Naewna on April 28, 2018

How does my 2R’s Theory relate to 2 books?

I have been teaching and running short courses for several organizations for more than 30 consecutive years.

Most of my students know that my strength is Learning how to learn Approach or Learn-Share-and-Care. This approach honors diversity of ideas. This leads to my 4L’s Theory.

1.Learning Methodology

2.Learning Environment

3.Learning Opportunities

4.Learning Communities

Learning Methodology teaches how to think. Therefore, there are no multiple-choice exams.

The exams stimulate students to think and allow more than one correct answer. It depends on the analysis method. I got this approach from my study in New Zealand. The exam is analytical style. Sometimes, I did not understand the exam questions. However, the students must be able to well analyze and understand the exam questions.

The most serious problem of the Thai education system reform is the rote-learning exam. This kind of exam should be eliminated. The learning should stimulate the students to think and analyze.

I like Learning Environment. The classroom must be comfortable and cozy. The seating must not be arranged as classroom rows. I prefer the students to sit in 8-10 member groups. Then, they can debate and share ideas. The group chairman must not dominate the debate or knowledge exchange. The chairman should stimulate everyone to equally participate in sharing ideas and create safe environment for all group members to speak. The challenge is that the chairman must be good at promoting all group members to present their best. I try this approach at several places and it is very effective. The examples are the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University (PSU) or Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

Besides my 4L’s Theory, I have opportunities to apply my 2R’s Theory: Reality and Relevance. It means that the modern learning must focus on the reality. The examples are the students’ backgrounds, jobs, positions and their organization or their own problems. When we understand their reality, we can select the issues which are important to them. Then, they can apply the knowledge to them and their organizations. They should not copy the western concepts because they cannot be applied.

Some lecturers teach based on the textbooks which cannot be applied and create value added based on my 3V’s Theory as follows.

1.Value Added

2.Value Creation

3.Value Diversity

From the past experience, my 2R’s Theory created enjoyable learning environment and could be shared. For example, local leaders in Phang Nga told me that they understood when they studied with me and would like to create value added to the community-based tourism. They wanted the community-based tourism to reach the world-class standard. They knew that the reality was to generate income and relevance was to have the strategy to make it successful. The tourism standard must be upgraded to reach high standard like hygiene, digital system, marketing, finance and human capital development.

When they understood, would they continue it after the end of the class? If they did, they would have chance to succeed because they started from 2R’s.

I read 2 more books and apply them to class. 2R’s Theory is the first part. It expands from learning to application. My 2R’s Theory is Stage 1. “Shift Ahead” Book’s 2R’s is Stage 2.

This book says that the businesses must prepare for changes. If they do not adapt themselves, their products, brands or customers will disappear. They should adapt by having up-to-date products and popular brands. This kind of business is called “Relevant” or “Successful”.

This book suggests that we should learn from the companies, leaders and staffs in the organizations which fail to adapt to fast changes. The failure may not depend on the Relevance from the classroom but the organizational survival. Therefore, I call my 2R’s Theory as Stage 1. We must apply knowledge from textbooks, class, coaching and mentoring to generate outcome in the future. My students must do it with continuity. Putting ideas into practice is Stage 2 from “Shift Ahead” Book.

Nowadays, 2R’s Theory is essential for implanting and inspiring learning and application at the organizational level.

“Agility Shift” Book emphasizes that, in the competition of the next era, organizations must be agile to allow them to adapt to remain relevant and successful.

In this book, Relevant is essential for organizational survival.

In “Agility Shift” Book, Relevance starts from recruiting the staffs who understand the future of the organizations. If the human resource or human capital or the company understand the company’s direction and are ready to engage in the company, they understand the future and sustainability of the company. These staffs work on the Relevant principle. If the staffs do routine works without understanding the organization and organizational goals, they do not understand the Relevant points of modern work.

In conclusion, I start my 2R’s Theory from Learning how to learn. However, both books emphasize that Relevance must happen from applying knowledge because organizations which do not do Relevant works cannot survive.

The weakness of both books is the ignorance of the first R: Reality. It is necessary to analyze the reality of those organizations what kind of reality pressures them to adapt to achieve Relevance.

 

Prof. Dr. Chira Hongladarom

Please click this link to see pictures.

https://cdn.gotoknow.org/assets/media/files/001/293/911/original_nn_eng_28042018.pdf?1525356530

Source:  Learning from Reality with Dr. Chira Column. Naewna.

             Saturday 28 April 2018, p.5