Education is a comprehensive term. We cannot give a definite meaning to the term. The meaning of it is different for different people. With the change in time and society pattern, there is also a change in its meaning.
What is education?
It is a process through which an individual acquires knowledge, experience, and skills. It makes the individual perfect and civilized.
The word education is derived from
Latin word-educare, which means to nourish, to bring up, and to raise the child according to certain aims.
Latin word educere, which means to lead out, to draw out what is there inside the child.
The word shiksha in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit word shas, which means to discipline or to control.
According to Plato, “Education develops in the body and the soul of the learner all the beauty and all the perfection of which he is capable.”
According to Socrates, education is self-reverence, self-control, and self-knowledge.”
Types of education: There are three types, which are discussed in detail under
Formal education:
- The system of formal one is well structured and well organized.
- The values in this type are authoritarian.
- The activities are planned and organized.
- This system is rigid and strict. The students and teachers have to follow strict rules and regulations.
- Students join the classes according to the mentioned age limit.
- The curriculum in the formal system is fixed and prescribed. A strict timetable is followed.
- It requires well-trained and efficient teachers.
- Both the teachers and the students share a close and formal relationship.
- The method of teaching in this system is mainly teacher-centered. The written exams are taken to evaluate the learning of students.
- The methods of teaching that are mostly used are the discussion method, demonstration method, lecture method, etc.
- Learning is constant and to be completed in a given time.
- The objectives and aims are preplanned, fixed, and predetermined.
- The agencies of it are formal, such as colleges, schools, and universities.
- Education is full-time and the primary activity of the students.
- It provides opportunities to the students for future jobs and occupations.
- Both the teachers and the students are conscious of the process.
- Under this system, education is recognised by the government.
Non-Formal education: Non-formal is not like formal one. It does not take place in an academic setting. It is midway between formal and informal systems. All types of groups can acquire knowledge whether they are women or dropouts.
- The system of non-formal education is semi-structured and semi-incidental.
- It is democratic in nature.
- The activities related to education are partially planned and partially incidental.
- It can be changed according to the changing needs and requirements of the learners.
- Students of any age can acquire the education under this system.
- The curriculum is cafeteria rather than prescribed.
- Both the teachers and students share an informal relationship.
- It is mainly child-centered. Exams are taken to evaluate the performance of the students, and degrees are awarded like formal system.
- The objectives of it are clear but can be changed according to the needs of the learner.
- It is provided through social media like radio, television, online courses, correspondence courses, and distance education.
- Education is a part-time and secondary activity for the students.
- It is partly conscious on the part of teachers and students.
Informal education: It is a lifelong process of learning that occurs in our daily lives from birth to death. We learn in our daily environment through different activities like watching movies, listening to songs, reading books, magazines, or newspapers, and playing different games.
- It is spontaneous and incidental in nature.
- The informal one is also democratic and not authoritative.
- The activities are not planned, structured, and organized but incidental.
- This system is flexible, as the children can learn anywhere and anytime.
- It has no fixed timetable or routine.
- There is no age limit for the students to acquire the knowledge.
- The curriculum is not prescribed and organized.
- There is an informal relationship between the learner and the teacher.
- There is no exam to evaluate the learning and knowledge of the learners.
- Under this system, there are no definite aims and objectives of learning.
- The agencies of informal education are family, relatives, friends and peers, community, etc.
- Neither the teacher nor the learners are conscious about the learning.
