Learning to share, sharing to learn: Fostering organizational learning through teachers' dissemination of knowledge

Abstract

This paper argues that conditions supporting dissemination (sharing) of teachers' learning are necessary for school change and organizational learning. Based on a qualitative study that explored dissemination of teachers' learning within a multi‐school computer technology project, the paper identifies 43 factors that motivate teachers' sharing and 35 factors that restrain their sharing in schools. The paper posits that in the short‐term, it may be easier to encourage dissemination by reducing restraining factors than by working to increase motivating factors. In the long term, however, the attitudes and beliefs underlying the motivating factors must be addressed. This paper also offers a table of participants' suggestions for administrators to encourage teachers to share their learning with colleagues.

Citation

Collinson, V. (2004), "Learning to share, sharing to learn: Fostering organizational learning through teachers' dissemination of knowledge", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 42 No. 3, pp. 312-332. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230410534658