Education Need Not Versus Training

"As we’ve shifted to a knowledge-based economy, the clear lines between the worlds of training and education are blurring, and both educators and employers need to recognize the shift.  Education and training historically come from very different places. Education was meant to teach the upper classes to be well-rounded leaders, whereas training was learned through apprenticeships to guilds. Until recently, education was focused on imparting knowledge; training was focused on teaching specific skills.  But in today’s economy, the skills that workers need to be trained in are of a higher order than ever before, therefore requiring more time to teach.  Education must be more practical and training must be more advanced. Employers and educators need to come together to meet the needs created by this convergence of education and training."   collegeforamerica.org/difference-between-training-education/

The first written record of the word education is found in the 1530s. It comes from the Latin educare - translated as:  to educate, to train, to rear, to nourish, to bring up.  The word for education in Middle French is éducation. Educare is a combination of the words e (out) and ducare-meaning to lead or drawing out. Most contemporary etymologists agree that this implied meaning is the true meaning of educare-to draw out, to elicit, to lead a student to knowledge and understanding.  This is quite different than filling a student's mind or controlling the direction of a student's thoughts or subjecting a student to repetition for the sake of repetition. While instructor directed repetition is necessary in training and as one step in the education process, the simple act of repetition is not education itself, according to the gatekeepers of education...academics.  However, it could be reasoned that even repetition in regards to physical movement, language acquisition, memorizing formulas, anatomical terms, repeating prayers or lyrics-ultimately does "educate" the body and mind and even the "spirit".  The photos below are taken from different types of education and training in different countries.   Are you able to tell which are labeled "education" and which "training"? 
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There is a tendency to label any "classroom" experience after high school or college as "training".   Adults "train" for specific jobs, for physical fitness, for operating machinery or handling new tools, for the military, and for training others..."teacher training".  It is presumed "training" will be of shorter duration than "education".  There is also a different credentialing system used for training.  In the education sector, (which I have been a part of for many decades in a number of different countries and with diverse curriculum),  there is often a bias against those with only training credentials even if the individual is highly skilled.   Fields and professions such as music, mechanics, coding, sports, art and design, public relations, IT-web development, agriculture, animal management, trades technicians, law enforcement, equipment operators, paramedical positions, maintenance and repair, facilities management, secretarial, entrepreneurial and administrative, child care, construction, dance and even politics do not require university degrees but do require competency based skills often gained by credentialed training courses or acknowledged practical experience over time. 

Yet ideally, even most academic "educators" and "professional PhDs in the Ed sector" would at least pay lip service to the idea of "life long learning" and except for a semantic argument, would consider "life long education" to include "training".     It seems the lines are starting to merge in a number of areas, yet lagging behind are the social constructs of "status" regarding each label.    Do you consider yourself educated?   Are you trained?   Are you both trained and educated?!     How do you differentiate.  Does your experience with either of both of these processes require more full spectrum thinking skills in one "versus" the other? Let's look at some popularly accepted constructs defining these activities.

The practice of "drilling" words, moves, assembly of machinery, procedures, grid points, bona fides, etc. is repetition for specific outcomes that become habitual and have a greater probability of being remembered even in high stress situations and diverse environments.   These drills are often adaptable and are included in "training" and even segments of "education"  (ex: languages, music, physical education)  but they are usually designed and delivered/taught by someone in authority.   While learning initially may not require much thinking at the time they are imparted, more often than not-repeating these skills will require thought in use outside the schoolrooms or training centers.  Quick response adaptations require both training/drilling and fast thinking skills.   

It is crucial to take into account the fact that there is no guarantee that any particular education or training template or course(s) will reach everyone or even most of those who are the students/trainees.  What may motivate, resonate and be easily comprehended or copied by one human being - may not be by another.  Even with apparently the same standard measurements of physical ability, IQ, Emotional intelligence, experience, etc. applied to a group of people who have been screened for education and/or training - the outcomes will be different. The "mental/emotional" attitudes will vary since each individual has a unique neuro-network based on their unique background, childhood, culture, experiences, environments, thoughts, spiritual or lack of spiritual teachings, conditioning, pressures, fears/phobias, traumas and dream life.  The conscious, subconscious and unconscious mind informs the response to education and training as they do to all significant life events and endeavors.   newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/mind-over-matter-study-shows-how-177580

Research has indicated that the "barriers" to progress in most learning are often self-generated.  The reverse is also true-overcoming any obstacle to learning is also possible given a self-generated will, discipline and focus even without support, stress or threat of punitive consequences from an outside authority.  trainingmag.com/4-stages-motivation-demotivation/

Three pressing questions for all of the above categories of learning:   training, drilling, education, are:  1)  How effective was the course?     2) What is/was the retention time?   3)  How do you accurately measure each of these ?

Depending of the field of endeavor and skills required, addressing these questions constructively and accurately before someone starts working in their respective field can actually mean the difference for the doctor/patient or the equipment operator, the train engineer, fire jumper, navigator, combat military, safety rigger, communications lead, police officer, mother/child carer, martial artist, and many other professions -...between life and injury, property damage and...death.

As always, an excellent master trainer/teacher for either children and/or adults - reflects on the questions posed above.   They go beyond the minimum to impart their knowledge, skills and experience and imbue each class/lesson/course with the appropriate weave of history, rationale, clarity, patience, persistence, rigor and sometimes, humor.  I am fortunate to experience this every day up in the Henan hills with the Shifus (master teachers) of Shaolin, who carry on a tradition of martial arts education that covers over two thousand years of trial, error, success for their candidates.   Yet they are also refining, re-working and evaluating as well as discussing and comparing with other Shaolin schools and training centers.   The Henan mountain Shaolin are unique in the world, though there are tamer, more anemic versions in other parts of the planet, and even other parts of China.   

​Shaolin stick to standards and demand commitment and "love".  For some, it will be a life long journey of training, learning and passing knowledge on through direct human interaction.   They are also required to vow never to use their "knowledge and training/education" to kill.  They may defend themselves and those vulnerable.  They may protect and that may include having to incapacitate and restrain those attacking them.   They also vow to help those who are defenseless and in need.  

There is no substitute for the real "Shaolin way" though they, too, are starting to permit some collaboration with technology as evidenced by this video shot and uploaded to youtube. (click on the link below)  Most of the students in this video have already trained for at least five years and still have at least as many years to go before being "tested" to pass on to performance and/or the next stage and another test later if they wish to be trained as a monk.  You may have seen a commercialized demonstration of some of these Kung fu moves by thousands of Henan province Kung Fu students, during the Chinese national broadcast celebrating the 2019 Chinese/Lunar New Year.   Click on this link for the more authentic practice in Henan.  One note*-the music is an add on for the video.  In reality, there is no sound but nature and the Shifu's commands or comments:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ_xD_sFLJY

For those of you who are passionate about learning-whether it is in the fields of design, history, sports, nutrition, gardening, languages, music, cultures or martial arts-I encourage you to determine how you think you learn best and then try another way.  I pass this strategy on to you all because it is working for me even at an "advanced age" for learning martial arts full time.  Shifu pushes me, encourages me "not to listen" to those who do not support me or societal narratives that repeat "you are too old to do this, et al".   My previous injuries are finally healing after being told that some were not possible to "restore".   

My mental barriers to my own progress are being dismantled.   We must perform physical training on both right and left sides and most exercises are also done going forward and backward, very slow then very fast.  This expands the neuron connections as well as works the muscles, tendons, joints and bones.   The meditation and chi gathering exercises lift my mind and spirit as well as lighten the burden I carry of a cobalt chromium right arm glenoid process and humerus bone, and the constant companion of profound grief.  

Until next week

From Yun Tai Mountain in Henan,

Jo