Integral Learning in Organizations Along Collaborations An Organizational and Media Pedagogical Synthesis of Learning Processes in the Context of Collaboration

Abstract

The article seeks to interweave organizational and media pedagogy through the integral consideration of learning processes along collaborations as a fundamental pedagogical unit. More precisely, it is about the synthesis in a model that considers actions and learning in four quadrants, perceives media as cooperation techniques and understands organizational structures as media of cooperation. To this end, it is argued that the basic unit underlying integral learning is not only to be demonstrated analytically, but has also to exist as practice. The approach transcends the duality of system and individual normally outlined in both organizational and media pedagogy in order to show the underlying unity that can be addressed pedagogically. Chronologically, the article starts from the early literature on activity systems. The question of collaborative actors as actual learning subjects is already raised here, and the concept of cultural and reflexive learning is brought into play to support this. The mediatization of organizations then provides the structural prerequisites for being able to describe learning in the integral model. In the end, the model and Giddens’ theory of structuring are used to discuss what an integral approach of both disciplines might look like in relation to the containing organization and what this might mean for organizations as a whole. The article can be well connected to the theoretical discussion on media practices and practices in general, as these are also characterized by a collaborative view.