No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Virtual Action Learning: A New Genre for Powerful Learning
Abstract
Over the last four years the practice of Action Learning at Ashridge Consulting has gone through a considerable change, namely a significant amount of Action Learning sessions are now delivered virtually. Since 2005 we have worked with more than 12 global organisations and more than 1,200 participants. Action Learning has in itself a long, successful tradition. Originated by Professor Reginald Revans in the United Kingdom in the 1940s this learning format enables groups of up to six managers to present their respective ‘issues’ (an issue can be, for example, a strategic decision that one needs to take, a challenging operational problem, or an interpersonal difficulty with a colleague) and through a process of questioning and feedback by peers the ‘issue holder’ (the person presenting the issue) obtains useful challenge and support to develop a deeper understanding of the issue at hand, which often results in finding a different approach to address it. The process is usually facilitated by an experienced process consultant. In some cases Action Learning groups carry on for several years and self-facilitate.
... The approach taken (Radclff 2017) blends the author's own experience with Marquardt's (2007) facilitation model and Caulat's (2012) approach to VAL to produce a firmly structured form of action learning described as 'strict' by one participant. For example, the ground rules agreed by Group 1 at a face-to-face session in 2014, included: ...
This paper presents a case study based on the evaluation of the two VAL (virtual action learning) sets. We report participants learning both leadership and the VAL process based on the basis of telephone interviews. We conclude that what is learned about leadership is connected with how learning takes place and suggest that the content and process of leadership learning are intermingled and co-produced. Secondly, it seems that what is learned is both common and personal, so that whilst participants' learning could be said to be broadly similar, what is actually learned is also idiosyncratic and unique to that person. Furthermore, whilst understandings of the learning process are widely shared, the significance of what is learned by any individual is only glimpsed by others. We also note the centrality of a “strong” facilitator in the VAL process in contrast to Revans' ascription of this role in action learning.
This chapter describes the philosophy and approach of Reginald Revans
(1907–2003), a UK scientist and educational innovator. It traces the influences on his thinking, from his early imbibing of Christian and Quaker traditions to the later impact of world philosophies especially including Buddhism. His contribution to our understanding of change management processes gives a central place to learning, both personal and institutional. Revans’ approach emphasizes the practical and moral significance of personal involvement in action and learning, as a means of resolving the intractable social and organizational problems that we find around us. Over a long life, Revans was ceaselessly active in testing his ideas which were always in a state of emergence. He leaves a rich heritage of proposals and possibilities for present practitioners. Five of the legacies of his work are discussed in this paper: Virtual Action Learning, Critical Action Learning, The Wicked Problems of Leadership, Unlearning, and the Paradox of Innovation.
This chapter describes the philosophy and approach of Reginald Revans
(1907–2003), a UK scientist and educational innovator. It traces the influences on his thinking, from his early imbibing of Christian and Quaker traditions to the later impact of world philosophies especially including Buddhism. His contribution to our understanding of change management processes gives a central place to learning, both personal and institutional. Revans’ approach emphasizes the practical and moral significance of personal involvement in action and learning, as a means of resolving the intractable social and organizational problems that we find around us. Over a long life, Revans was ceaselessly active in testing his ideas which were always in a state of emergence. He leaves a rich heritage of proposals and possibilities for present practitioners. Five of the legacies of his work are discussed in this paper: Virtual Action Learning, Critical Action Learning, The Wicked Problems of Leadership, Unlearning, and the Paradox of Innovation.
This paper brings together the reflections of the authors on their shared and individual experiences of virtual action learning. Whilst many conclusions are shared, there are also some points of difference in practices.
Virtual Action Learning (VAL) is an emerging variety of Action Learning (AL), which is usually practised face-to-face (f2f) in small groups known as ‘sets’. VAL has been defined as:
Today, universities are using technological advances that have enabled them to change their traditional delivery methods. Computer supported collaborative learning permits students to undertake courses via the Internet. This allows students from all over the world to take part in a course where they can gather information not only from the instructor but also from their fellow students. Consequently, the traditional forms of teaching must be adapted to better serve the needs of virtual learning students. The virtual instructor must do more than just communicate information to the students. He or she must learn to support the collaborative process between the learners and to encourage them to work as a team. This article describes a model for facilitating virtual learning groups and presents a case study to illustrate the concepts of running such a group. In addition, a number of implications for planning and supporting virtual groups are presented.
Advances in communications and information technology create new opportunities for organizations to build and manage virtual teams. Such teams are composed of employees with unique skills, located at a distance from each other, who must collaborate to accomplish important organizational tasks. Based on a comprehensive set of interviews with a subset of team members, team leaders, general managers, and executives on 65 virtual teams at Sabre, Inc.-an innovative organization in the travel industry-we identify five challenges that organizations can expect to encounter in establishing, maintaining, and supporting virtual teams, e.g., building trust, cohesion, and team identity, and overcoming isolation among virtual team members. Both leaders and members of virtual teams face particular difficulties in selecting team members who have the balance of technical and interpersonal skills and abilities required to work virtually and in evaluating the performance of individuals and teams working in virtual space. Examination of Sabre's strategies for coping with each challenge should be instructive to other organizations using or considering virtual teams.
This study examined the scope of Berger and Calabrese's (1975) uncertainty reduction theory of initial interaction. Multivariate analysis of covariance was employed to examine the influence of attitude similarity (similar vs. dissimilar), cultural similarity (intracultural vs. intercultural communication), culture (Japan vs. the United States), and self‐monitoring (covariate) on intent to interrogate, intent to self‐disclose, intent to display nonverbal affiliative expressiveness, attraction, and attributional confidence. Results indicate that each of the independent variables influences the set of dependent variables. The findings support Hall's (1976) high‐low context culture distinction and prior research on self‐monitoring, as well as supporting and beginning to identify boundary conditions for uncertainty reduction theory.
The role of the set adviser at Ashridge Management College is discussed with reference in particular to methods of dealing with difficulties encountered by participating chief executives. Five tasks for the set adviser are identified: to facilitate giving and receiving; to clarify the processes of action learning; to help others take over tasks 1, 2 and 3; to act as a personal consultant to set members in the group setting. Typical characteristics and needs of chief executives are given to help illustrate the necessary roles.
Virtual Peer Consultation is an exciting and growing field that offers a truly innovative way of learning, leading to different learning experiences and outcomes. Its development has been spurred by a wide range of global and societal trends, such as increasing globalisation of organisations, travelling cost containment, security concerns, not to mention a growing emphasis on environmentally sustainable business practices. As a result, there is a fast-growing need to organise development on a virtual platform.
In this paper we discuss the role of silence within a virtual organising context. The paper raises issues related to the construction of silence in the virtual team context and the implications it has on team interactions. By drawing upon existing studies on virtual teams, we argue that members' silence may not always have negative effects on team performance and team relationships, but that silence is an embedded part of this environment as it reinforces the very nature of virtuality. The theoretical and practical significance of this study are discussed and implications for further research are identified.
Sumario: Why virtual teams? -- Teaming from the beginning -- The power of purpose -- Through the worm hole -- Teaming with people -- It's all in the doing -- Virtual places -- Working smart -- Virtual values
Is silence golden? A cross-cultural study on the meaning of silence
- N Sano
- S Yamaguschi
- D Mutsumoto
Creating trust in intimacy in the virtual world
- G Caulat
Aspects of nonverbal communication in Japan
- H Morschbach