How can one learn about german culture through e-learning?

©2012 FCT Akademie GmbH

Konrad FassnachtFCT Akademie GmbH

How can one learn about German culture through E-Learning

Learntec 2012, Feb. 1st


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


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


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


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


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


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?


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


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


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


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?

….


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



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



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


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


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.


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?


FCT Akademie GmbH

Konrad FassnachtGörlitzer Str. 24D-75031 Eppingen

Phone: +49-7262-6100-10Cell: +49-175-5480754Fax: +49-7262-6100-14

[email protected] www.fct-akademie.com

Contact

India - EU Training & ConsultingStrategic Consulting and TrainingAnita Shukla

20146 Hamburg

Phone: +49-40-18089979 Cell:+49-176-23933796

[email protected] www.brainguide.de/anitashukla