> "The false correlation of learning with training or education is one of
> the most common and costly errors in corporation management today."
> - (John Seely Brown, Xerox Research Center)
This is an interesting post. As many of you know, I recently took on the
challenge of creating a learning organization for my company. In fact, I
used this list to identify starting points. It just so happens that I
began my mission by addressing this very issue. Learning vs. Training.
Because this company has never had a formal training department, there was
a lot of confusion, misunderstanding and fear involved in my coming on
board. Those who have been doing the "training" in-house were nervous t
hat I was here to take that away from them. Let me share with you, the
information I presented to all the staff here regarding the training vs.
learning principles:
Training or learning, no big difference right? Actually, there is a big
difference. It is most noticeable in how the words are used. For
instance, were you trained to read, or did you learn to read? Were you
trained to ride a bike, or did you learn to ride a bike. Did you learn to
answer the phone or have you been trained to answer the phone when it
rings?
Training can be defined as one person teaching someone (or something) else
to perform a particular skill in a particular situation. It is black and
white and requires little follow-up unless the situation changes.
Learning, however, occurs over time. It requires much more than black and
white facts or directions. For learning to occur there must be answers to
questions like how, what, where, when, who, and most importantly why?
Once learning has occurred the lea rner is able to interact with the
knowledge. They are able to apply it to many situations and adapt to
situations as they change. Rather than just two people involved, there
are several components to creating a strong learning experience.
Now for the kicker, learning is not always the result of training.
Unfortunately, that is because learning is not necessarily the goal of
training. The goal of many training programs is to get someone to perform
a particular skill in a particular situat ion, i.e., answer the phone when
it rings. Once the training is over and the trainee has been tested, the
trainer is confident that the phone will be answered when it rings.
However, what happens after the phone has been answered? This is a
critical qu estion. The answer is the deciding factor whether a company
builds a strong training department or creates a learning environment.
After the phone has been answered, is the desire for the person to simply
perform another particular action, or is the desire for the person think,
listen, think some more and then decide the most appropriate action based
on the information gathered and t he thought given to that information?
Additional training is necessary for the prior. A strong learning
environment is required for the latter.
Creating the type of environment where learning occurs continuously and
naturally is not easy. However, the rewards for each individual who works
within or interacts with that organization are remarkable. Within a
learning environment, people are able t o investigate answers to their
specific questions. They have access to the reasons why they do the
things they do, they are better equipped to make choices and offer
flexible, caring service to all customers.
So, where does training fit in this scenario? Actually, well designed
training plays a key role in the success of any organization. Training
for tasks in conjunction with continuous learning opportunities is the
groundwork upon which to build the learni ng environment. The cornerstone
of this foundation lies in the understanding of how adults learn.
Adults do not learn any differently than children. Unfortunately, as
children we were trained to learn in a very specific way. "Sit still, be
quiet and listen!" Just as a ringing telephone drives us nuts until its
answered, it can make us crazy if som eone is doodling or fidgeting while
we are speaking. They cant possibly be listening. Actually, its quite
the opposite. For a large portion of the population, "sit still, be quiet
and listen" is a contradiction in terms. For many adults, doodling or
fidgeting allows them to listen and therefore learn.
Each of us recalls a favorite teacher. The teachers differ for all of us
as do our reasons for liking them. Chances are, your favorite teacher
accommodated your preferred learning style. To better understand what is
meant by that, lets look at the dif ferent ways people learn. Basically,
there are four learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and
cerebral. Every person has a preferred method of learning new information
or skills. Please keep in mind, no single learning style is better than a
nother. They are simply different ways to integrate new information.
This introduction went on to explain the learning cycle, learning styles
and principles of adult education. Everyone was given an opportunity to
"get up close and personal" with the information. It was presented as a
model for how to facilitate understa nding and as an example of the type
of learning opportunities that are to come in this organization.
The story has a very happy outcome. People were extremely receptive to
the information and loved the delivery. The recognized the difference
from what they survived in the past. Many people (managers especially)
have already begun to integrate these ne w techniques and re-evaluate what
the desired outcomes for gathering people together must be. I've been
thrilled with the changes this approach has created.
Creating understanding about the differences between learning and training
has been the solid foundation upon which I can now build a structure that
can be sound, creative and progressive! ~CJ
--"Carol Johnson" <carol_johnson@weains.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>