The Meaning and Measure of Organizational Learning Mechanisms in Secondary Schools

Purpose: Organizational learning has been conceptualized as a critical component for school effectiveness. This study explored organizational learning in schools through the conceptual framework of "organizational learning mechanisms" (OLMs) and developed a measure of OLMs at the secondary school level. Research Design: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of items were conducted to examine factorial validity. To test the criterion-related validity, the OLM questionnaire was correlated to other constructs-teachers' sense of collective efficacy and teachers' organizational commitment, both of which have been used as independent variables to predict school productivity. Findings: A four-factor model of OLMs in secondary schools was the best fit between the empirical results and the conceptual formulation. The four-factor model included the following factors: disseminating, storing, and retrieving information; distributing information among students and parents; analyzing and interpreting information; and usage of online information. Implications: The present study encourages researchers to explore whether OLMs can serve as a mediating variable between the system level and the classroom level. Using this questionnaire, secondary schools can assess their own learning cycle, analyzing their practices of information processing.