This presentation "Accelerated Learning" introduced the concept of organizational learning and action learning. And provided a project case to show how to integrate action learning, web-based learning and classroom learning in corporate training and development program.

1. Excellence through Culture, Talent, and Change
Accelerated Learning
Blended Action Learning
by Dr. Hora Tjitra & Daisy Zheng & Zhao Dan
Hangzhou, November 2008

2. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
• Tjitra & associates is a management consultancy founded
by Dr. Tjitra with offices in Hangzhou and Hong Kong.
Our work focuses on the CULTURE, TALENT and CHANGE.
• In the last twelve years, Dr. Tjitra and his team have collected
International project experiences at the global, regional and
national level in the US, Europe and Asia with senior leaders
from over forty countries.
• A team of multilingual psychologist are dedicated to strive for
excellence and provide tailor-made service solutions.
We devote ourselves in ensuring sustainable business results
by understanding the exact needs and situation of our clients.
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3. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Agenda
1 Organizational Learning & Action Learning 4
2 Project Best Practice 8
3 About Us 16
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4. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Organizational Learning
& Action Learning
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5. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Organizational Learning
Learning
The process of acquiring knowledge, attitudes, or skills from study, instruction,
or experience. ( Miller &Findlay 1996)
Organizational
Learning
A learning organization actively creates, captures, transfers, and mobilizes
knowledge to enable it to adapt to a changing environment.
Individual Learning
Organizational Learning
Interaction among individuals
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6. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Action Learning
• Action learning is a method to generate learning from human interaction occurring as learners engage together in
real-time work problems. (Reg Revans, 1945)
• Action learning is a well-proven individual, collective and organizational development philosophy. (Peter Smith,
Judy O'Neil,2003).
• In action learning:
- programmed instruction is given
- sponsors sanction a real live project
- the participants apply their prior and new knowledge to the project
- learn by taking time to reflect with their colleagues
- facilitators help them make sense of their experiences in light of relevant theory
L=P+Q
Programmed instruction Spontaneous questioning
Most action learning theorists
consider the later to be the
Material already component that produces the most
Apposite questioning, behavioral change.
formulated, digested, and
investigation, and
presented typically
experimentation
through coursework
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7. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Key Characteristics of Chinese Learner were Found in Empirical Studies
In our literature review, we found some key studies about Chinese learner.
Key words Literatures
Yee (1989), Martinsons & Martinsons (1996), Biggs (1994),
Rote learning/ Repetition Dahlin & Watkins (2000)
Passive learning/Lack of participation Chow (1995), Scollon and Scollon (1994), Chan (1999),
in classroom activities Biggs (1994)
Jin & Cortazzi (1998), Biggs (1994), Chan & Watkins
Chinese-style group work (1994), Tang (1996)
Extrinsic motivation Watkins & Biggs (1996), Salili (1996)
Exam oriented Gao & Watkins (2000)
Teacher/trainer-centered Kirkbrede & Tang (1992), Biggs (1998)
Authority relationship between
Ginsberg (1992), Chan (1999), Pratt (1999)
teachers and students
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8. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Project Best Practice
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9. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Induction Training Program for Potential Academician
BACKGROUND
In order to accelerate young Chinese academicians’ learning process and prepare them
to work more effectively in international working environment, an acceleration
development project was designed, executed and evaluated:
- Action learning task simulation - Building a website providing useful information for foreigners in
China (Group work)
- Task relevant skills need to be trained - Speed reading, time management, teamwork, effective
communication, conflict management, software learning, etc.
- Participant - Young academicians from one of the top universities in China
OBJECTIVE
Exploring a training procedure which aims at developing students’ active learning with multiple channels.
EXPECTED RESULT
- Helping learners to find out effective learning methods, media, and styles, which facilitates learning efficiency
- Increasing learners’ ability of “Learning by Doing”, which bridges knowledge to application effectively
- Exploring practical product for developing learning organization employees successfully
- Selecting 4 young researchers out of 20 candidates to become the team member
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10. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Participants and Selection Process
Accelerated Final
Recruitment Selection
Learning Evaluation
Assessment
Training Assess the performance
Group Discussion Training include self of the 4-month training
development, academic and the action project
Marketing Group discussion about
a topic, make a final knowledge, soft skills
Introduce the team and
the ongoing and closed conclusion
projects Individual talk
Practice Individual talk with
Interview Practice the obtained supervisor for learning
knowledge by doing the balance and future plan
Online Application Self-introduction with
slides and answering real tasks
Applicants should fill out
questions
an online application
web page
60 20 8 4
Participants Screening Process (candidates number)
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11. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Structure and Characteristic of Accelerated Learning
Knowledge utilization
Action Learning
• A real “business” challenge is
used as the content.
• Participants work with others, in
teams, and learn from each other.
• Put the acquired knowledge into
practice in the suitable way.
Accelerated
Knowledge acquisition Learning Knowledge optimization
Classroom Learning Web-based Learning
• Participants learn from trainers by • Reflect on periodical tasks and the
attending lectures. whole process.
• Group discussion helps the • Learn from forum based reflections
participants structure the knowledge. by other members.
• Face-to-face feedback from • Found a sustainable knowledge
classmates and trainer. database by organizing reflections
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12. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
A Four-month Accelerated Learning Design
Speed Reading
• Know methods of speed reading Audio book Be able to read more and learn more
• Build English reading efficiency
Software practice (4 months)
Time Management
• Make reasonable plan and implement
• Have a well control over time Audio book Handle tasks with high time pressure
Scientific Presentation
• Make beautiful slides and logical speech
• Communicate idea efficiently Read a book Audio book Report the exact work result
Cross-cultural Psychology
• Understand research topics in team
• Form the sensitivity of culture Read the book Presentation (2 persons) Provide knowledge base
Web-construction Project
• Use obtained skills and knowledge
• Cooperate with and learn from teammates Learn from the project process
Web-based Learning Classroom Learning Action Learning
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13. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Sample Training Module: Time Management Training
Time Management
Classroom learning Web-based learning Action learning
Presentation Discussion Audio Book Project
• Goal setting • Goal setting
• Covey’s priority matrix • Covey’s priority matrix • High time pressure
• ABC priority system • ABC priority system • High self
• To-do list Weekly plan • To-do list independence
• Weekly plan • Weekly plan
• Daily plan • Daily plan
• Lakein’s theory • Lakein’s theory
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14. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Sample Training Module: Presentation Training
Presentation
Classroom learning Web-based learning Action learning
Presentation Practice Audio Book Project
101 Highly Effective Speaker
• Scientific presentation
• To command attentions • High time pressure
• Speech Presentation on
• To control fear • High self
one chapter of independence
• Structure
cross-cultural • To build credibility
• Visual aids psychology • To prepare like a pro
• Delivery • To close with power
• To sharpen delivery
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15. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Participants Show Significant Progress after Accelerated Learning Project
Know oneself
• The most exciting fact, at least to me, is that I know myself better than before: my strength,
my weakness; what I can improve, what I should keep, and what I could manage.
Deal with teammates
• I cared not enough about "human"! That's a big problem! So, this is very important…
• I know my team members better…
• For me, the most important experience is how to deal with the quarrel…
Deal with the job
• …never say any word that may diminish our confidence at the critical moment.
• A clear evaluation of our the whole situation, instead of dreaming of the good outcomes,
will help us to perfect our website.
• We checked every points, and do our best to meet demands.
Learn from others
• …the [other group’s] plan was more detailed and I appreciated them [the other group] in
that they could keep to the plan and had reflection on what they had done.
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16. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
About Us
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17. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Consultant Profile - Hora Tjitra, Ph.D.
Professional Background
Dr. Tjitra has performed international management consultancy, training,
assessment, coaching and research in Asia and Europe. His working areas are
focused on intercultural management as well as human resource, organizational
and strategic development.
Prior coming to China, he used to live and work in Germany for fourteen years and
was responsible for the global diversity as well as Asian business and management
development practices of leading HR consulting companies in Germany.
In addition to his consulting works, he held a position as associate professor for
applied psychology at the Zhejiang University (China).
Education and Professional Qualification
Dr.-Phil. in cross-cultural psychology and strategic management from the University
of Regensburg (Germany)
Dipl.-psych. in organizational behavior and HR management from the Technical
University of Braunschweig (Germany)
Certification in Hogan Assessment System (China/US), Strategic Management from
McKinsey&Co (Italy/Germany) and HR Management from INSEAD (Singapore/
France)
Executive Director
and Senior Consultant Language and other qualification
He is fluent in Indonesian, German, English, and can communicate in Chinese and
• Intercultural Qualification, Training is a member of the International Academy for Intercultural Research and
and Consulting International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology.
• Executive Assessment and Coaching
• Talent Development and Management References / Sample Clients
International project experiences for top and middle management at the global and
• Strategic Change and Organizational national level in over ten countries in Europe and Asia.
Development
SAP, Saint-Gobain, Barco, Ameco Beijing, SCHOTT, Siemens, BASF, DHL, Telkom
Indonesia, etc.
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18. Excellence through Culture, Talent and Change
Contact Address and Associates
Hong Kong Office: Hangzhou Office:
Success Commercial Building, 6/F, Room A Guangyin Plaza, Suite 812
245 - 251 Hennesy Road, Wanchai 42 Fengqi Road, Hangzhou 310010
HONG KONG P.R. CHINA Contact Person:
Daisy Zheng
245-251 42
6 A Phone +86 571 8763 1203
812
Fax +86 571 8763 1210
Phone +852 2585 8064 Phone +86 571 8763 1203
Email: info@tjitra.com
Fax +852 2802 1803 Fax +86 571 8763 1210
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