Education vs. Training
Selena Deckelmann
Data Architect, Mozilla
@selenamarie
selena@chesnok.com
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We can't scale
our training.
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cfengine
puppet
chef
salt
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We've stalled out.
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Amazon
Etsy
Github
Facebook
Google
Twitter
OmniTI
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42 responses
What people said
about resources
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We aren't creating scalable
training material and we should.
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The fights we don't have
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Start an argument about
sysadmin education, today!
How we train, how we teach.
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Training that works
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✔ Numbered steps with
measurable, defined outcomes
✔ Explicit instruction and feedback
loops
✔ Expectation for collaboration
✔ Pairing and modeling
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Student:
✔ Knew what to do
✔ Knew what success looked like
Boss:
✔ Asked the right questions
✔ Helped when stuck
✔ Feedback loops caught new
details
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What do we get from
systematic training?
A Baseline.
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Knowledge
✔ Typing
✔ Text editing
✔ English grammar
✔ Variables
✔ Data structures
✔ Loops and flow control
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Skills
✔ Write a program
✔ Debug others code
✔ Read and understand more
advanced code
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Baselining
✔ Identify key knowledge
✔ Teach to fill in gaps
✔ Demonstrate learned skills to
peers and mentors
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I covered it, it's up to
them to learn
Vs
If they didn't learn it, I didn't
teach it.
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Grassroots training is headed in
this direction:
http://linux-training.be
http://opsschool.org
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What can you steal from these
programs for your company?
What from your company can
you contribute back?
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We need to shift our thinking
about education and training.
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Recognize the difference
between
Good and Bad teaching
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Make great, reusable lessons by
focusing on:
knowledge and skills,
then habits and competency
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Good teaching
+
System
=
Authentic, Scalable teaching
Teachers/sysadmins collaborate
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First step:
Argue about the details,
the right way.
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Arguments we should have:
✔ What's more important: ethics or
risk reduction coursework?
✔ Are masters programs or K12
standards more valuable?
✔ How do we create a non-profit
for trusted certifications?
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Arguments not worth having:
✔ Education sucks.
✔ Students can't learn.
✔ The whole system is broken.
✔ You can't teach this stuff.
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What can you do now? Ask:
✔ Is my training process written
down?
✔ Can the person being trained
incrementally improve that
process?
✔ Are there clear outcomes and
expectations from the training?
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If you answered yes:
Send a pull request to
http://github.com/opsschool
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Computing in the Core
http://www.computinginthecore.org/
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Education vs. Training
Selena Deckelmann
Data Architect, Mozilla
@selenamarie
selena@chesnok.com