Learning through Stories: Tata Interactive Systems Wins APEX 2011
Tata Interactive Systems’ Story Based Learning for Tata Code of Conduct Program Won the APEX 2011 Award in the Electronic Media & Video - Education & Training category.
Tata Code of Conduct (TCoC) serves as the ethical road map for Tata employees and companies, and provides the guidelines by which the group conducts its businesses. Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) strives to create a culture that promotes compliance, encourages employees to raise their questions and concerns, provides for counseling, and prohibits retribution through TCoC.
TIS won the APEX award for excellence in story based learning on TCoC in the Electronic Media & Video- Education & Training category earlier this month. To teach the Code of Conduct, TIS’ trademark story-based learning (StoBL) approach was adopted. This format was suitable because it helps learners understand both the meaning of the clauses, as well as see how to apply them in real life.
“What was at stake was to build interest and engagement into a course that can easily slip into a monotonous learning experience. Instead of presenting each code point by point the team developed real life scenarios where the learner had to take ethical decisions. Through the various decisions that the learner makes he or she realizes the importance of abiding by the code. This ensured cognitive engagement and promoted active learning while simplifying the complexity of the subject”, says Lalit Pulekar, Design-Head for Kolkata Development Center, Tata Interactive Systems.
The program was developed for in-house employees and vendors of TIS. With real life scenarios for 25 clauses the program emphasizes the key learning points.
“We are delighted to receive the APEX excellence award for the “Tata Code of Conduct” program. The Tata Group is known for ‘Leadership with Trust’ so communicating and reinforcing our values and code of conduct becomes extremely important for enabling employees to integrate and align with the organization culture. Every new hire at Tata Interactive Systems should inculcate the code of conduct from day one of joining and doing this in a fun, interactive way makes the communication more effective”, says Tij Nerurkar, President North America, Tata Interactive Systems.
The APEX 201 award winners were selected based on the program’s excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and success in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence. This year 3,329 entries were evaluated at APEX 2011 of which Video & Electronic Publications accounted for 296.