Education in Workplace Settings

Education in workplace settings refers to the formal and informal learning programs in which organizations invest in order to develop both human resources and improve organizational effectiveness. To situate education in workplace settings for the educational technologist, this entry discusses education versus training, formal learning, and informal learning. The distinction between education and training is presented because human resource development (HRD) professionals have historically acknowledged that although education and training share common characteristics, the two concepts are not identical. Training has traditionally focused on specific skills, whereas education has emphasized knowledge and understanding as well as skill development. However, the distinction is becoming less important as many organizational professionals are moving toward the participant-focused concept of learning and away from the instructor-focused concept of educating ...