Banking Education

and Training [1]

Liberating Education

and Training

Training is seen as the solu­tion to all or most organiza­tional performance issues. Training is seen as an event.

Capacity building and transfor­mation are seen holistically, are individual and collective, and have technical, social, po­litical (non-partisan) and or­gan­izational dimensions. Train­ing is an on-going proc­ess.

People are brought into a training center that is cen­trally located.

The program goes out to the people. Capacity building is fo­cused on and generated where people are working.

Packaged and prescribed mod­ules and materials. The "recipe" approach to training.

Tailor made training. Learner generated materials. Priority themes and materials come out of a process.

Transmission of knowl­edge … learn what is done else-where or by someone else, and we imitate or adapt that.

Creation of knowledge… we learn from our own experi­ences as well as from others. We put together many per­spec­tives and jointly create something that has meaning to our work and reality, and the future we want.

Domestication and conform­ing to a pattern or generally acceptable behavior, authori­tarian relationships based on control and domination.

Liberation and the creation of relationships that are based on equity and horizontality. Partnerships are based on mu­tual respect, equality, mu­tual support and appreciation.

Banking education… those who know deposit knowl­edge into the heads of those who do not know. Education is done by experts and in­struc­tors, the process is teaching and teacher cen­tered.

Expertise is in the group, eve­ry­one is teacher and learner… We are facilitators of a collec­tive learning process which is participant centered.

Training comes from a needs assessment and a list of our weaknesses. Attention is given predominately to the preparations for the training session and the "delivery" of the training session.

Training comes from a vision of what we want to create or build, and an analysis of vulner­abilities and capacities. Attention to adequate prepara­tions and training is important, but we identify and pay atten­tion to what is needed to fol­low-up on the training and put into practice what is learned (systems, policies, decisions) from the beginning.

Focuses on symptoms, ap­pearances, deficiencies -  “what is wrong?"

Focuses on how things are, and why. How we want things to be, and what are our capabilities and vulnerabilities in getting there? Builds on what people have and know.

The motivation for training comes because of donor re­quirements. It is a reward or punishment. Donors decide what is to be taught based on what they need to satisfy the system "upwards." Account­ability is to the next levels of hierarchy.

Motivation for Capacity Build­ing comes from a vision and ethic of betterness… the world expects and needs more of us technically, ethically and pro­grammatically. We are ac­count­able to people all along the "aid chain," but principally to the people for whom our or­ganiza­tions exist, the mar­ginal popu­lation and the ex­treme poor.

People are seen and re­ferred to as beneficiaries, tar­get groups, recipients of training, students, train­ees… objects of programs. People serve the needs of the program and organiza­tional interests.

People are authentic partners in search for a better tomor­row and change… subjects with rights, actors and authors of their own development and transformation. Programs and organizations serve the needs of people.

The challenge is principally to build up individual skills, knowledge and attitudes. People return alone to the same work reality with little sources of support to put into practice what was learned. Sources of support and fol­low-up, if they exist at all, come from technical exper­tise far from the work place.

The challenge is building up in­dividual and collective skills, knowledge, attitudes and ap­proaches…we seek to change mental models, systems and structures. Groups of people participate and share what was learned. We want to form a community of learning and practice across organizations. Sources of support come from fellow participants as well as other expertise.

What do people remember? 10% of what they hear, 20% of what they hear and see, 40-60% of what they hear, see and do. So, trainer talks, shows, while partici­pants listen and do.

What do people remember?

80-100% of what they dis­cover on their own, so facilita­tor sets up conditions for indi­vidual and group discovery.

Experts are the primary source of knowledge.

Expertise is found among many.