What is Education? Here is The Definition, Philosophies and Importance of Education

What is Education?

Education is knowledge, which helps us to make sustainable and resilient future. Isn’t it?

No. it is not!

It was the definition of education I had in my mind (I feel almost more than the half of the Indian population has the same credence) on the first day as a student of education but now gradually it changed totally.

Now “Education is far, far and far beyond than the above written definition”. This is what I can bet on, being in this journey of studying the above written matter from 4 years.

Here I would be sharing everything I learnt and what you must know about this broader and most important term “Education”.

Philosophical Perspectives: How Philosophers Look Education

“Education is nothing just re-construction and re-organisation of experiences.                                                                                                                                                                                                            -John Dewey

It is life and is a life-long process. We all are participant of this course. It is not independent from the effect of our past experiences, our immediate or distant environment and our beliefs.

It is more about previous knowledge, experiences and our thought process to evolve something new. Starting from incapacitate definition of knowledge to this point; it is the process of construction. And it matches the definition of “what is education” given by John Dewey known as pragmatism theory.

John Dewey emphasis on relevance of schools with society as he says “Education is not bound in four walls of school” and he refers school as a miniature of society.

See the important article “My Pedagogic Creed” written by John Dewey here.

Education according to Mahatma Gandhi is a medium for “harmonious development” and how school helps a student to understand about society. He quotes education as “basic education” and says “Education should not only increase knowledge but also develop culture in heart and hand”

Another philosophy is of Rabindranath Tagore. In his naturalism, humanism, internationalism and idealism theories, he says education is “deep rooted’.

According to Tagore aim of education is:

•         Moral and Spiritual Development
•         Physical Development
•         Intellectual Development
•         Education for Fullness
•         Establish International brotherhood

Now can we say education is broad when it comes to its meaning?

Education: Psychological and Sociological Perspectives

Education is composition of two-

•         Psychological
•         Sociological

These do not superimpose but by combining both they help in growth and a life with happiness.

1. Psychological perspective: it is the basis for development, psychological perspective focuses on child’s own instincts & powers which gives the initial point for all education and its process.                                                        
2.  Sociological perspective: looking and taking other’s also in consideration while looking for education.

 

Education and Society

Socialization is an aim of education which according to sociologist Drever is a process through which an individual is adapted to his/her social environment through social confirmation and becomes an efficient and co-operative member of the society.

Education helps us to live a socialized life, to build our multiple identities and also enable us in recognizing positive and negative aspects of our culture. Hence we cannot ignore society and its relevance in education.

“Education being a social process, the school is simply that form of community life in which all those agencies are concentrated that will be most effective in bringing the child to share in the inherited resources of the race and to use his own powers for social ends”. (My pedagogic creed, John Dewey)

And school is a miniature of society so we need to make a classroom an ideal for the whole world.

Language, gender and socio-economic status are the components of a society and we need to look for all of them in considering relationship of education and society. 

For establishing relationship strongly mother tongue should be supported, women education to be promoted and education opportunities for all irrespective of socio-economic status should be given.

 Education: Challenges and Reforms

Every milestone come with a stone and education also has challenges as stones at every point but we made it stepping stone with reforms and stood strong with better education system.

Here are some challenges and reforms of India’s way to get desired results:

•  Education was biased and for only one gender, with more powers and higher socio-economic status then Savitri Ba Fule, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, M.K. Gandhi fought for “education for all”, “women education”, “free education” and stood always for changes for good.                                                        
• Education included “right to education” as fundamental right.                          
• National education policy (1968, 1986, 2005 and 2020), provided framework and included need of the hour time to time.                                                 
• Covid outbreak and closure of educational institutes and finding solutions with ed-tech and online learning tools like zoom, google meet, google classroom and for quiz, homework or assignments to test learning applications and sites like kahoot came in existence.

Nowadays, schools and other educational institutions are functioning much below their efficiency. It is affecting nation in present and a big obstacle in future prosperity.

Rationality and power of logic are building blocks of society which develops in an individual through the medium of education hence we need to focus on quality of education in order to emerge as a world power.

 

Written By: Komal Jha