The Learning Organization in the Age of the Internet

Key facts

Preamble:

• We want to improve the practice of communication/interaction in a/our team/project/organization 
• We want to be both: Constructive change agents as well as researchers such as to capture and scientifically confirm the essence of the improvement and/or the process that leads to it 
• We want to include the use of new media to improve communication/interaction. 

• Where, specifically, do I want to move, what is my personal mission in this context? 
• Is there a common “projection” of the “vectors” designating our directions?  
• How can we learn or move forward as a group/team? Do we want to form a Significant Learning Community (SILC)? 
• What are the competences we want to improve? What do we want to know? 

Course description

Encouraged Learning Sequences

• Exploring personal visions 
• Developing a shared vision 
  • for the course 
  • for the final year of the iCom project collaboration, i.e. What do we still want to accomplish? (individually and collectively) 
  • for the future of the "iCom PhD curriculum extension" and the Practice-Research Workshops ("sustainability") 
• Practicing dialogue and reflecting upon examples of dialogue 
  • e.g.: Organizations/projects have an agenda, the PCA doesn't have an agenda. Is that true? Is that an obstacle or a benefit?(Under what conditions) Is the PCA applicable in organizations/projects? 
• Demonstration interview with Antonio Santos and reflection 
• Watching and reflecting upon the video “Coach Carter” 
• Elaborating features of well-functioning relationships and/or key processes (e.g. decision making, leadership, meetings) in project teams 
• Elaborating features of person-centered leadership/facilitation in the context of a learning organization 
• Elaborating in how far Rogers’ Person-Centered Approach can supply the theoretical foundation of Senge’s concept of a Learning Organization (i.e. in how far can Senge’s 5 disciplines be grounded in the Theories of the PCA?) 
• Elaborating in how far Rogers’ Person-Centered Approach can supply the theoretical and practical foundation for agile principles and competences for agile teams  
• Semi-structured interview with Antonio Santos on characteristics of a person-centered manager (Interviewer: David) 
• Elaborating steps to change and the role of new media in the change process 
• Example of collaborative learning and problem solving regarding specific issues/questions in the participant’s work context or PhD theses: Utilizing the setting of Open Space 
• Experiencing various interactive settings, such as open space, group dialogue, open case, thinking at the edge, process reflection, etc.  

Proposed Course Structure

• "Filling and organizing the container" 
  • Inputs from participants and facilitators  
  • Forming a shared vision from personal visions 

• "Building competences" 
  • from active listening to dialogue and forming of new ideas and insights 
  • systems thinking 

• "Conceptualizing outcomes" in open space 
  • action-plans 
  • insights 
  • models, prototypes 
  • articles,…