Ideas for Training.

For work places education becomes training, mostly set courses with segmented syllabuses of what the worker needs or is required to know to do their job. Some training has national standards like health and safety where courses are regulated and training is mandatory. These tend to be inflexible in that they are a set syllabus in set hours. Actual delivery of training is hit and miss with many factors reducing any effectiveness of training that could enhance performance in the topic or larger employment. For many this required training is not understood however clear the law or documentation is. The ability to make up ‘regulations’ on the spot or some excuse or power play is human nature and an interesting study unless you want a safe environment or help when something goes wrong.

So the first barriers are workplace ignorance, alternative focus (get their job done or get paid) and general disorganisation. Courses on site are constantly interrupted and mobiles need to to be off. Wanting to finish early to go to a meeting an appointment or pick up the kids is regular. Training is most definitely a lower concern let alone how to train effectively. Perceptions of learning and training are usually based on appearance and videos regardless of actual quality. Courses are made up of mixed students in terms of ability and experience. I have had people with over 20 years experience on a longer beginner course as their work had not put them on the right course to keep them in date as well as people with English as a second language. The courses are often set in terms of time and syllabus regardless of actual need.

Teaching involves taking the learners from where they start in terms of knowledge, skills etc. to the required standard. Some start the course at the required standard and some need more time or support (sometimes more than available) to reach standards. There is a gap between training assessment and real world performance as the real world is rarely organised and prepared so adapting to circumstance and avoiding consequences are the major tasks for many. Short term responsiveness is the norm and standards are low.

Improvement in this situation is paramount but regardless training needs to be more effective and useful and of course used. Training where someone stands at the front and reads a long Power-point slide is accepted in most professional courses even in schools where the same methods would fail inspection if performed by teachers. The ideas that have formed understanding are reflected in the words used. Educate comes from the Latin root ‘to lead’. Coach is from the idea of taking someone from one place to another. Training needs to take these (original) ideas on board. Leading classes and people to higher understanding and abilities and taking people from ignorance and inability to knowledge and ability. The next stage is to apply the higher knowledge and skills to the real world. I have received award winning training that just did not reflect the actual work place, I have struggled to remain awake and seen many fall asleep. I have seen many battle with acronyms that are not the required knowledge but a way of remembering, they are then tested on the acronym. None of this is learning or revision or educating or coaching. It is a waste of time telling people things they already know, you could always just ask them, write their correct answers on a board and then move on to something they do not know or can improve. Some training and trainers insist on a certain acronym rather than the general answer and claim it is the answer. Much training just ticks boxes.

To improve training must use the research that has been done and methods that have proved to be effective. Focusing on the most important elements for beginners and then gradually adding useful details rather than insisting on minor points claimed as important. Linking areas together, relating to the real world occurrence and to existing knowledge and experience all move understanding to higher levels. Traditionally stories have been used so real world examples carry this on, but also a narrative of actions in situations general and specific create a frame work (linkage) to work first the general ideas and then more detail as the frame and over view is understood. Separate elements with no connection are easily forgotten. Working from known and simple then developing to more complicated and specific is an organisational method that keeps progression (narrative). Rather than sudden isolated statements with little relevance. Too much ‘showing off’ of higher (pseudo) knowledge or experience is not for learning but teachers ego. This can be de-motivating if too advanced for learners or lead learners to attempt too advanced tasks for their own knowledge and skills.

Experience needs to be factored outside of just the course. Practice of skills and refreshing of knowledge. In first aid sometimes a first aider may have to perform in an emergency almost 3 years after their last training course. Are their skills really supposed to be good? Will they even be confident to try and help? Physical skills like CPR or bandages need to be practised over several weeks and regularly not once every 3 years which is just not effective and leads to low performance (yes poor CPR or un-attempted will not work!). Sports people and musicians practice a lot to reach high standards this pattern needs to be appropriately transposed to work training.

For many the use of pre existing knowledge can be used as a metaphor or a base to aid understanding. Children and young people may not have direct knowledge or experience to pin onto. Pre employment education needs to develop experience and knowledge up to required levels it cannot be completely disconnected from work (and society) environments. Much of education is perceived as irrelevant to the children and their lives and although it is not the perception is a barrier to motivation and attention. Teaching relevant skills and experiences need to be included especially for children from backgrounds different to the teachers.