Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Donna Blaess
Committee Member
Barbara Gerard
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
alternative education, analysis, behavior, behaviors, brainstorming sessions, culture, disciplines, evaluation research, evaluation study, faculty, focus groups, interviews, learning organization, Miami-Douglas MacArthur Senior High School South, MDMS, observation, organization, P. Senge, patterns, perceptions, researcher, staff, student behavior, students, surveys, systemic changes
Abstract
The problem that was addressed by this evaluation study was the failure of a majority of the students who entered the Alternative Program at Miami-Douglas MacArthur Senior High School South (MDMS) to return to their schools of residence. Of those who did return, over 60% were unsuccessful. The systemic changes that were needed to resolve this problem required the faculty to function as an effective learning organization as described in the research of P. Senge. Evaluation research was conducted to determine to what extent MDMS staff was functioning within each of the 5 disciplines of a learning organization.
The data for this study were collected and analyzed in 4 phases. First, data were collected from individuals at the start of the evaluation using observation, interviews, and surveys. The data were gathered from participants in a manner that minimized the influence of other participants’ perceptions of the respondents’ input. Second, data were generated by an interacting group of MDMS faculty and staff members in brainstorming sessions that were conducted under the researcher’s supervision. Third, data were collected from a separate interacting group of MDMS faculty and staff members through a focus group that was conducted under the supervision of the researcher. Fourth, data analysis was conducted by the researcher. The analysis focused on patterns that emerged from the data that were collected in the first 3 phases.
The results of the evaluation study indicated that a learning organization did not exist at the time of the evaluation at MDMS. The findings did indicate that, although MDMS was not functioning as a learning organization, each of the elements or disciplines of a learning organization was present, to a very limited degree, in the behaviors of some faculty and staff members. Those minimal learning organization behaviors that were present represented a viable basis on which to begin building a learning organization culture at MDMS.