Towards a Pedagogy of Organizational Change

The rapidly evolving landscape of higher education demands not only changes in teaching approaches but also organizational transformation. This paper explores the potential of problem-based learning (PBL) as a lever for organizational change, particularly within higher education institutions. Based on a comprehensive organizational development project involving 60 employees at a university library, this study examines the potentials and challenges of PBL in fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Three focus group interviews reveal both opportunities and challenges in translating PBL principles into a professional setting. Key findings include deeper reflection, an appreciation of problem analysis skills, enhanced group collaboration, and the significance of management’s role in guiding the process. However, challenges such as organizational culture barriers and the complexity of working life compared to student life highlight the need for tailored PBL approaches to succeed as an organizational change method. This study contributes to the limited literature on PBL's application in organizational contexts, offering insights for fostering sustainable change in higher education. Furthermore, the insights gained through the project allow us to revisit PBL in a higher educational setting to discuss which qualities in this pedagogical method could be further developed to promote student learning and development.