Organizational behavior is a term that may carry several different definitions, though the classic one is the study of individuals in an organizational context. All organizations have some type of corporate behavior — it exists everywhere, even as organizational behavior in education. Here, the term defines the structure of a school, the process by which the school gauges performance, and how an educational institution responds to change. Each school is different, with the organizational behavior depending on school size, type, importance of structure, and other factors. Individuals are the common driving force behind organizational behavior.
An educational institution is just like any other organization — full of people that drive the activities within the group. Organizational behavior in education often has a fairly standard structure, such as a principal, vice principal, curriculum coordinator, and other administrative figures. All of these individuals are responsible for setting the tone in the institution. A lack of leadership or ethics may come from the very top, which can create fractures in the institution. A strong administrative group is necessary to create and enforce the proper tone in the organization in order to meet its goals.
One common — and sometimes controversial — aspect of educational institutions is how teachers and educators meet certain performance measurements. Properly gauging performance for all teachers and educators is necessary to ensure that students receive the best education possible. Organizational behavior in education helps the administration create a fair and equitable process by which they measure each worker’s performance. The process can be wide ranging and quite intense, measuring different aspects such as classroom performance, service to the school, and outside activities performed above regular teaching duties. Periodic reviews are often the norm in educational institutions.
Change is an internal or external force that no institution can escape, even those in the educational sector. A portion of the activities that exist in organizational behavior in education is to define the factors that drive change. In education, this may include curriculum changes, adjustments to state requirements, finding new teachers for those retiring, and handling increases in student enrollment. All these factors and others — such as changes to school districts or new educational institutions opening — are also part of this process. School administrators and upper-level teachers need to be in position to handle these changes without sacrificing the quality of education given to students at the school.