1 Teaching vs. Training
Teaching and Training: Are they the same or different?
While the foundation of learning ties them together, some differences can help you as an educator determine if you will be teaching or training. Teaching and training differ due to their objectives, methodologies, and outcomes.
Teaching focuses on imparting knowledge, fostering understanding, and cultivating critical thinking skills. Lectures, discussions, and demonstrations may involve teaching abstract concepts and theories.
On the other hand, training aims to develop specific skills or competencies required for application in the workplace or other settings. Training involves hands-on practice, simulations, and targeted activities to enhance proficiency in performing specific tasks or procedures.
Why does this matter?
These differences between teaching and training help you determine the best approach for achieving different learning goals based on your outcomes and audience. Knowing when to use teaching versus training methods helps you ensure your learners understand the concepts and/or the ability to apply them in real-world scenarios. Recognizing the distinctions enables educators to tailor their approaches to meet their outcomes and learner needs in academic or professional settings.
Public health initiatives may require a combination of teaching and training approaches to address complex health issues. Teaching may be used to educate communities or students about health risks, disease prevention, healthy behaviors, etc. Training is used for healthcare professionals and community workers to acquire the specific skills needed to implement interventions, conduct screenings, provide healthcare services efficiently, etc.
The following table guides the differentiation between Teaching and Training. This is not set in stone, as you may see educators combining parts of each to create thier teaching preferences. As you review the table, consider your past teaching and training experiences and how they shaped you as an educator and a learner.
| Aspect | Teaching (as an educator) | Training (as an educator) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose |
Impart knowledge, foster critical thinking, and build understanding of concepts and theories |
Develop specific skills, competencies, and ensure practical application |
| Focus |
Emphasizes theoretical understanding, principles, and broad knowledge acquisition |
Emphasizes practical skills development and application in real-world contexts |
| Methodology |
Utilizes lectures, discussions, readings, and multimedia presentations |
Incorporates hands-on practice, demonstrations, simulations, and role-playing |
| Audience |
Students, general learners, academic professionals |
Employees, trainees, professionals needing skill development |
| Content |
Academic content, theoretical frameworks, research-based materials |
Skill-building exercises, technical procedures, operational protocols |
| Evaluation |
Assesses comprehension, critical analysis, and knowledge synthesis |
Measures proficiency in skills, ability to apply learned techniques, and performance |
| Challenges | Ensuring relevance, addressing diverse learning needs, overcoming content complexity | Keeping pace with evolving practices, ensuring continuous skill development, adapting to new technologies |