International Human Interaction Lab
The Human Interaction Laboratory is NTL's most requested program. It is an introduction to interpersonal relations, group dynamics, with a focus on developing and practicing effective interpersonal skills and giving and receiving feedback responsibly. This popular program is the gateway program for many other NTL offerings.
The T Group (T for training)--developed and refined by NTL to provide an intensive small-group experience, an informal atmosphere of shared learning, and an opportunity for behavioral feedback and assessment--is the foundation of the Human Interaction Laboratory. Working through the T Group method, experiential methods, and theoretical and conceptual frameworks, participants will increase their awareness of the effects of their behavior on others, enhance their communication skills and thus their ability to understand themselves and others, develop the ability to give and receive feedback responsibly, have a clearer understanding of group development and group dynamics, and be more aware of diversity issues.
The International Human Interaction Lab is an opportunity to work in a T Group with trainers from different cultures and with participants from different cultures to learn more about ourselves with the cultural lens always present.
I have been the Dean of the first three International HI labs in Bethel for the past three years. This year we are offering two more labs, one in Europe and one in Asia. I look forward to learning with you on these.
NTL's founders invented the T Group and the Human Interaction Lab: a process of discovering what happens in a group when we meet with no content agenda but a passionate commitment to understanding ourselves, each other, and our group as we spend a week together.
This lab is already an experimental one and it will be even more so this year.
We intend to spend more of our time in T Group sessions and then to debrief those T Group sessions from a multicultural perspective.
We intend to have at least one NTL member doing action research on what we are doing in the T Groups. (If you are interested, please let us know!)
We intend to return to the original excitement of learning about what we are doing by opening up staff debriefing sessions to the whole community. We did these Open Staff Meetings the last two years; this year we will experiment with sharing our research as we go.
We intend to learn more about how we do T Groups not only from different personal perspectives but also from different cultural perspectives. As a lab staff, we represent different approaches to living and working internationally. Sushma Sharma is based in India, Nazneen and Ainun are based in Malaysia, and Walt Hopkins is based in Scotland.
If we get enough participants, we will invite other international people to co-train with us to expand the range of approaches. Let us know if you are interested; Heidrun Sass-Schreiber and Tony Kortens have co-trained with us and could offer you their experiences.
We also intend to continue the work we began two years ago: developing the design of a Global Work Conference that could become another developmental step for NTL members like the PWC and the DWC. The GWC would be specifically for NTL members who want to represent NTL on international projects.
Come and join us in the kind of learning experience that changes lives and prepares us to help change the world.
We Recommend Walt
Walt Recommends