The school as learning organization in the Greek educational context: Insights from the case of second chance schools

This article critically examines the potential of the implementation of the “school as learning organization (SLO)” model within the Greek educational context through the lens of Second Chance Schools (SCS). Drawing on a synthesis of the author’s prior research, this study reinterprets empirical findings from the case of these schools to ask about systemic, cultural, and policy barriers that may hinder organizational learning across Greek education. According to the analysis, the SCS were established to embody SLO principles, but face many challenges that constrain their potential towards this aim. Interestingly, however, their challenges mirror those faced by mainstream schools, as they have been documented in established texts as, for example, the 2018 OECD report on Greek education. This coincidence points to the phenomenon called institutional isomorphism. On the one hand, broader systemic inefficiencies can undermine localized innovations (e.g., the SCS). On the other hand, these generalized inefficiencies logically lead to the hypothesis, or even conclusion, that the general system will resist integrating specific changes and transformations (as the proper implementation of the SLO model in mainstream schools). Ultimately, by focusing on the interplay between alternative education initiatives and mainstream systemic constraints, we aim to offer new insights on the conditions necessary for implementing reforms, such as the operation of the (mainstream) schools as true learning organizations.