Is there a difference between education, training and learning?

In most of my engagements with clients, they have been challenged with the implementation of software to run their business. A lot of what is talked about is that they lack training in how to use the software effectively. Although that may be true, what I find that is holding them back is learning, not training.

What I see classified as training is mostly "how to". This is how software suppiers provide information on their software products. This training is all about how to use their product. However, this is not what most businesses want or need. They want to know how to use the product to make their business operate more effectively. If they don't need a particular feature today, they don't need to be trained on how to use it. Since few software suppliers get into the business to understand their problems and what they are really trying to do, they can't give specific "how to" training. They have to provide what I call "fire hose" training (like trying to drink through a fire hose). This is very ineffective, since people don't understand the relevance of the features and functions, they don't remember much of what is presented.

People learn what they need to know by being open to learning. They are looking for answers and learn how to do things when they are looking for answers.

My view is that this is the purpose of education. We often talk about thinking outside the box. This is meant to say, don't always come up with the same solutions. Solve problems by thinking about them in new ways (outside the box). I don't believe that we can think outside the box. It is a box because we are operating within it. That is the pupose of education: to help change the size and shape of the box. I personally use many things to help change the size and shape of the box that I operate in. I read books on many different topics, most of them not in my field. I attend seminars by a variety of speakers. All of this helps to change the size and shape of the box that I operate in. That box is always changing. I enjoy anything that gives me one idea that changes the shape of that box.

In an engagement, I start by looking that my client's business. What is happenning? What kinds of problems are they encountering? How does their business process operate and how does their software support it? In asking these questions, I always find problems with the "box". Each individual is operating in their own box, not recognizing what is happenning in somebody else's box. This causes productivity problems because they are creating work for each other. By understanding their business process, I am able to help them learn how to make their business more effective, by educating them on the broader implications on their business. In many cases, they also are uncomfortable with technology. They don't know what to look for and are still suffering from the after effects of firehose training.

By helping them to see the big picture, they start looking for solutions. They start looking to the software and how it can help them. Initially, their lack of comfort with technology may prevent them from asking these questions. This is where support can help. I help them to learn how to ask these questions, and get answers.

Although there is some need for software training, I see much more value in education, creating the knowledge to open your mind to learning. Once the learning process has started, it can go on forever. It also involves personal ownership of the learning process, whereas training puts responsibility on someone else.