Introduction
Communication is a critical factor for any organization, including in schools. Al Qemma School is the organization of focus for the analysis in terms of the various communication aspects. Being a multifaceted organization, communication in schools is complicated, but not impossible. Efficiency and performance can be improved if communication is effective and efficient. Nonetheless, during an academic year, communication can fail and hence can create serious ramifications for the school’s achievement. Cultural factors such as language barrier are among the factors that can cause bring in terms communication in schools. Other factors include time and inadequacy of resources (Engin, & Nihat, 2009). Capitalization on information communication technologies (ICTs) has allowed for efficiency in communication within the school setting. Technology has proven the most convenient channel for better communication between various players within and between the school and the outside world. Contact between people is enhanced through the use of the channels such as emails enabled by networking technology (Waldron, & Kassing, 2011). However, success in communication depends with the culture of the school in question, especially if the management takes advantage of the channels.
Organizational Goals
There are various organizational goals that the school is expected to meet. However, while some of the goals have been met, there are others that are not yet achieved. The first goal is the development of an assessment plan for monitoring and tracking the performance and progress of the students. In fact, this goal has not been realized. The second goal is the involvement of the wider community in the processes of teaching and learning. Worth noting is that this is one of the goals that have been attained. The third goal is building/developing the knowledge and understanding of the teachers concerning successful strategies for teaching and learning. In fact, this goal is yet to be achieved. The last goal that has been met is the development of targeted continuing support for the students with special learning needs. The evident failure to meet some of the goals designed for the school is a function of some failure in leadership and the teaching staff at the school.
An assessment of the school indicates some critical factors that underlie the success or failure to meet the goals of the school. The assessment system that was adopted at the school was initially designed for another school. Under those premises, the teachers were not comfortable and hence did not embrace the approach. In addition, the system does not reflect the levels of performance by the students at Al Qemma School. The parents have shown unwillingness to take part in the process of teaching and learning. Therefore, this has affected the achievement of the goal through engaging the wider community in the process. The support for the students with special needs is inadequate because of the failure of the school to provide enough teachers with the knowledge and understanding in meeting these needs. Improvement of the knowledge and practice of the teachers has been hampered by the absence of head of faculties in English. Hence, any efforts to achieve the goals should be focused on filling the identified gaps.
Metaphors
The ideas relating to the reality of organizational management are founded on some prevailing beliefs and assumptions. In most cases, the beliefs and assumptions are not taken seriously. Used as metaphors, two models have been applied in understanding organizations; as a machine and as an organism. Metaphors are critical communication devices to support the understanding (Buono & Jamieson, 2010). They are the conceptual devices emanating from our mental models for making sense of our world. The metaphors build certain realities in the mind allowing for the conceptualization of the world in a new perspective (Morgan, 1998). According to Hussain and Hafeez (2009), they play a role in comprehending the style of leadership, organizational structure, behaviors adopted in the management and control by assigning meanings to the entire organization.
Organizations as Machines
From this point of view, the metaphor in use is that of the machine, which represent the organization. Within the organization, there are people expected to operate mechanically according to some set rules and regulations (Armenakis & Bedeian, 1992). The main strength in this view of the organization is that it capitalizes on people operating in such a way that they are achieving the goals of the organization. The main weakness is that viewing people like machines make them lose their control as they are controlled. From the perspective, an individual is expected to say something like “I’m just a cog in the wheel.” Given than their needs and personal thoughts are not considered, the people end up losing their morale and commitment towards their work. Given the nature of the school as a situation of human interactions, the metaphor should be narrowed down. Nonetheless, this remains one of the ways of treating people in UAE schools.
To some extent, schools work like factories due to the expectation of efficiency. Administrators and principals are expected to operate like managers. Teachers should be in place with qualifications and licensure, and who are able to implement routines and manage workloads. Time management is critical in schools where instruction sessions and break sessions are timed well. Those within the schools are expected to perform according to set rules and regulations. School produce humans and not manufacturing products, but there is a need to ensure that they are working to produce better test scores to prepare them for work in the global workplace.
Organizations as Organisms
The view of the organization as an organism views it as a place where the people should operate as living organisms (Morgan, 2006). In this case, the complex needs of the people are the main concern, which are the expectations of the needs being met. The main strength of the metaphor is that the people have to operate in a way that needs are being met in order to survive. Therefore, the survival of those in the organization means that it will survive as a whole (Morgan, 1998). The concern on the things that ensure the wellbeing of the individuals and the whole make its survival tenable. Among the Morgan’s organizational metaphors mostly applied in the school are the views of the organization as an organism. Indeed, this is evident in the connections existing amongst the faculty members and between the parents, the UAE education board, and the wider community.
Given the reality that the school gains input and produces output, it can be considered an “open system.” At Al Qemma School, the structures within the school are created like an organism. For example, the administration block is built to play the role of the organizational brain where policies, plans, rules, regulations, and other critical aspects emanate. In this case, they are the nerve center of the system. The needs of the students are met through effective curriculum for learners are part of the living organism. Differentiated learning is critical as the needs of the students differ. The metaphors should be applied in such a manner that they ensure the effective working of the entire system.
Leadership
Leadership style has a critical impact on organizational learning, including in complex organizations such as schools (Vera & Crossan, 2004; Waldman, Keller & Berson, 2006). In Al Qemma School, the style of leadership in place is distributive leadership where the leadership roles are distributed among leadership teams, and the tasks relating to improvement are shared amongst school committees made up of administrators and teachers. The main strength of this leadership is in the accountability to ensure that all the roles are adequately shared for more convenience in performance. Hence, no one person or organ is overburdened with all the roles. However, the style has a drawback in that some teams or committees drag others behind, especially in an environment where the roles are not clearly defined. Some of the teams work on their own without sharing knowledge or collaborating.
The school has some element of transformational leadership where the head identifies and rewards good performance by the teachers making them more effective in their work. The model has the strength in developing leaders in all the teachers, making the system to run more effectively. However, the administrator should be careful in rewarding performance because those teachers who are left out can lack motivation to work towards success. The impact is evident where there is feeling of inadequate involvement in the process of decision making, particularly where only tasks are allocated.
Communication and Work Process
Al Qemma School use technology in enhancing communications. For example, the school has a website used as an information exchange tool between various stakeholders. In this case, the school principal posts messages on a weekly basis to encourage better performance by the administrators and teachers. The academic vice principal uses the website in monitoring communications. Other information posted includes progress reports, meeting agendas, calendars, and instructional plans. In the current world, Telephone, especially the smartphones, and social media are other ways of communicating (Hunt, 2007). Social media, including smartphone applications, are commonly used for fast and convenient intra-school communication. The strength of the mode of communication is founded on the informal nature, allowing relaxation. However, it should be noted that applications can distract the communication process. Regular updates on the mobile phones allow the teachers to keep track of all information.
Communication, especially through the use of technology, has an impact in allowing sharing of knowledge and information (García-Morales, Jiménez-Barrionuevo, & Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez, 2012). Professional development information is being shared, more effectively through the use of the apps and other social media programs, including the school website. Information is being easily shared in the social media, such as by the academic vice principal who posts information on work progress and strategies used in teaching, among others. The presentations and other information are playing a critical role in the learning process by the teachers and students. Miscommunication only occurs where the teachers lack feasible software for their smartphone applications. Online surveys are playing a critical role in improving the organizational learning process as they provide information on the areas requiring improvement (Nair, 2012). However, the excessive use of the applications interferes with the need for physical meetings. In fact, this can have a negative impact given the reality that the use of the platform relies on the internet and availability of devices, something that is not necessary in physical meetings (Nestor-Harper, 2013). Therefore, teamwork is greatly hampered in the process with some negative ramifications.
In the school, work progress is not well organized. Therefore, decisions are not well planned, hence reducing the understanding member’s expectations in the organization. Communications are not working in the same direction, with the members of staff assuming their schedules and breaks. It has proven difficult to hold meetings during the school day. It has also hampered personal interactions, affecting overall relationships within the school.
Cultural Agents in the School
The cultural agents have a role in influencing organizational learning. Some of the agents at Al Qemma School include reward and other ceremonies, desks/workplaces, school announcements, absenteeism and time among others. If well managed, the agents can have an impact through motivating and promoting operations towards achieving the vision of the school. The reality is that the cultural agents are the defining factors of the school. For instance, the factors, including ceremony, define the level of unity between the teachers (Alas & Vadi, 2006). Such events require them to come together and come up with creative ideas. They are also the determinants of motivation, especially with the use of rewards. These are the factors behind improved learning and productivity.
The agents can also be the basis for effective communication; for instance, with the culture of social media enhancing information exchange (Mistry, 2010). Enhanced learning capabilities are the basis for improved learning. The agents are also charged with the responsibility of defining the mission and vision of the school. The culture is the basis for the work towards achievement of the objectives of the organization (Senge et al., 2012). The agents determine the level of discipline and adherence to the mission (Somprach, Prasertcharoensuk, & Ngang, 2015). The rules and regulations allow for improved discipline by teachers and students. Efforts to address some agents such as absenteeism assist towards improved productivity.
Factors That Facilitate or Inhibit Organizational Learning
Facilitators
One of the factors that facilitate organizational learning is the leadership style. Distributed leadership and transformational leadership have played a role in improving learning in the school. In fact, this has been achieved through sharing of leadership roles and developing leadership from the teachers to ensure effective performance of tasks. Diagonal and quick communication through the social media has also allowed effective learning within the organization since communication is the basis for successful information sharing, and hence learning (Shockley-Zalabak, 2011). Mental models enhance learning because they are the elements that allow a better understanding of the organization and the environment within which the firm is performing.
Inhibitors
Hierarchical leadership is an inhibiting factor for organizational learning as it hinders adequate flow of information. It makes the members lower in the hierarchy into simply receptors of tasks while decisions are made at the top, hence hindering motivation. The school culture can inhibit organizational learning, such as the culture of separating grade levels. The culture hinders learning through reduced motivation from some of the teachers at some levels. Individual planning and practice can hamper organizational learning at the school based on the lack of collaborative and team efforts. Use of social media for communication, hindering physical communication, can have a negative impact on learning at the school.
Top-down communication hinders learning by inhibiting creativity and sharing of information and ideas.
Areas for Change
Communication is a critical area that needs to be addressed to make the school better as a learning organization. While social media should still be used, the school should create an environment fostering face-to-face meetings for the teachers and the administrators to share information and ideas to improve the school and allow for the achievement of the goals. Evidently, the prevailing culture of the school is hindering learning (Argote, 2012). Hence, the school needs to change the culture to create an environment where the administrators and teachers are working towards achieving the goals. Some of the things that should be addressed include laxity, absenteeism, and reliance on informal channels of communication (Malakouti et al., 2014). The organizational structure should be decentralized because of the negative impact of the hierarchical structure. Indeed, such a change will allow for greater distributive and transformational leadership. The teachers will also be engaged in decision making to enhance motivation.
Plan for Improvement
The improvement plan will include a report pointing to the various areas of the school that require enhancement for greater learning within the school. The principal will discuss the report in the presence of all the members of staff. In addition, the report will be posted on the organization’s website where all the stakeholders can access and give their views. The planned changes will be discussed in the forum, indicating any need for change and the areas of improvement. It is critical for the stakeholders to be engaged in the process to ensure that they are all on the same page and reduce any possibility of resistance.
Conclusion
As it is palpable from the analysis of Al Qemma School, it is evident that the school is working, but not as it should be based on the inhibitors of organizational learning. The school has achieved only two out of its four goals, which means that more work is necessary. The problem in communication, leadership, and the culture of the organization should be addressed for success to be attained, which entails the achievement of the vision and the goals of the school.
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