TEACHING VS TRAINING

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn”, Benjamin Franklin

People often get confused between teaching and training. Even when few people know that there is subtle difference between the both they will not be in a position to differentiate. In is in this context the present article helps in differentiating between the both.

When we look at the definitions of both teaching and training given in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, it is mentioned as below:

Definitions for teach are: ‘To cause to know something’, ‘to guide the studies of’, ‘to impart the knowledge of’, ‘to instruct by precept, example, or experience’. On the contrary the definitions for train are: ‘To form by instruction, discipline, or drill’, ‘to make prepared for a test of skill’.

Having read what is mentioned in the dictionary let us look at the below where we can get fair idea about the differences both teaching and training:

· Teaching is mostly theoretically oriented where as training is practical oriented.
· Teaching provides new knowledge to the people while training helps the already knowledgeable people to learn the tools and techniques to apply the same.
· Training is subset of teaching.
· Teaching fills mind while training shapes habits.
· Training lays stress on skills and abilities with a shorter time span where as teaching on education, knowledge and wisdom with a longer time span.
· Training gives intensive information about a limited domain where as teaching gives extensive domains with limited knowledge in general. In other words, training provides depth of knowledge in a specific sphere while teaching provides breadth of knowledge in all spheres. In a nutshell, Training makes a Master of a trade while the teaching makes Jack-of-all-trades.
· Training is for a specific area where as teaching is, in general, a broader area.
· Teacher commands lot of respect where as the trainer is mostly treated from the commercial perspective.
· Teacher provides information, knowledge, experience where as trainer facilitates learning.
· Teacher usually creates the ‘need to know’ the knowledge for students while in training, the student himself approaches for the knowledge as he realizes the need to know. In this context, H. Clay Trumbull , rightly quoted, “It has been said that the essence of teaching is causing another to know. It may similarly be said that the essence of training is causing another to do.”
· Teaching may relate to the subject area. On the contrary, training may relate to functional area.
· Generally teacher provides feedback to students. On the other hand, the trainer gets feedback from trainees.
· Teaching usually refers to classroom learning. On the contrary, training refers workshops, seminars involving various games, role-plays, simulation methods etc.,

Indian education presently focuses on teaching not on training. Focusing on training, as well, makes the students more confident and competent and helps them to get employment opportunities. A right blend of both teaching and training is the need of the hour.

To conclude, training is different from teaching. Training equips mindset, tools set and skills set. Training is always an active area where there will be interaction, questioning, learning by doing, role-plays, team games and practical activities. Although training is subset of teaching it does have lot of impact in equipping the participants with novel tools and techniques to become competent at the job front. Training helps in uncorking the hidden talents among the people, which until then not realized apart from making the people highly creative and competent.

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