Connective transformation model - PERSONAL LEARNING NODES #15 (Originally posted to Twitwall on Dec. 10, 2008)

Continuing from yesterday's reflection.. ..having ended up with the idea that connective learning in practice is transformative learning added with - or actually experienced, made real, accomplished with help of - using (micro/photo)blogging as a means of proceeding.

This leads me into the need of defining, what transformative learning means in practice. My theoretical background - summarised a year ago when studying ELECTRA online course for intercultural understanding - is the following:

1) My approach: Learning according to Holistic Cultural Competence Assessment (HCCA) Learning Model (Copyright Lic.Educ. Venla Varis); HCCA Model teaches transformation based on four validated learning objects: Diversity orientation, Team skills orientation, Value competence and Learning strategies.

2) HCCA Model = Change management model

3) In transformative – renewing – learning conscious off-learning is essential. In emergent learning it is significant that all participants understand their responsibility of building confidence and committing to the learning process. Knowledge building is a way to externalize one’s transformative and emergent learning. The process proceeds from individual towards collective – the learning process helps the learner to integrate to new communities by increasing her/his cultural self-awareness. Authentic learning is a way to bind the before mentioned theories to practical working occasions. Meaning and knowledge intensiveness in facilitating for learning takes into account all the above.

4) HCCA Model conducts the learner through the above steps of learning. It starts several simultaneous cognitive processes.

==> I've got the theory. I've got the competence: I've completed the Teacher's Certificate for HCCA Model learning issued by the coordinating partner of the EU Socrates Minerva Programme during which the HCCA model was developed to the first prototype level

==> Before starting the #cck08 course I planned to use HCCA Model as the context and the frame of reference for a case study belonging to my Master's Thesis on industrial management during next spring. I've explored outlines - and a number of details - of connective knowledge in order to understand: Is HCCA Model a connective learning tool?

I've come to and end of one of my personal learning => knowledge building cycles. In addition to the theory and competence, #cck08 course has taught me the 2.0 way of externalizing and sharing my learning.

==> My series of Personal Learning Nodes #1-15 is a practical, reflective case study on my thinking, learning and sharing process for finding the answer to the above question. My approach has 100% based on the HCCA Model way of learning. For the first time I've proceeded in a 2.0 way. The difference in and meaning for my personal learning has been huge.

All this put together is my reasoning for completing my Final Project of #cck08 on evaluating HCCA learning toward the 12 themes of the 12 weeks of #cck08. Both HCCA Model and #cck08 are huge clouds formulated by cognitive nodes split in a mesh like construction. Collecting the Personal Learning Nodes #1-15 has made visible the particular nodes I needed for completing the remaining assignments of the #cck08. As #cck08 was meant to be a living experiment of experiencing connectivism - I consider my learning process so far a success.

#cck08 Three steps toward a connective organization - PERSONAL LEARNING NODES #6 (Originally posted to Twitwall on Dec. 01, 2008)

I browsed presentations of the Ground Handling International Conference (in Dublin Nov. 18-19, 2008) - nicely available through GHI website. I bookmarked two of them my Diigo.

1) Acc. to the presentation of Emirates SkyCargo: It's necessary to ask whether the current business model thrives on chaos. Focus should be towards tripartite engagement in which THE AIRLINE, THE HANDLER AND THE CUSTOMER are equal, bring a stable input to the cooperation process => the cooperation process forms an iterative circle and vice versa.

2) University of Bath School of Management has completed a research on development requirements of the ground handling industry. In brief - one core focus area includes: Investing in IT, training and increasing competences of the staff. A quote: "Senior managers should identify and build core competencies, with inputs from lower levels of the organisation (McIvor, 1997)".

@cristinacost tweeted the link to: Radiowaves reporters interviewed Sir Ken Robinson at the Liverpool ICT Conference. He says that the most important thing in developing (schools) is finding out what works. It very very seldom happens the first time. The most important skill of the teachers (and managers! I add here) is to learn to encourage the students (everyone in an organization!) to get their ideas through.

This all leads me into a conclusion that the key ideas covered during the #cck08 are more than suitable to be taken into immediate practice in organizational development and training. The key issues are:

1) Learning from successes instead of failures

2) Starting to test, do, accomplish, walk, explore new virtual networks => create, share, get help, increase understanding of self => increase competence on communication and cooperation - all this instead of learning new theories by reading, listening to lectures and completing tests or exams only. And especially not - only the management level performing and only the latter.

3) Paying a huge attention to setting personal goals and common organizational goals => following, sharing and re-evaluating => setting adapted new personal goals and common organizational goals. This process iterates in circles of time and in circles of the process phases.

Prior to #cck08 I wrote: "I consider this course a success when I’m able to define how randomness in learning is created in practice. I’m perceiving that process in the following picture "Innovative Leadership and Learning towards 2020". I've been testing that process through my own learning throughout the #cck08. I start to be quite positive that it works! If it worked for me - why not for a whole organization!!!