Training versus learning

"So, how do knowledge workers learn? At best, they find things out for themselves, learn from each other and share acquired knowledge with their colleagues. All this underpins a major shift of the past decade: the emphasis has moved from training to learning. Training can be defined as "an instructor-led content-based intervention leading to desired changes in behaviour " and learning as "a self-directed work-based process, leading to increased adaptive capacity". Training and learning are related but conceptually different activities. Only learners can sit in the training room or in front of a screen but they cannot be made to learn. Therefore an effective strategy to promote learning must consider management, motivation and preparedness."

Martin Sloman, guest column in the FT 12 November 2008

This hits the nail on the head, IMHO.

And "training" is easy to deliver. Any numpty can (and all too often does) do it. Powerpoint, chalk and talk, collect your attendance certificates on the way out.

But creating the conditions for learning is a) more work b) much more likely to expose gaps in your knowledge.

So, you don't even go there. And everyone gets trained, but very few people learn.

It was ever thus?

See also: Paulo Freire and Ira Schor stuff, the whole hermeneutics thing, intelligence versus creativity etc etc.