Online HBS classes

Hope your weekend was great na ka....for me especially these pandemic days, it seems everyday is like weekend ka:))!

I meant to write about Harvard Business School when it had to go online as it was very interesting to learn how the faculty and staff worked on the online learning. This was from a program under Podcast 'Cold Call' April 7 on, 'Bringing the Case Method Online'.

Brian Kenny hosted this session to talk with Srikant Datar, Senior Associate Dean for University Affairs, about how HBS brought  1,800 MBA students and 200 faculty online within a period of about 2 weeks (March 9-23) amid the pandemic.

Prof. Datar said life was extremely hectic to get all courses done and the key component was the TEAM from all related units (from Center of Teaching and Learning to IT and TA) who was 'nimble with flexing muscles and were very willing to 'run toward the fire'. 

They came up with several strategies like a Task Force of about 25 people, training for online facilitators (I really like it as it's so different and we still need to get more experiences managing it effectively), and running practiced session with recruited students.

Since HBS is famous for its 'Case Method' and 'Cold Call', Prof. Datar wanted to make sure these two unique strengths stay on conducting online. Zoom was chosen as it has all the features to support the online delivery like hand raising, chatting without interrupting the class, sharing and adding  issues and comments online, session recording, and breakout rooms where  prior-managed groups could allow small group discussions for sharing in the large room. I could appreciate the use of Zoom better now that I've tried it even with some doubts over its security and Zoom bombers!

He stressed that faculty members should be aware that  like in physical classes, not all of the content could be covered online. They could let students and faculty discuss further through some other tools. All faculty and staff were trained to make sure they bring energy to the online classes. Each faculty will get some guidelines to help them retain their  own styles  (standing, use of voice).  

On the students' end, he said some shy ones found this platform more friendly for them to have increased participation (through chats and small group discussions). As this was something newly introduced, students tended to be forgiving with mistakes their professors may have made using the new tools. Students were adaptive and flexible, trying to embrace it while feeling appreciative.

Professor Datar said the learning experiences and tools are free on Harvard Publishing website. He also pointed out that eventually, HBS would offer hybrid classrooms after this COVID-19 time.

Max Pakapol, a Thai HBS student, also posted on Facebook how his online classes  were conducted and it seems he enjoyed learning online too ka. 

Interesting to follow who does what for our higher education community during this outbreak and I'm sure there'll be more innovative ideas and models to add to this New Normal and the Next New Normal to follow ka.

when to decentralize and centralize?

I was hesitant to choose my subject as I don't mean to share any strategy. Rather, I've been thinking about the approaches people use during this outbreak and some have made me think of decentralization and centralization ka.

First of all, a little interview of a 70-year-old cab driver who only had 200 baht left was in tears thinking of how to pay his taxi rent and spend on meals. This news struck my heart hard, knowing that many are suffering due to the slow economy and then the lockdown. My friend mentioned it that very night when we talked on the phone with the similar feelings and our wishes to help.

The next morning, news about him was on, reporting that he's been given donations of over 8 million baht to his bank account while having lots of donation of food and supplies......Thai people's namjai is beyond any description ka.

The second story was about a mistake a food deliverer made and was crying because it cost him to pay from his very little money left. He then posted the story along with his bank account number.

Many stories are shared and heard these days and these two stories make me think that there needs to be some reliable and effective centralized platform(s) to manage such issues to make sure that the real needs are met appropriately.

My friends and I discussed this survival issue quite a bit and there are two approaches we have been doing ka. One is for us to serve as a reliable platform to raise funds within our circle(s). We checked the sources to make sure there's need before we call for donations from our friends. The other is to contact ปอเต็กตึ้ง through our personal contact, asking the foundation to identify families in most need. My friend has already helped 5 families. 

With a mini centralized platform, help can be generated though in a smaller way ka. 

I also think about the good ('positive' seems to have negative connotation saa laew!) side this COVID-19 ka. Several I've been thinking of are:

- Our nation's decentralized approach for provincial governors to manage their provinces (wish to see more non-political role of all the อบจ อบต as well!)  This not only lessens the burdens of the government, but it heightens strengths of each locality to care more for community issues and call for real close cooperation for their own health and safety. In addition, I think this is the hands-on experience for all about the merit of decentralization which has been around and sort of driven for decades.

- On basic education, this decentralized approach should be observed and picked up for further learning and actions (sandbox is needed since it could be more easily done with least rules and regulations!) by the central authorities at the ministry of education ka. Decentralization principle has been promoted for so loooooong and it isn't a success....the central body could seem to take far too tight a grip while the provinces tend to wait to hear orders/instructions......far too top down oriented with high central authority!

- Higher education is however, totally different as it's already decentralized based on institutional autonomy and academic freedom, meaning national policy level offers financial and key technical support, standard and supervision, not centralized orders and rules on what the universities can well manage on their own. I've seen with happiness the strategies our public universities have been using for their online learning, for disadvantaged students, and for the overall health-watch and financial stability of their universities. MHESI could jointly brainstorm short-term strategies yet keep being future forward-oriented (while listening to the Secret Sauce at the moment....a suggestion from Mckinsey&Company to have a 'Plan-Ahead Team' on the selected scenario(s) we think could be most possible....which sounds so interesting to think further, collect key data and information, share practices and detect gaps to help bridge, etc.

Decentralization or centralization only to help us be more ready for the Next Normal ka!

Ptk Podcast Possible?

I've told several friends that these days I haven't found what drives me to write that much. Also feel that if it isn't covid-19-related, it could call much less attention.....am I right to think so ka?

Anyway ka, I've listened to a summary entitled, 'Brand New Name' by Jeremy Millier, 2019 and here are what I learned ka:

- Creating the right name is considered strategic as it must show brand identity and ignite emotions while setting expectations of the listeners. 

- Making sure the brand sounds right to tell the audience about the products/service and it's good to say it out loud to check how it sounds.

- Simple names are more successful and some examples are Google, Amazon, etc.

Much earlier on, I was urged to think and act on creating my own podcast program and so I'm linking the above learning with a proposed podcast together with intention to seek for your views na ka.

For now, 'my' podcast program is called, 'Learn Plern Plern' and the logo is being improved (seems serious to get started laew na ka....not that soon ka!) It'll have the subtitle with something like: เพื่อ turnaround คนรักงานต่างประเทศ so it will read as follows:

     Learn Plern Plern

 เพื่อ turnaround คนรักงานต่างประเทศ

The main objectives of the program are to share stories and experiences on international cooperation, cross-cultures and recent world trends; and to offer ideas and comments for further thinking....something similar to these egroup messages ka.

At the moment, I'm learning how to offer podcast program and was led to 'Podbean' so I have yet to get some new understanding and skills ka.

For now, any comments on this initiative and its name/this brand mai ka? 

Be very well na ka. 

What is it about toilet paper?

Hello all! I know we all are overwhelmed with news about COVID-19. I was thinking of writing about some other things but I feel people won't be ready to read them yet. So today it's  COVID-19-related and it's what I wrote under the subject line about toilet paper ka.

That's right....my niece and I found it so weird when westerners (started from Australians) discussed so seriously toilet tissue scarcity.

We then discussed it further too and the scare has been in countries from Australia to Germany, Canada, and America, from what I follow on Facebook, for example:

.....a café in Australia recently decided to accept toilet paper as currency (three rolls for a coffee, thirty-six rolls for a kilo of beans) from 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/30/what-would-freud-make-of-the-toilet-paper-panic

.... new apartment in a new neighborhood, where local groceries stores have toilet papers! (Canada)

.... Hunting for tissue!....getting some successfully with delight from a supermarket in a smaller town..... one pack per family! (Germany) 

---  I am not worried about tissue because Thailand trained me well!! To me it is not a necessity- like chicken eggs! (US)

 

I then learned that during the energy crisis in 1973, Americans cultivated a “shortage psychology.” 

".....toilet paper scare ignited a communal panic attack....." 

Wisconsin had news reports about the lack of toilet paper and even from an unsubstantiated rumor, people started hoarding it.   

"Slowly but surely, the American public realized that there had never been a shortage to begin with: rather, it had been artificially created by a pop culture frenzy."

https://priceonomics.com/the-great-toilet-paper-scare-of-1973/

The other day, I was watching an 'Impact Theory' program and a question about toilet paper was raised to a professor in psychology. The professor said he was like contagion that spreads far and wide ka.

We also learned from our friends and concluded that bathroom styles and the usage could be a key factor. Modern Thai toilets have health faucets and we don't really mind wet bathroom floors while in other contexts, they may not use the health faucets which could also be due to their infrastructure and preference of dry floor.

Toilet paper can be an issue na ka nia!

In any case, stay clean and healthy ka.

Our Post Covid-19 future (2)

Hello to all of you again ka. I come back to tell you what I like about Prof. Harari's ideas (https://www.ft.com/content/19d90308-6858-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75) and share a bit about my own thought ka.

From a YouTube program, Prof. Harari said that in education, the pandemic has been the catalyst for universities to go online, what has been discussed over 20 years now. I Well! I thought the West had practiced it far better than us na nia....they too were frustrated and found this outbreak a big positive move na ka.

He hopes to see the nations pick the right 'choice' to render global cooperation (send experts and equipment to help immediately, and sharing key information to stop the spread faster.), not to drag each back to the Stone Age where the least contacts with the outside world were made (and that is impossible!) He said it's time for the governments to win trust from their people in the wise ways....I liked it most when he used, 'It's payday'.....I interpreted it as the price the governments had to pay from what they've abused their power to the destructive ends so we didn't see people ignore governments' policies and directions. Governments have to be transparent and earn the trust from their citizens....and the world na ka!

Prof. Harari talked about 'soap police', making me realize that the discovery of washing hands with soap for human hygiene could be linked closely to communication, discipline, scientific facts, and trust. Once people learn about the facts through effective communication (not to confuse us from different sources...my own version ka:))!) and with the trust in their public authorities, they will choose to do the right thing (become disciplined!) without any need for close monitoring and penalty. He said in the Financial Times that, 'A self-motivated and well-informed population is usually far more powerful and effective than a policed, ignorant population.' 

This thinking also leads me to think that democracy, when properly adopted without too much freedom in time of crisis, would definitely help people grow better in the longer terms.

For me  personally, I think the Covid-19 won't leave us that soon so our higher education must begin to look into the future now.... to plan on what to learn from policies to platforms and practices. Our faculty have learned so fast and so have our students.  I'm glad our higher education community will be much stronger digitally and will be stronger if we carefully capture lessons learned from the mixed approaches used, attention span, preparation of faculty and students before lessons, review sessions, and assessments. 

We can't disintegrate our sector, nor can we afford to see it happen among and within one same university. Solidarity is strongly needed. Trusted leaders at all levels must be nurtured and strengthened with new cultural practices (at least to tear down some hierarchical barriers!). Power craze doesn't do any good to any one or situation in the future! How I wish Thailand's deeply rooted corruption DNA could be scraped out altogether too.....a dream that stays on as a nightmare for decades to come mai ka?

I also think globalization could only on the 'minus' side as it won't disappear too fast.

Higher education has to continue its international cooperation (both face-to-face and virtually) with more focus internally and intra-region while retaining our already strong relationships with other regions around the world. This means cross-cutting issues which will threaten the whole world .... 'climate change' and its consequences to human health and lives. They could be waiting in line from this pandemic and in fact alongside each other already in some dimensions. We should focus on 'science and civic education' for people to know how to take care of themselves and the communities with CARING ka.

Prof. Harari said social distancing has exploited the best part of human nature. I think this could be another aspect we should ponder, using our cross-cultural knowledge and skills to their max for us to mobilize with safety yet strong human-to-human relationships that respond well with the specific time, place, and situations.

One last thing that makes me think so hard during this time is our own weakness in administration and management ka. How could we think more systematically, know when and what to centralize/ decentralize plus who to do what well in advance.....in uniformity for one shared goal (not one shared clan/party).....well-being of us...humans and our world?????

Any comments mai ka?