Individuals in all organisations are participants in interactive and interconnected systems, interacting with others, materials and representational systems (Putnam and Borko, 2000). A positive consequence of this inter-connectedness is that when teachers in schools learn and develop new thinking, ideas and practices, others within a school community learn too. The proposed paper is a presentation on a multi-disciplinary study of the impact of the characteristics of learning within organizations upon the professional learning of teachers in schools, drawing upon several theoretical and applied research fields – systems theory, complexity theory, organisational studies, organizational learning theory and theories of professionalism and professional learning. The paper/presentation also reports upon empirical research in progress, based in the University of Aberdeen. Encompassing both the cognitive, situated, social and distributed dimensions of learning, this research involves critically reflective analysis by teachers of their own learning and practice in schools and classrooms and the exchanging, storage and use of the products of the learning of individuals by others. In addition to survey research, it involves teachers using action research and action learning methodologies. The empirical study, is a partnership between the University, a Scottish Local Authority and all the teachers in the Local Authority who are in their second year of teaching. Participants work in Action Learning Sets (Weinstein, 1995). The aim of the learning set is not to resolve issues or to answer questions together but to help each individual arrive at their own conclusions by providing both support and challenge. The purpose of this analysis and critique, which must be seen as non-threatening but robust, is to enhance and improve learning and teaching and to improve practice. Key themes explored are: the impact and implications of social situatedness upon the professional learning of teachers and the culture and practices of schools the implications of systemic theory and thinking, including complexity theory for teacher professional learning and schools  the relevance and implications of theories of organisation, organizational learning and learning organizations for teachers and schools teachers' perspectives of professional learning applying action learning principles and practices to teacher professional learning and perceptions of the impact and value of doing so. Research questions include: Do the participant teachers feel that they are autonomous individual professionals working within a collaborative community? What policies, practices or experiences inform their perceptions? How does/can professional learning building upon existing success and successful practice, enhance learning and teaching and maximise credit and recognition for teachers and schools? How and in what ways does the experience of an 'action learning approach' to teacher professional learning enable individual teachers to develop their own practice, lead to benefit for themselves and others (pupils and colleagues) and make a contribution to the 'teacher- learning culture'?

Survey research, action research and action learnnig methodologies

That the concepts explored in the theoretical paradigms outlined in the presentation are highly relevant to the situated professional learning of teachers. That the professional learning of the teachers who participated in the research is significantly influenced by their social situatedness but that this is not taken account of when teacher professional learning is planned. That there is little collaborative learning by teachers or exchange and utilisation of the use of the learning of individual teachers by others.