Two groups are always recognized as being involved in training courses: the trainers and the learners. But what about other participants? Who can also participate in the overall process of training and learning? You may find that answering the following questions is a useful exercise:
—Who has participated in the design of training courses in which you have been involved?
—Why did they participate?
—Who decided they should participate?
—What did they gain?
—What did they contribute?
The first question above asks, ‘Who has participated?’ The groups and individuals who participate in any process are normally called stakeholders. This term is used, because we are thinking about people who hold a stake in the entire training process. This means people who have a claim, or who feel they should have some ownership of the process. And it also means people who may gain, or who may benefit from being involved in the process.
In training, there are many different stakeholders. Because there are likely to be many, we can divide them into two groups. External stakeholders or ‘outsiders’ come from outside the institution or the immediate setting where the training is designed and delivered. They may include policy makers, administrators, experts, employers, clients or ‘end-users’ such as community members, extensionists, researchers, farmers, donors, parents, materials or book producers. The list can be long and varied. Internal stakeholders or ‘insiders’ come from within the institution or setting. They may include trainers, course participants, institutional managers, subject matter specialists, technical and support staff.
Every context will have its own particular list of stakeholders. You will need to identify which stakeholders have an interest in the training you design by carrying out a stakeholder analysis (see Part II, topic 2 - Stakeholder analysis). It is important to realize that different stakeholders are interested in different things, depending on how they perceive their claims or gains. Some stakeholders are interested in the process of training (e.g. how the course is taught, what kind of learning experiences are provided), for example the trainers and the learners. Some of the stakeholders will be more interested in the product (e.g. how many graduates are produced, with what grades), such as government officials and donors. Learners and trainers are probably interested in both process and product. Some stakeholders have a general interest, e.g. policy makers, whilst others may have a very specific interest, e.g. employers.
Many stakeholders may be very supportive of the training approach, whilst others may be less supportive, for example, managers who feel they have limited funds available. Occasionally, some stakeholders are hostile, for example, where there is direct competition between institutions. Some stakeholders will be very open about their interest. These stakeholders are more straightforward to work with, regardless of whether they support or are against the training. Other stakeholders may not reveal their true opinion, sometimes for strategic reasons or because of cultural beliefs and attitudes. This is one reason why participatory curriculum development can become a longer and more dynamic process than traditional approaches to course design. The list of stakeholders may change over time, as the context changes, or as the nature of the training changes. It is important to monitor the situation to keep a check on how relevant stakeholders are involved, as well as the nature of their involvement.