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LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS FOR COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS (LOC 310)

Winter 2018 Mon 6:00-8:50 pm Annenberg G02

Two required texts (available at Norris):

Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge, 2006 edition

Leadership and the New Science by Margaret Wheatley, 3rd edition

The attached pages cover the following information:

(1) Schedule of class topics, reading preparation and assignments due (STARTING FIRST CLASS)

(2) Work required for the course and grading methodology

(3) Supplemental Book List

Instructor: Dorie Blesoff

email:

website:

TAs: Lauren Miller

Christine Schounard


LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS FOR COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS (LOC 310) Winter 2018

WEEK

/ 1 – Jan 8 / 2 – Jan 22 / 3 – Jan 29 / 4 – Feb 7 / 5 – Feb 14 / 6 – Feb 21 / 7 – Feb 28 / 8– Mar 7 / 9 – Mar 14 / 10 – Mar 21
CLASS AGENDA / -Introduction & Overview
-Individual Learning Goals
-Form Learning Teams / -Learning about Learning
-Definitions of learning organizations
-Learning Teams meet / -Learning about Systems
-Learning Teams meet / -Personal Mastery and Shared Vision
-Learning Teams meet / -Mental Models
-Overview of Wheatley
-Learning Teams meet / -Team Learning
-Learning Teams meet / - Team
Learning, cont.
-Learning
Teams
meet / -Systems thinking
-Course review
-Learning Teams meet / Learning Team Projects presented / Learning Team Projects presented

READING

DUE FOR CLASS / -Senge:
Chpts 1,2 ,4 & 5 / -Wheatley: Intro, Chpts.
1-3 & Epilogue
- 4 Assigned articles / -Wheatley:
Chpts. 4,5,8,9 / -Senge: Chpts 8 & 10
-5 Assigned articles / -Senge: Chpt 9
-1 Assigned article
-Review Wheatley / -Senge: Chpt 11 & 12
-2 Assigned articles / Senge: Chpt 14 and start next week’s readings / -Senge: Chpt 6 & Appendix 2
-Assigned article
ASSIGNMENT DUE IN CLASS / -Write 2-3 individual Learning Goals in class
-Work on team Ground Rules, name, evaluation criteria and topic of Team project / -Learning Style inventory
-Turn in Team roster, name, ground rules, evaluation criteria and topic of Team project / -Learning Brief #1
-Example of Dr King’s “systems thinking”
-Bring a visual image of a system
-STEEP research / -Learning Brief #2 / Mid-Term in class / -Learning Brief #3 / -Optional Learning Brief #4 / - FINAL posted / -Final due by start of class
-Team Evals due by end of class

LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS FOR COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS (LOC 310) Winter 2018

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING METHODOLOGY

Students in this course are expected to comply with the policies found in the booklet, "Academic Integrity at Northwestern University: A Basic guide".

1. Be present in class. Complete and knowledgeably discuss the readings assigned for each class (10% of final grade). It is expected that every student will attend every class, or request an excused absence if something serious occurs. Absence from more than 2 classes will impact a student’s grade. Each week several students will be asked to report briefly on the highlights of that week’s reading.

2. Upload to Canvas three assigned Learning Briefs of 2 full pages, double-spaced,12 font, demonstrating your understanding of one key concept presented in the week’s readings, with a real application of the concept in your own experience. Please name it: LOC 310 Winter 2018 LB# First initial. Last Name. (30% of final grade). Criteria will include: college level writing (5 points), definition of key concept (10 points), and application to real life (15 points). An optional Learning Brief is available to students who want the opportunity to raise their average, only if all the other required Briefs have been completed and graded.

3. Participate fully in a Learning Team which will meet weekly and prepare an interactive 40 minute team presentation to the entire class on Week 9 or 10. (Team will evaluate each individual based on agreed upon evaluation criteria, 20% of final grade).

LEARNING TEAM TOPICS will be determined by shared Learning Goals. As examples, they may include:

  • New paradigms in education and learning organizations
  • Leadership in a learning organizations
  • Multiple intelligences or Emotional intelligence
  • Any of the five disciplines applied more deeply (such as shared vision, mental models, team learning, etc)
  • Impact of diversity (cultural, gender, learning style, etc) on learning community or global organizations
  • Role of technology in promoting learning in organizations

FORMAT OF PROJECT PRESENTATION MAY BE (but is not limited to):

  • The design of an experiential activity for the entire class to demonstrate the concept(s) you focus on
  • Creative presentation using poetry, theater, music, video, etc.
  • Interactive or multi-media presentation of research results from books, articles, interviews

4. In-class Mid-Term will be given during Week 5 (10% of grade). Focus will be on definitions and original examples of key concepts.

5. Complete Final ExamOR Final Paper (30% of final grade). The requirement for the exam or final paper is to demonstrate knowledge of the key concepts covered in class by defining and applying them in real-life situations. (List of Key Concepts will be distributed, and requirements for final paper defined). If you choose the final paper, it is required that you draft an outline for Professor Blesoff’s approval before Class 7).

  • Final Exam – posted in Canvas on Week 8, to be completed and posted by beginning of class, on Week 10.
  • Final paper, 12-15 pages (with required key concepts applied to a specific organization), posted on Canvas by beginning of class, Week 10.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOK LIST

I. LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS

Built to Last by James Collins and Jerry Porras

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Intellectual Capital by Thomas Stewart

Sculpting the Learning Organization: Lessons in the Art & Science of Systemic Change by Karen Watkins & Victoria Marsick

Strategic Readiness: The Making of the Leaming Organization by John Redding & Ralph Catalanello

Ten Steps to a Learning Organization by Peter Kline and Bernard Saunders

The Learning Company: A Strategy for Sustained Development byMike Pedlar, John Burgoyne and Tom Boydell

II. LIVING SYSTEMS AND NEW SCIENCE

A Simpler Way by Margaret Wheatley &Myron Kellner-Rogers

Beyond Einsteinby Michio Kaku

Birth of the Chaordic Age by Dee HockThe Little Book of the Big Bang by Craig Hogan

Corporate Tides by Robert Fritz The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra

Einstein’s Dreams byAlan Lightman The View from the Center of the Universe – Primack & Abrams

Hyperspace by Michio Kaku The Web of Life by Fritjof Capra

III. GLOBAL CHANGE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

Competing for the Future byGary Harnel

International Dimension of Organizational Behavior by Nancy Adler The Art of the Long View by Peter Schwartz

Managing the Future by Peter DruckerThe Evolving Global Economy by Kenichi Ohmae

Megatrends OR Megatrends 2000 byJohn NaisbittThe Business of Paradigms by Joel Barker

Rethinking the Future (collection of essays) ed. by Rowan GibsonThe Third Wave by Alvin Toffler

Strategy-Focused Organization by Norton and Kaplan

IV.NEW THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE

A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink

Emotional IntelligenceEmotional Intelligence at Work by Daniel Goleman

Changing Minds & Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner

Inside the Brain by Ronald Kotulak

Reason, Learning & Action by Chris Argyris

The Creative Brain by Ned Hermann

Virtual Leaming by Roger Schank

V. OTHER RELATED TOPICS

New Paradigms of LeadershipDiversity

Deep Change by Robert Quinn Beyond Race & Gender by Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.
First, Break All the Rules by Buckingham & Coffman Black and White Styles in Conflict by Thomas Kochman

Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson Brain Sex byAnne Moir & David Jessel
Smarter, Faster, Better by Karlin Sloan Riding the Waves of Culture by Fons Trornpenaars, C. Hampden-Tumer
Stewardship by Peter Block Talking 9 to 5 by Deborah Tannen
The Empowered Manager by Peter Block You Just Don’t Understand by Deborah Tannen