Stiles and Yorke (2006) discuss the implication for organisational change for the successful introduction of technology supported learning. A major barrier is the nature of universities as large, hierarchical and bureaucratic institutions that are naturally conservative. Organisational change is clearly possible in large institutions, more often seen in business where flexible responses to customer or client demands are required in order to make a profit. Senge has analysed the characteristics of learning organisations, and it would be disappointing to list them for analysis of a university. However, parts of a university - faculties or departments - may show the characteristics. It would be important to recognise that where an otherwise unpromising institution allows a part to to operate as a learning organisation, for however brief a period, there is credit to the institution. This makes me feel a little better about both the closure of Ultralab and my current position in a team delivering Ultralab's dream of a work-based, online undergraduate research degree.

One of the issues that has caused the university much consternation in the past is the team's reluctance to use WebCT. Essentially, WebCT would be viable as the degree could be delivered using any platform. Problems have arisen largely because of institutional policy - the university strongly encourages the use of WebCT, but only under its own conditions. Where policy and practice clashed, the team opted for platforms over which it could have enough control to deliver the degree.

Link to an example of the issue of control.