Reflection 1: Learning and Training

In the first class, we talked about what learning is. During our conversation, Carol raised a good question that hit me immediately: what is the differences between learning and training?  I believe that they are not just two different terms, but also two different attitude toward development, which will eventually affect the efficiency of individual and organizational learning.

Linguistically, Learning and training are used with different subjects.  Although they share similar meanings to some degree, the subject of the word “learn” is the learner himself, while that of the work “train” is the trainer or teacher. Therefore, it is obvious that learning concerns the learner get out from the experience, while training emphasis the input of the instructor and what he tried to teach the learners. In other words, they respectively represents learner-centered philosophy and teacher-centered philosophy. After clarifying this point, it begins to make so much more sense to me why our program is call Adult Learning, instead of Adult Training or Career Training. In our andragogy, learners are always the center of the classroom and they are responsible for their learning goals, learning process and learning products.

Unfortunately, although the name of our program indicates our philosophy beautifully, it is confusing to most people at the first glance. I feel a little sad that when introducing my major to others, I always have to add a little more explanations. Although I will say “organizational learning” or “learning in groups and teams”, what makes sense to most people is the word “training”. The word “learning” has become so strange and distant in adults’ world that many people find it so abstract and hard to understand. However, the word “training” gives people a clear picture of an instructor standing in the front of the classroom, telling the quiet and passive students what to write down. This form of training may be useful in some occasions, but is not ideal from collective learning in organizational development.

In the discussion about organizational learning, one vital component is sharing. It emphasis the process where members bring their own perspectives and understandings to the group, exchange ideas with other individuals, and eventually collectively create the shared interpretations and values which will guild their actions. The process is so engaging and interactive that it cannot be accomplished by any passive training programs. Active learning has to be involved throughout the process and eventually become the culture of the organization. I believe that it is our responsibility to promote the concept of learning in adults’ context and remind people how they learn and how they can promote organizational learning in a larger environment.