| The study used a learning organization framework to understand academic departments' efforts to improve teaching. While higher education institutions have long had structures and processes to facilitate organizational learning for institutional improvement, there is controversy over whether this results in improved performance. This research was situated amid the persistent concerns about the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process.; The theoretical framework guiding this research was generated from literature on learning organizations. A learning organization is devoted to continuous improvement through continuous learning. The establishment of three theoretical constructs represented the fundamental concepts of a learning organization and delineated the academic department as a learning organization: Vision and Leadership, Knowledge and Communication Management, and Learning Culture. This research addressed (1) the relationship among measures of the learning organization constructs, Vision and Leadership, Knowledge and Communication Management, and Learning Culture, and the measure of the construct Teaching Improvement and (2) the relationship between measures of the learning organization constructs, Vision and Leadership, Knowledge and Communication Management , and Learning Culture, and departmental characteristics.; The population for the study consisted of academic departments in Doctoral/Research Universities-Extensive. A cross-sectional survey canvassed four hundred and two department chairs about their perceptions of departmental processes for the improvement of teaching. One hundred and ninety-six chairs responded, resulting in an overall response rate of 48.7%.; Correlational and regression analyses revealed statistically significant relationships among the independent variables, measures of the learning organization constructs, Vision and Leadership, Knowledge and Communication Management , and Learning Culture and the dependent variable, the measure of the construct Teaching Improvement. Nine departmental characteristics showed statistically significant relationships with the measures of the learning organization constructs. The findings confirmed the association of learning organization behaviors with teaching improvement. Based on the results, departmental efforts to improve teaching should concentrate on the effective use of information about teaching, such as student evaluations, and the cultivation of an environment supportive of teaching.; Higher education leaders, administrators and department chairs with a commitment to the improvement of teaching can use these findings to reassert efforts to be an effective learning organization. |
