction,

thinking and sharing is crucial. Headmasters

highlighted that they aim to become more effective

and productive with a synergic management and

they aim to bring together various resources for

success and efficiency. From this point, learning

organization can be seen as part of a synergic

management in organizations for the formation of

professional learning. Learning Organization differs

from activity-based traditional organizations in

terms of its problem solving-based nature. The

concept of “learning organization” represents the

organization as continuously renewing itself as a

result of learning from its experiences, use this

knowledge to adapt to changing environmental

conditions and creating system for professional

development of its staff. Headmasters expressed

that the effort of gaining more information,

flexibility and learning skills are significant in order

to meet the growing needs of the new environment,

expectations of teachers, parents in school culture

(Yikici, et al., 2016).

The learning organization philosophy that is

developed as a result of the transformation process

increases the competitive power by creating

organizational difference (Armstrong and Foley,

2003). Learning organization, as a process starting

with individual learning continuing at group level

and resulting in organizational learning, is the

process of “generating information, gaining, sharing

and using this information and new views in

change”. Organizations that effectively implement

this process will gain great advantages where

members can continuously improve their skills to

gain desired results, practice creative thinking and

learn together. In improving service quality, being

open to innovations and understanding of learning

within school culture are highlighted in this study.

4 CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Traditional institutions are trying to understand

learning organizations and working hard to turn

themselves into one of them in digital age.

Transformation on leadership and management

strategies put emphasis on open leadership strategies

to foster learning and synergy in school culture

(Altinay, et al., 2016). In this context, organization is

taken to a new re-structuring step-by-step through

innovation within organization, catching different

points of view, using problem-solving methods for

all problems, increasing quality when it does not

meet the goal and establishing a shared vision

(Smith, 2001). Healthy structuring of a learning

organization depends on: organizational leaders

wishing for a learning organization, responding to

changes and developing new systems, gathering,

evaluating and using of information. Continuously

improving the capacity to build a future and

establishing communication are significant value of

FOLSC 2017 - Special Session on Fostering Open Leadership in School Culture

734

learning organizations (Srihawong and Srisa-Ard,

2012).

The qualities of learning organizations are

highlighted upon findings as follows:

1. Those working in learning organizations are

satisfied with their life motivation;

2. Learning organizations promise future for

their members;

3. Learning organizations value creativity;

4. Learning organizations provide a reliable

ground for individuals

Further to this, headmasters indicated that open

leadership strategies need to be associated with a

system to encourage continuous learning, creating

new knowledge, management values the emotional

intelligence and its importance in knowledge

creation, the creativity and unconventional thinking,

action learning to train staff in developing skills,

policy to encourage the creation of learning

communities, team learning (Akcil, et al., 2016).

As the process of establishing a learning

organization involves three stages as forming

learning individual; forming a learning team and

forming a learning organization, learning how to

learn at individual level starts with the pushing force

of the increasing learning opportunities. Learning

school is not where students create active “teaching”

but it is where the activity of “learning” takes place.

Learning school attempts to establish difference and

re-structuring within the fundamental system it uses.

There is no teacher and learner distinguished in

learning schools. From the school director to the

cleaner, to students and parents, everyone is a

learner that open leadership policy may foster this

learning process (Akcil, et al., 2016). Then, learning

happens at individual, team and organizational

levels. School succeeds in catching with change,

renovating itself and being up-to-date through

learning. Learning schools aims to establish learning

discipline as well. This discipline is built on

developing a shared vision and personal ability

discipline however, shared vision and abilities are

not adequate. Change does not happen on policies

and practices but also in the thinking and interaction

ways within school and the number of schools with

this type of change is increasing (Smith, 2001). In

digital age, the goal of education is to raise learning

individuals and help individuals in learning how to

learn. School as a learning organization is the one

where students are in active “learning” activity is in

the forefront than “teaching” (Gazi, 2016). For

further studies, experimental research can be done to

reveal experiences of headmasters. Perceptions and

experience of parents, teachers can be examined

action plans and implementation can be done in

schools for the future.

REFERENCES

Akcil, U., Altinay, F., Altinay, Z. (2016). Assesing the

effects of managers in the digital age on the

management process of digital citizenship roles. The

Antropologist.

Akcıl, U., Aksal. A., F., Mukhametzyanova, F.S., Gazi.

A., Z. (2016). An examination of open and technology

leadership in managerial practices of education

system. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics Science

and Technology Education, 13(1), 119-131.

Altınay, F., Daglı, G., Altınay, Z. (2016). Digital

transformation in school management and culture.

Virtual Learning, InTech.

Aksal, F. A. (2015). Are headmasters digital leaders in

school culture? Education & Science, 40,77-86.

Alipour, F. & Karimi, R. (2011). Mediation role of

innovation and knowledge transfer in the relationship

between learning organization and organizational

performance. International Journal of Business and

Social Science, 2(19), 144-147.

Armstrong, A. & Foley, P. (2003). Foundations for a

learning organization: Organization learning

mechanisms.The Learning Organization, 10(2).

Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative,

quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.).

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Gazi. A., Z. (2016). Internalization of digital citizenship

for the future of all levels of education. Education &

Science, 41(186).

Jokıć, S., Ćosıc, L., Sajfert, Z., Pečujlıja, M. & Pardanjac,

M. (2012). Schools as learning organizations:

Empirical Study In Serbia. Metalurgia International,

17(2), 83-89.

Lyle, E.R. (2012). Learning organisation all learning.

International Journal of Business and Social Science,

3(6), 217-221.

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative

data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.).

California: SAGE Publications.

Smith, M. K. (2001). ‘Peter Senge and the learning

organization’, The Encyclopedia of Informaleducation.

(http://infed.org/mobi/peter-senge-and-the-learning-

organization/).

Srihawong, J. & Srisa-Ard, B. (2012). Development of the

learning organization model: a case of sisaketrajabhat

university. European Journal of Social Sciences. 27(2),

233- 241.

Yikici, B., Altinay, Z., Dagli, G., Altinay, F. (2016). The

evaluation of strategies used to improve teaching and

learning in education society. The Antropologist, 23,

462-479.

The Impact of Open Leadership in Being Learning Organisations for Professional Learning

735