Learning and Training Definitions in Instructional Design
Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education. - Mark Twain in Pudd'nhead Wilson
Training Defined
Before trying to identify ISD, we must first understand what training is.
Training is defined as learning that is provided in order to improve performance on the present job (Nadler, 1984).
This differs from a few other definitions in that rather than "training" being used as a verb — to train, it defines it from the learners' action — an activity that they perform.
Performance is improved by helping the learners to master a new or established technology. The technology may be a piece of heavy machinery, a computer, a procedure for creating a product, or a method of providing a service.
Notice that the last part of the definition states that training is provided for the present job. This includes training new personnel to perform their job, introducing a new technology, or helping an employee to achieve standards.
Earlier it was stated that there are four inputs to a system: people, material, technology, and time. Training is mainly concerned with the meeting of two of these inputs — people and technology — helping people master a given technology.
Human Resource Development Defined
Training is part of Human Resource Development (HRD). Do not confuse HRD with the term "human resource department." A human resource department is concerned with all aspects of the employees, such as pay, benefits, equal opportunity, and of course training. HRD is concerned with training, development, and education.
HRD has been defined as an organized learning experience, conducted in a definite time period, to increase the possibility of improving job performance and growth (Nadler, 1984).
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. - Lewis Carroll in Alice's Adventure in Wonderland (1865).
Organized means that it is conducted in a systematic way. Although learning can be incidental, training is concerned with the worker learning clear and concise standards of performance or objectives. Objectives are the tools for guiding managers, learners, and trainers. Managers need objectives so that they know what kind of return they are receiving from their training investment. Learners need them so that they know exactly what is expected of them. And trainers need them to plan and conduct the learning environment so that they may help the learners achieve the desired results.
The second part of the definition, conducted in a definite time period, means that the amount of time the learner will be away from work must be determined and specified at the onset of the training program.
The last part of the statement, to increase the possibility of improving job performance and growth, is basically the definition of training. By possibility, it means that although an organization can provide tools to help the learner succeed, such as education and training specialists, counselors, coaches, and state-of-the-art training materials, the ultimate responsibility for success belongs to the learner.
Training, Development, and Education
HRD programs are normally divided into three main categories: Training, Development, and Education. Although some organizations lump all learning under "Training" or "Training and Development," dividing it into three distinct categories makes the desired goals and objects more meaningful and precise.
As discussed earlier, training is the acquisition of technology which permits employees to perform their present job to standards. It improves human performance on the job the employee is presently doing or is being hired to do. Also, it is given when new technology in introduced into the workplace.
Education is training people to do a different job. It is often given to people who have been identified as being promotable, being considered for a new job either lateral or upwards, or to increase their potential. Unlike training, which can be fully evaluated immediately upon the learners returning to work, education can only be completely evaluated when the learners move on to their future jobs or tasks. We can test them on what they learned while in training, but we cannot be fully satisfied with the evaluation until we see how well they perform their new jobs.
Development is training people to acquire new horizons, technologies, or viewpoints. It enables leaders to guide their organizations onto new expectations by being proactive rather than reactive. It enables workers to create better products, faster services, and more competitive organizations. It is learning for growth of the individual, but not related to a specific present or future job. Unlike training and education, which can be completely evaluated, development cannot always be fully evaluated. This does not mean that we should abandon development programs, as helping people to grow and develop is what keeps an organization in the cutting edge of competitive environments. Development can be considered the forefront of what many now call the Learning Organization.
Also, do not confuse development with change. Change refers to alterations that occur over time in the learners' internal cogitative or affective characteristics (Learner, 1986). This change may be quantitative or qualitative and it implies no directionality, encompassing both regression and progression. Development is always progressive.
ISD Defined
ISD (Instructional System Design) is the application of proven learning processes to determine the what, where, when, and how of training (U.S. Army Field Artillery School, 1984).
Using ISD to design training, education, and development programs ensure that an organization gets the most from its resources. Although this guide mainly discusses the creation of training programs, development and education programs can also be built by using an ISD approach with little or no modifications.
References
Learner, R. (1986). Concepts and Theories of Human Development (2nd ed.). New York: Random House).
Nadler, Leonard (1984). The Handbook of Human Resource Development. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
U.S. Army Field Artillery School (1984). A System Approach To Training. ST - 5K061FD92
Next Steps
Next section: ISD as Design Science
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