The design of training for development regional conference on training development

I

Distr.

LIMITED

UNITED NATIONS E/OH.14/W.6/41

18 October 1974

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

_____^___^__.. . Original i ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

REGIONAL1CONFERENCE ON TRAINING DEVELOPMENT . . . Addis Ababa, 18-30 November 1974

THE DESIGN OF TRAINING FOR DEVELOPMENT

ty

.-., R.C. Goslini/

Staff involved in the formulation of training policy and the provision of training programmes for the' public services are aware of the significance of the processes somewhat naively labelled "change".

They would, moreover, accept that the term change-agent may with good ._, reason be applied to those engaged in handling the training process.

The oonoept of change should embrace planned as well as unpredicted events. Unlees therefore change-agency in the public service is a

role whioh can be shared effectively by both training and administrat-

■ ive field staff the ultimate oonsequences are likely to be frustration,

■■:■ confusion and even disorganisation. , Attitudes towards training often reveal an inadequate understanding of this change process, its relation to the public administration working environment and the nature of the trained "product". "When the ex-participants of programmes return pr report to their work-stations they are confronted vrith a complex of attitudes in their colleagues, seniors and subordinates. To what extent are the identification of, and reaction to, attitudes taken into account in the establishment of training objectives and in the

planning of courses?

It is necessary to consider more specifically the reality and

impact of attitudes towards training itself. Some are clearly dangerous and misleading; for example, the view that newly appointed civil

servants who have completed o.n off-job course of training in

^'administrative studies" are thereby able to deal with live, admin istrative-situations. Another is that competent administrators will

contribute effectively J;o a training programme especially if they have some teaching skills. There.are unfortunate repercussions to the attitude that systematic evaluation of training is neither feasible nor likely to produce useful data. Again, how frequently does one

l/ Mr. R.C. Goslin is Course Director, Department of Administrative

Studies, University of Manchester, England. He is serving as Consultant to the Conference.

M74-2O16

E/CN.14/TO.6/41

Page 2

hear the comments - "The assessment of needs and establishment of overall objectives for courses are the prime responsibility of trainer staff" and "Training should expose participants to a diversity of lecture inputs from distinguished, visiting speakers". Sometimes training is even looked upon as a kind of ceremonial through which those permitted to share in its rituals undergo desirable ehanges,

regardless of course patterns and contents.

Some of the frustration and underlying cynicism about training in the public service is undoubtedly due to the development of programmes based upon an inadequate and distorted concept of the training process itself. This is encouraged on occasions, it must be

accepted, by staff actually contributing to or constructing programmes.

These programmes, or their ingredients, whilst publicised as training are in essence much more closely linked to education than training

processes in their approach and contents.

In attempts to analyse more rigorously the whole process of training it may be found helpful to use the following as a working instrument and to test it out against everyday training situations.

"The training process may be regarded as the planned provision of efficient, learning situations whicli enable and encourage participants to achieve those measurable, behavioural objectives established in relation to organisational performance and goals".

The acceptance of this definition integrates, in one functional systems concept, participants, training staff, training administrators, field administrators and the organisation. Assessment of training needs would be achieved in teamwork by training staff and those field administrators whose staff are being considered as potential trainees.

Emphasis is laid upon the active orientation of selected course members towards clearly defined achievement goals. Design and provision of effective learning situations from the standpoint of trainees will be

the aim of trainers rather than the construction of a series of knowledge in which motivation and activity-inputs come substantially from contributing lecturers.

Effective learning, as envisaged, would be achieved by the design of a blend of interrelated situations in which those knowledge areas,

skills and attitudes considered relevant would be experienced or encouraged. Through such planning the participants should be enabled to achieve those objectives stipulated for each particular component of training, as well as the overall course goals.

Public service staffs have sometimes made the comment that it is futile to attempt to define objectives in precise and measurable" terms for training courses in administration and management. Such work areas, it is suggested, are too complex and variable in contrast with typing, clerical work or machine operation. This general distinction may be acceptable but it is surely still reasonable to point out that if no precise objectives can be developed and expressed, in terms of what the trainees will be able to do by the end of the course, it is unrealistic and misleading to talk about a "training" course for

administrative intakes. Indeed it would not be surprising to find that staff contributing to the components of such a course, and the

E/CN.14/WP.6/41

Page 3

participants themselves, had widely differing and even incompatible concepts and convictions about the course ingredients and outcomes, in fact a course of this nature, paraded in the disguise of training encourages the kind of attitudes outlined earlier. Whether or not a course engendered on such an inadequate basis is educational, it certainly cannot be training and is unlikely to result in meeting the specific needs generated in the work areas of the intakes.

■ and Zltjli C°?fSV!\Je°tlveS are ™*Bi™oted meticulously, inadequacies and problems will--still emerge and the achievement of goals will not be easy to assess. Moreover, the determination of training needs,

design of relevant learning situations, provision and handling of

sessions, and evaluation of the whole training process must be

recognised as functions of a high order requiring adequate and competent staff working both as individuals and teams. The status

in the public service of these staff, whose location in training is specialised from the standpoint of career patterns, must nonetheless

be equal to the tasks confronting them.

... ?he mac*o-leaming situation designed to meet established needs

will be selected from a diverse range of locations each offering

differing potentials and imposing specific constraints. It is clearly essential before reaching decisions on location, to take into adequate

account the resources and constraints which may apply. For example,

on-oob part-time training under an administrator/trainer will be quite distinct from a full-time off-job course in a special centre. This

aspect of location of training will be referred to later.

_ One overriding factor too often neglected in attempts to provide public administration training is the need for adequate opportunity for participants, under trainer-guidance, to recognise and attempt to deal with significant errors or inadequacies in knowledge areas, skills and attitudes. The concept of repetition and correction, so familiar in learning arithmetic, is indeed a vital principle in the administrat

ive training process. Naturally, it would be naive to assume that in everyday work experiences or even in comparable training course

situations an incident or event could be repeated in any precise aetail - in fact it is one of the major difficulties of this level of

training that the working situation with its various human contribu tions and reactions is constantly changing. A trainee participating

in sessions on chairmanship of selection boards or on membership of policy planning teams cannot be re-instated in those identical human circumstances in which he made errors or followed unrealistic objectives.

But it is still possible by careful attention to course design, training materials and staff observation for trainees to experience a series of

similar learning situations. In these group sessions participants will

be encouraged not only to deal with their own errors but to observe any

similar errors in the contributions of colleagues.

Training courses and their components demand the provision of adequate and high quality training materials. These will include

problem-solving and problem-handling assignments, situational analyses,

interpretative studies of statistical or tabular data, planning and

E/CN.14/WP.6/41

Page 4

decision-making exercises,, team work and human relations situations in staff selection and interviewing, job appraisal, data selection and collection. The range is extensive and each element calls for skilled attention to objectives, design, contents presentation and use- The preparation of these inputs is time-consuming, requires the development and application of expertise comprising first-hand experience of

administrative situations> intelligence attuned to a complexity of interrelated factors and components and also a responsive creativity.

Records must be maintained during and after use of these materials by staff competent in the selection and collection of assessment data and able to undertake relevant action-research to refine, correct or modify those training materials which have hitherto been untested, unused or

found inadequate for training situations.

In addition to learning situations involving what might be called practical, social skills, there are all those other training materials

based in knowledge areas - theoretical analyses, case studies, lecture/

discussion series, seminars, supplementary handouts and integrated audio-visual aids - closed-circuit television, video tape, film, film strip and sound tape.

In developing countries one training material with acute scarcity- value is the well designed and relevant indigenous case study or

incident process study. Whilst this lack must be rigorously tackled it is still only one of the whole range of study and experience materials needed if "training" courses are to earn the label, and if training is to contribute more positively to on-job work performance

and general organisational goals.

The point was made previously that type and location of macro- learning situations will depend partly upon the established needs.

Examples include full-time, or part-time, off-job programmes at training centres, sandwich—type courses involving sequences of experience and training, such as three—months on—job supervised

training - six months full-time off-job training at centre, and three months field training in selected ministries; correspondence courses

on specialised or supplementary studies; weekend schools5 supervised learning of on-job supernumerary staff, etc. The type of training most in need of skilled trainer guidance and attention but which also

promises positive results is perhaps on-job training. A comparative approach to the advantages and disadvantages of on-job and off-job training is suggested. Off-job training offers course intakes with a diversity of experience, backgrounds, attitudes and personalities.

This increases potentials for effective learning in and through groups.

Full-time training can be provided on a continuous basis, and the attention of the training staff is not distracted as in on-job situations by the piled up in-tray. Off-job training is often more economical and efficient in respect of facilities, staff and overall

costs, enabling training staff to group together those participants with common needs. Whereas for on-job trainees inhibition or

anxiety about the possibility of committing expensive errors frequently occurs, this is less the case in off-job trainees.

E/CN-14/WP.6/41

Page 5

There is also less likelihood of embarrassment occasioned "by attitudes

inherent in senior/subordinate staff work-relationships? work problems

are likely to be viewed in off-job training from a more detached stand point and opened up to general group discussion. Training sessions of

trainees are not periodically disrupted by work requirements and

priorities.

Bv comparison, on-job training situations encourage a specificity of content and training objectives, enable staff to obtain a much more rapid and realistic feedback on decisions made or action taken; there is the high degree of realism offered by the work environment; the experience of the on-job bupervieor/trainer is first hand and directly relevant and there is a continuous opportunity for one-to-one relation ship and rapport. Ultimately, on-job draining depends for its success on the adequacy and skill of the supervision and guidance provided by the administrative staff member allocated responsibility for this

function. Ona of the most profitable and effective training programmes in the public service night well be in-service part-time, short intensive courses aimed at the production of more competent and effective work- training supervisors. On-job training supervision emphasises the fine distinction which often exists between the area of administration/

management and training. Systems approaches to training in the public service would lay stress on the importance of attributing to such supervisory staff not only the function of identifying training needs but. also responsibility for providing substantial areas of on-jbb

learning for subordinates. Such contributions.from field ataff would no doubt call for regular assistance and guidance from "professional"

trainers - that is, those based in training cantrss.

By its very nature the public administration training process will make substantial demands for staff both in numbers and in qualities.

This is confirmed as one examines the process. It is closely geared to the actual working situation and is one in which the trainees are expected to respond much more actively and purposefully as individuals and groups than is ths case in traditional, educational type courses with predominantly lee;are-type sessions. Effective training is not cheap. It is all the more urgent to introduce and sustain adequate and vigorous systems of evaluation of training components, staff and outputs. In particular - prompt- feedback of data to course design and management teams and the use of structured assessments of a cost benefit analysis type especially fo- off-job training are needed.

Staff in training work areas, like others, are susceptible to

Parkinson's Laws of development and may be tempted to make bids for additional funds or staff establishments. Evaluation will serve as a check and deterrent in such instances,

A well conceived evaluation system should be developed with close rapport, support and co-operation on the part of both field and training centre staff. It is expected to include in-built devices involving various data sources to reveal disparities between learning situations currently provided and those actually required by defined training needs. "Vested interests" will become apparent here and pressure will be exerted for trainees to be sent on courses whose objectives,

E/CN.14/HP.6/41

Page 6

either stated or

" '

that

teaas and individuafrn^t"600^1"6 " iB

to the const^ction and uL of eweS^l " ^ the Wh°le procees

reports at both maorc and micro level. ^ySeS aDd ev^«ation

»«nt, muoh raore so perhaps thS ina .I^Sf1? the *™^»e environ there is substantial demand f^ I f general educational setting there is substantial demand for a B?aSS?1 educational setting,

^{---,, —^ mvw so periiaps +h --—- »-^ ^tuning envi}

to this work area which can encourSe^hf ^ ?tiU flex^le appx

significant feedback information f 8UPPly °f ^lia^le and

management, programme designers rll °°U^se Participants, field

staff involved in the formulation I^8' and also those senior

the public service. latlOn and review of training policy for