Envisioning a Digital Age Learning Organization

Session 2

William Brennan — Farmingdale Public Schools, Fordham University

Lab D

Learning, a word that denotes opportunities, potential and growth, is undergoing an incredible revolution. Within our schools and around the world, there are passionate educators who are at the edge of learning. Are YOU a part of this conversation and is your organization ready to embrace it? The research tells us, we must change the way we learn – that is “how,” from “whom” and “when” we learn. And, while many schools have passionate educators participating in connected learning, most leaders and their organizations find it difficult to breakthrough.

In this facilitated discussion, the conversation will focus on:

What does it mean to be a learning organization in the Digital Age? How do we develop individuals and entire organizations to break out of their comfort zones? Given the tools available to be “connected” what are the organizational conditions that promote accelerated learning and innovation. Can we embrace social technologies and re-think how we amplify the human and social capital towards building organizational capacity. How are school leaders creating and leading next gen learning organizations?

With a focus on Intelligence, Growth Mindsets and Leading Change, we’ll unpack the questions – Can we Accelerate Intelligence; and how do we cultivate organizational intelligence?

CONVERSATION LINK:

http://bit.ly/1ixDPfL

Conversational Practice

In terms of leading the conversation, I will pose many though provoking questions to guide participants thinking. Protocols will be used to keep the conversation focused on the outcome. I’ve learned that people can get distracted by sharing the barriers and/or causations they see within their organizations, but that doesn’t always lead us to the right path. Our focus is to lead a conversation where we are thinking/sharing the best ideas for building a digital age learning organization.

I’ve had some practice doing this over the last two years and have seen participants deeply engaged in thought and sharing of ideas. When leading these discussions, I typically like to do a Google Hangout with others educators who are unable to attend, but are able to share their knowledge and experience of the topic. Additionally, an online resource such as a wiki or Google doc will be used to capture the conversation.

I’ll provide a brief context for this discussion by illuminating findings (really just more questions) of my research (3-5 minutes).