An Attempt to Link Education, Learning and School

There are many definitions of Education to help people understand education from different perspectives. I have browsed through many web-sites (on the internet) on topics related to definition of education (some of these web-sites are listed in reference section). Having gone through all the definitions, I could draw following inferences:-  

A.   EDUCATION is the measure of following ABILITIES: -

1.    to ACKNOWLEGE one’s FEELINGS* (Capacity to Understand - CU)

2.    to EXPRESS** one’s FEELINGS* (Capability to Express - CE)

B.   *The Notion of FEELINGS could be analogous to notion of imagination, curiosity, emotions, view point, (maybe) voice of inner consciousness or similar attributes related to inner senses.

C.   **To EXPRESS oneself may be illustration through various means like (say) Art, Artefacts, Presentations, Demonstrations, Products or (say) other such means, someone can utilize to communicate with the world. In this regard, it may be noted that expression of thought supported by scientific evidences can have greater acceptance in academic world.

D.   LEARNING is the process of gaining ENHANCEMENT in EDUCATION by CONSUMING available RESOURCES*** (presumably) for meaningful value addition to the mankind. Learning could be either through formal means (following established methodologies) or through informal means. The same has been shown in picture - 1 (below). Education (E) is expressed in two components (CU - Capacity to Understand and CE - Capability to Express). One may reach from Education Level E1 (with components CU1 and CE1) to Education Level E2 (with components CU2 and CE2) through the Learning Process (which has components of Informal Learning (IL) and Formal Learning (FL)). This is just an illustrative plot not confirming to an specific mathematical model and assumes CU = CE at every point on E.

E.   ***RESOURCES could be Information, Know-How, Technology, Experience or other such means, which may be utilized for enhancement of CU and CE.   

PIC 1: Graphical Representation of above Discussions

F.    Similarly, from personal experiences (of schools in India) and from observing surroundings, I have understood a SCHOOL to be a facility dedicated to enable people to LEARN – Therefore, in a way, the entire universe is a school. But, in context of modern way of life, school:-

a.    is an artificial environment dedicated to instructive teaching adhering to a formal standard approved by an Educational Board.

b.    is (mostly) a scarce resource and therefore, it also does assessment of eligibility to being taught before giving access of facilities to the prospective learners.

c.    is responsible to award of formal certificate/degree and therefore, conducts assessment of learning with an approved yardstick for the educational discipline.

d.    (in most cases, irrespective of school being a profit centre or a cost centre) is a controlled institution, which is oriented more towards performance of learners (during assessment of learning through formal examinations) and less towards learning benefits to learners or (say) even learning services rendered to learners.  

G.   It is assumed that SCHOOLS make RESOURCES available to learners and also provide training to use the resources for LEARNING, which supposedly lead to enhancement of EDUCATION. Learning benefits from pedagogy of schooling is Formal Learning.

H.   The SOCIOLOGY of EDUCATION is the study of how public institutions and individual experiences affect education and its outcomes. This is an important area of study in shaping the education system of society.

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REFERENCES:-

1. http://infed.org/mobi/what-is-education-a-definition-and-discussion/
2. https://www.ed.gov/race-top/district-competition/definitions
3. https://www.bedguide.in/2019/03/definition-of-education-by-philosophers-pdf.html
4. https://edtechdigest.com/2010/09/22/21-definitions-for-a-21st-century-education/
5. http://lapazinaction.blogspot.com/2011/12/definition-of-education-by-expert-2.html
6. https://www.academia.edu/25724141/DEFINITION_OF_EDUCATION_TRADITION_AND_MODERN_CONCEPT_OF_EDUCATION_AIMS_OF_EDUCATION_DEFINITION_OF_EDUCATION
7. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/education
8. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/school
9. http://www.purposeofschool.com/philosophical/
10. https://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/iej/articles/v3n1/silins/paper.pdf
11. https://www.edglossary.org/education-system/

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