This study is set in an era of changing management styles, shifts in the role of the educator, increasing competition, evolving student cohorts and rapidly changing modes of delivery, in the presence of change drivers such as the ubiquity of computing systems, in higher education in the Institute of Technology (IOT) sector in Ireland. The study may be described as deductive (Bryman & Bell 2007) in its approach to the examination of the alignment of practice in integrating information and communications technology (ICT) into teaching learning and assessing (TL&A), against a strategic framework based on the idea of a measure of learning organization maturity in the IOT sector in Ireland. The literature review found that throughout the evolution of strategic thinking, higher education institutes (HEIs) have endeavoured to adopt many of the strategic models, associated with the wider business community, which have emerged over the latter half of the 20th century. However differences in governance, organizational structure, decision making mechanisms and expectation have led to resistance to and rejection of many of these strategic approaches. As part of this study, strategic initiatives supporting ICT integration are examined from different stakeholder perspectives such as those of management and academic staff. The study then moves on to exploration of the idea of learning organization maturity to ascertain its suitability as a strategic framework for the purposes of this study. The study poses the research question:
Is it possible to correlate, the identification of learning organization maturity, with the level of integration of ICT into TL&A in the IOT sector in Ireland?
To seek answers to this question and derivative questions the management (both academic and non-academic) and the academic staff cohorts within the subject institutes were surveyed online using a learning organization profile (LOP) tool, adapted from the work of Marquardt (2002), and a new ICT integration level investigative tool developed by the writer. Findings were statistically analysed to establish whether differences exist in learning organizational profiles (LOP) for different cohorts and category variables. Where practicable comparative analyses with similar studies unearthed in the literature review were undertaken. Next correlation between learning organization maturity and ICT integration levels is examined. Finally conclusions are drawn where they emerged and recommendations for possible follow up studies are outlined.
Date of Award | 1 Sept 2008 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | |
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Supervisor | Jeroen Huisman (Supervisor) |
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An Investigation into Learning Organisation
Maturity & The Integration of ICT into
Teaching, Learning & Assessing
In The Institute of Technology Sector
In The Republic of Ireland
Murphy, P. (Author). 1 Sept 2008
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Business (DBA)