how can one learn about german culture through e-learning?
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given at the congress of Learntec 2012 in Karlsruhe, Germany, Feb. 1st, 2012.TRANSCRIPT
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Konrad FassnachtFCT Akademie GmbH
How can one learn about German culture through E-Learning
Learntec 2012, Feb. 1st
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
About me
Konrad FassnachtFCT Akademie GmbH
1991 – 1997 Project Manager at Siemens Nixdorf andSiemens Business Services
1997 – 1998 Head of IT in the International Leadership Centre of Siemens
1998 – 2005 Manager for E-Learning and Distance Collaboration in the Siemens Management Learning
Since April 1st, 2005 Fassnacht Consulting & TrainingSince April 1st, 2009 FCT Akademie GmbH
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
About the FCT Akademie GmbH
Founded in 2009 as spin-off from Fassnacht Consulting & Training
Education and training in various formats and consulting
– E-learning and online learning– Blended learning– Collaborative and social learning– Face-to-face seminars and
workshops
Competence areas– Distance management and
intercultural training– Project management– Leadership and management– Work organsation
www.fct-akademie.com
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Agenda
Starting point of an e-learning course on German culture
Challenges and how to overcome them
Design, core elements, and outcome of this kind of intercultural trainings
Essential cornerstones, the prerequisites, the basic success factors and the business or organizational impact
Impact of social media
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Basic Results of Company Discussions
International business in Germany rises, international co-operations on many levels
Intercultural understanding, competence and communication frequently not adequate – on both sides
Improvements of co-opearations and business outcome feasible if intercultural awareness rises – on both sides
Improvement in mutual understanding of German culture and foreign culture
Modern means of technology support improvements
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Training in Intercultural Communication and Cultural Awareness – The Traditional Way
Various organisations offer trainings on German Culture
Examples– Intercultural training for the German market in Spain– First International Seminar on Germany and Islamic Culture in Malaysia– Seminar on German culture and geography in India
Typical advantages and disadvantages offace-to-face training
But: A certain emotional distance to Germany
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Initial Questions
How can
– German culture be trained in any country – but with anemotional closeness to Germany?
– German experts be involved in the training without travel costs?
– the knowledge of Germany and theGerman culture be broadened compared to face-to-face learning?
Why not offer courses on German culture and much more in any country to any person worldwide – out of Germany?
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
The Idea
E-Learning helps to solve many of the challenges
Other technologies improve learning
Social networking and learning from each other
An optional workshop can introduce face-to-face advantages
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Goals of E-Learning Course on German Culture
Deliver knowledge and build competences about Germany at first hand
Involve non-trainers from Germany in the course
Integrate learning in the daily work
Foster communication among participants, trainer and Germans
Provide the opportunity to practice the lessons’ learnt in an optional 1-day face-to-face workshop
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Benefits
• Usage of modern Internet technologies like virtual classroom, social networks, etc.• Attractive, state-of-the-art, and comprehensive knowledge about Germany and
the Germans• First hand practical content delivered by German experts• Collaborative Learning: Internet-based communication with other participants and
Germans• Many practical and proved useful hints on communicating and working with
Germans• Virtual mentoring by experienced German online tutors • Face-to-face workshop in India to practice the lessons learnt• In case of inhouse training: delivery of company related content• … and some fun, too
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Design Issues and Operational Challenges
How to deal with different learning cultures?
What content should be delivered, and in which way?
Are the technical preliminaries met?
What language should be used?
What about time zones?
Organizational issues– How to find participants?– How to find trainers and experts?– How to introduce courtesy?
….
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Basic design of the course
Basic frame conditions
Live web trainings (webinars)
Additional content delivery on a learning platform
Workshop version: 1 day face-to-face workshop abroad with a German trainer
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
How To Deal With Different Learning Cultures
Input : Our practical experience from Siemens Management Learning– More than 100 countries worldwide– Some 1000 participants in 8 years– Experience on e-learning and
face-to-face training in interculturalenvironments
Impact on design– Asia/Pacific: Above all knowledge transfer with some discussions in the virtual
classroom, but little written discussion and virtual group work– North America / Northern Europe: Focus on “Learning and Experience”– Latin America / Southern Europe: Focus on written and voice communication
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Technology
Technical preliminaries– Easy-to-use learning management system– Easy-to-use virtual classrooms– Stable technology– Low bandwidth technologies– Audio has to work, video not necessary– Windows PC
How to ramp up participants– Short introductive document– Short screen cam movie– Check-in session
Technical support
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Technical Decision
Virtual Classroom– Saba Centra because of experience in international environments– Adobe Connect because of pricing issues
Learning platform– Moodle
Auxiliary technologies– Camtasia from techsmith
Still testing– Social media
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Design and content
Preparation: Technical check and access to virtual classroom Module 1: Overview of Germany Module 2: Economical System with Input by a Manager Module 3: German culture and behavior Module 4: Working and Doing Business with Germans Module 5: Political System with Input by a Politician Module 6 : Relationships between Germany
and target country with caste studies Module 7: Germans and Europeans F2F Workshop: Preparing “Working in Germany” & “ Business with Germans”
(optional)
F2FWorkshop
Preparation Module 1 Modul e 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6 Module 7
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Preparation
Starts 1 week before course begins
Participants receive access codes to virtual classroom and learning platform
Initial information on learning platform
First live online session in virtual classroom to check access, audio and video quality
Initial contact to online trainer in Germany
Preparation
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Design of the Modules
Duration: 1 week
Components:– Live online session in virtual classroom– Web Based Training (WBT) on Learning Management
System– Additional information on Germany
and Europe (web links, videos, business charts, workbooks, etc.)
– Social network technologies for communication with German ubject matter experts
Module x
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Example for Asia / Pacific: Module1 - Overview of Germany
Live web training in virtual classroom – content delivery– Overview on German history– Geography and climate– Primary belief system– Characteristics of society
Communication– Discussion groups with trainer comments and statements– Option to ask questions
Self-study material– Self-study document with details on content of live web training– Documents with further information– Internet links and videos
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Example for Latin America / Southern Europe: Module1 - Overview of Germany
Live web training in virtual classroom – discussion– Brainstorming– Common Work
Communication– Discussion groups with questions to discuss– Option to ask questions
Self-study material– Self-study document with details on content of live web training– Documents with further information– Internet links and videos
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Example for North America and Northern Europe:Module 1 - Overview of Germany
Live web training in virtual classroom – group work– Exercise: Check given resources and answer corresponding questions in
workgroup– Present results in main virtual lecture room– Discuss issues with other workgroups and trainer– Additional input from trainer– Tipps for self studies and group communication
Communication and collaboration– Virtual group work on a topic about Germany– Option to ask questions
Self-study material– Self-study document with details on content of live web training– Documents with further information– Internet links and videos
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Workshop (optional) F2FWorkshop
Contents:
Revision: virtual sessions on Germany
Discussion on lessons learnt
Practising Working in Germany and doing business with Germans
Role plays: Effective Communication with Germans
Exercises
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Pilot Programs and Outcome
No face-to-face workshop in pilots
Pilots– First pilot with some Germans in Germany– Second pilot with a group of trainers in Bolivia– Third pilot with a heterogeneous group in India– Fourth pilot planned (USA?)
Outcome– Participants liked it very much or much– Design and content were highly appreciated– Technology worked fine– Need some hands-on aids
on self-study competence– Language (English) is an issue– Beside all: There is some fun
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Business / Organizational Impact – Show Me The Money
Reducing the “virtual distance”
Business / organizational results of improving intercultural collaboration
– Reduction of “intercultural frictional losses”– Faster results due to better collaboration– Better team spirit in project teams fosters
better team results (high performance teams)– Certain competitive advantages– Faster communication
Reduction of misunderstandings – and their costs
Better mutual understanding – if the Germans are intercultural trained, too.
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
Outlook
A program for Asia / Pacific is ready for the market
Start with other programs in June / July
Integration of social media in program until the end of 2012– Blogs and Wikis– Facebook or Google+ – Twitter– Etc …
Open question– Should we extend the concept to other cultures?– Should we introduce WebQuests for measurable business results?
©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH
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