A new perspective on organizational learning: Creating learning teams

This article elaborates a conceptual framework for learning organizations, through the introduction of change concepts and the creation of learning teams, and reports on a case that illustrates this framework. When organizational administrators and staff are asked whether their committees and work groups function as learning teams and their program functions as a learning community, the typical answer is ‘of course’. Too frequently, though, groups and programs are far from these goals. What is required is for administrative and staff groups of a program or unit to understand (a) what it takes for a group to become a learning team and for the unit to become a learning community, and (b) how to make these become a reality to improve effectiveness and increase productivity. This article offers a comprehensive definition for ‘learning teams’ and introduces a detailed design process for creating ‘learning teams’ and ‘organizational learning’. A real-world example from education highlights the implementation of a major school change process.