The Future of Business as a Learning Organization

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Jennifer Brady

Here is a very interesting summary of a viewpoint by a writer named Donald Philip who is currently completing doctoral work in educational computer applications. In brief, he is asserting that the way online learners gain and share information today will better prepare them for how business will operate in the near future. Getting an online education and getting ahead in business apparently share a lot of parallels. Here is a link to the synopsis of Mr. Philip's article which is available in its entirety if you choose to subscribe (it is free). But for your convenience, here's an hefty excerpt which captures the essence of his belief. The first sentence offers a very, very powerful idea:

The global economy, Philip argues, is driving a shift from older, industrial models to the model of the business as a learning organization. The cognitive patterns of today’s Net Generation students, formed by lifetime exposure to interactive media, may prepare them for the heterogeneous, distributed systems that characterize tomorrow's learning organizations, but they do need to learn the processes of innovation, creativity, and collaboration that these organizations will value. Knowledge Building, which engages students in building knowledge about a given question in an open, collaborative environment, provides one model for teaching these vital skills. In the knowledge-building paradigm, students form research groups through their interactions with one another and with an online learning environment called Knowledge Forum as they work on problems of understanding. This model, Philip argues, will prepare students for the distributed, collaborative work environments of learning organizations that value creativity and innovation.