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Republic of Cyprus
Methodological Approach to Learning

CAPA’s training model is not academic. Conventional, ex cathedra teaching is avoided. The reason for this is that for CAPA, learning does not amount to the simple acquisition of information.

For us, learning in organisations concerns the development of learners’ capacity to achieve better results in practice. Therefore, CAPA’s training activities are designed so as to help participants develop in this sense. The methodologies used are participative, experiential and interactive. They include discussions, brainstorming, working in groups, case studies, role playing, films and training exercises. Through these methodologies, sustained efforts are made to connect training with real work and actively engage participants in the learning process.

Taking full advantage of participants’ previous knowledge and experience, CAPA programmes aim at the production of practically applicable learning as well as at the maximum possible transfer of that learning from the training activity to the work situation. In these programmes, the trainers’ role is not just that of content experts, but also that of persons who facilitate the learning process.

In addition to the above-mentioned methodologies, which contribute to the transfer of off-the-job learning to the workplace, CAPA also promotes the use of on-the-job learning methodologies. Such methodologies include coaching, Action Learning and structured dialogue among stakeholders for the consensual solution of complex problems. On-the-job learning methodologies have the advantage that they do not rely on the transfer of learning; they do not, therefore, have to overcome the many obstacles to such a transfer, for they are focused on the real work that the participants have to do or on real problems that the participants face. In these instances, the distance between learning and work disappears.

It is important to note that CAPA promotes learning, not only on individual, but also on team and organisational levels. Just like individuals, whole teams or organisations, as collective entities, can have learning needs, and can be subjects of learning.

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Ministry of Finance
Cyprus Academy of Public Administration