The active learning educational organisation: a case study of innovation in electrical engineering education

The introduction of active learning in engineering education is often started by enthusiastic teachers or change agents. They usually encounter resistance from stakeholders such as colleagues, department boards or students. For a successful introduction these stakeholders all have to learn what active learning involves for them. This means that active learning has to take place on three levels: the students, the staff, and the organisation. These three actors have each to learn from experience, and their learning processes have to be related. Learning on the lowest level is based on the cycle of Kolb for experiential learning. If learning is seen as a form of change, similar cycles can be distinguished for learning on the levels of the staff and the organisation. On the staff level a model of Van Delden's for influencing staff members is used. For organisational change some ideas about the learning organisation from Senge are adapted to educational organisations like departments. A comprehensive view on student learning, staff development, and organisational learning is presented. The model includes four aspects of learning on three levels of educational actors and the relations among them. This model can be an illuminating guide for the introduction and/or general acceptance of active learning at your institution as a lasting change.