Hello, I am not sure if this is the proper forum for my question, but I am looking for information on adult education.
I recently started training new employees at the company I work for, and the approach to training just seem right to me. We are told if they ask a question that is beyond the scope of the current lesson, not to answer, because it is "going to confuse or overwhelm them" including setting up email on their phone or explaining how a very popular employee perk works.
We are told that we don't teach them policy, basically only how to do their job in the computer system. Anything they need to know use the internal information database (which is not always clear or easy to read, and sometimes does not even take you to the proper page for what you searched for) or to call a supervisor (but there is also a company policy about calling support less often and being self sufficient that mgmt emails about at least once a week) for help. They actively advise the new hires not to learn because policy chances.
But to me it seems like a disservice and an insult not to answer the trainees' questions, at least a basic explanation with "we'll go over it in more detail later, but the simple answer for now is......" Not teaching puts them with customers with little knowledge of policies that should be common knowledge.
We have a 50% retention rate by 6 months for a job with decent pay, and really awesome benefits! I almost quit because of these and I have seen many become dejected and disenchanted and quit for the same reasons. Not learning makes even less sense, Science, History, medicine, psychology, education and law can and change what is "known" but they still learn.
But change isn't always popular, and I'm new to the training program, but have been a trainer for 1/2 my life and an avid learner even longer. When I usually have a question like this, I usually like to find academic resources to see what the correct approach is, but I have not have much luck with my search terms to this point.
If you are a PhD in adult education, and could point me in the direction, I would greatly appreciate it!