Concept, Meaning, Scope, and Importance of Education

Concept, Meaning, Scope, and Importance of Education
Notes for elementary education course

1. FOUNDATION OF EDUCAITON BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) 2018

Concept, Meaning, Scope, and Importance of Education
The word “Education” is derived from three Latin words: Educare (to nourish, to bring up, to raise up),
Educere (to lead out, to draw out), and Educatum (teaching method or teaching style).
_Meaning of education from the point of view of past thinkers
Socrates defined as "Education means the bringing out of the ideas of universal validity which are latent in
the mind of every man".
Plato described that “Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment. It develops in
the body and soul of the pupil, and the beauty and all the perfection which he is capable. “
Aristotle stated that “Education is a creation of a sound mind in a sound body.
_Meaning of education from the point of view of Modern thinkers
John Dewy defined as “Education is the development of all those capacities in the individual which will
enable him to control his environment and fulfil his responsibilities”.
According to Pestalozzi “education is the natural, harmonious, and progressive development of man’s innate
powers”.
Narrow meaning of education
• In its narrow sense, education is confined to teaching, and instruction acts inside schools.
• Education is limited to schooling only.
• Starts with students’ entry in school and ends with instruction completion.
• The aim of education imparts limited knowledge in specific subjects.
• It is confined with classroom teaching in which text books be all and end of instructions.
• Contents includes only academic subjects traditionally taught in the schools.
Broader meaning of education
• Education is a lifelong process.
• Education goes beyond schooling and instruction.
• It starts from birth and goes throughout life.
• Education is more delimited to specific attainments and become general sense.
• Experiences are the touchstone of education in wider activities.
• Contents encompasses whole life.
• Contents are based on overall learning experiences of students.
• It focuses on overall development of students.
Scope of Education (the range, the breadth)
1. Educational psychology: Main aim of education is the development of child. Psychology helps to
understand the child better and development of child with respect of physical, mental, emotional, social
adjustment, individual difference, personality, thinking, reasoning, problem solving.
2. Methods of teaching: In ancient time the pupil were passive listeners but now they actively participate
with the teacher in the process of education. So, the skill and proficiency of difference teaching methods
needs to be developed.
3. Philosophy of education: Philosophy of education covers aims of education, nature of education,
importance of education, function of education its very old and essential part of education.
4. Educational Sociology: A child lives in the society so it is important for him to know about the society
the nature of society, type of society, interdependence between culture and society.

2. FOUNDATION OF EDUCAITON BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) 2018

5. Problems & issues of education: This scope includes problems of teaching management of education and
suggestion and remedies for it.
6. Educational administration and supervision: The educational institution and the system must be
supervised and administrated smoothly so that the process of education goes well. Regulation of fund,
democratic administration, autonomy, personnel management etc.
7. History of Education: It is also important to know background, origin, development, growth, and aspect
of the subjects. It includes various methods and technics that apply during instruction.
8. Economics of education: For the growth of business and market the world class economical education is
important for each and important
9. Environmental education: Ecological in balances have drown the attentions of intelligence today. So,
looking at the environmental problems study of environment education has great importance.
10. Educational technology: It is very recent branch that has come under the scope of education. It makes
education a technical and systematic subject through application of technology in teaching-learning
process.

Types of education
There are three types of education as: 1-Formal, 2-Informal, and 3-Non-formal
1- Formal education
Formal education or formal learning usually takes place in the premises of school, where a person may learn
basic, academic, or trade skills. It is associated with a specific or stage and is provided under the certain set of
rules and regulations. The formal education is given by specially qualified teachers they are supposed to be
efficient in the art of instruction. It also observes strict discipline. The student and the teacher both are aware
of the facts and engage themselves in the process of education.
Characteristics of formal education
• Formal education is structured hierarchically.
• It is planned and deliberate.
• Scheduled fees are paid regularly.
• It has a chronological grading system.
• It has a syllabus and subject oriented.
• The syllabus must be covered within a specific time.
• The child is taught by the trained teachers.

2- Informal
Informal education may be a parent teaching a child how to prepare a meal or ride a bicycle. Informal
education is when you are not studying in a school and do not use any learning method. In this type of
education, conscious efforts are not involved. It is neither pre-planned nor deliberate. It may be learned at
some marketplace, streets, or at home. Informal education consists of experiences and living in the family or
community.
Characteristics of Informal Education
▪ It is independent of boundary walls.
▪ It has no definite syllabus.
▪ It is not pre-planned and has no timetable.
▪ No fees are required as we get the informal education through daily experience and by learning new
things.
▪ It is a lifelong process in a natural way.
▪ The certificates/degrees are not involved.
▪ One has no stress for learning the new things.
▪ You can get from any source such as media, life experiences, friends, family etc.

3. FOUNDATION OF EDUCAITON BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) 2018


3- Non-formal education
Non-formal education includes adult basic education, adult literacy education or school equivalency
preparation. In non-formal education, someone (who is not in school) can learn literacy, other basic
skills, or job skills. Home education, individualized instruction (such as programmed learning),
distance learning and computer-assisted instruction are other possibilities.
Characteristics of Non-Formal Education
▪ The non-formal education is planned and takes place apart from the school system.
▪ The timetable and syllabus can be adjustable.
▪ Unlike the theoretical formal education, it is practical and vocational education.
▪ Non-formal education has no age limit.
▪ Fees are certificates may or may not be necessary.
▪ It may be full time or part-time learning and one can earn and learn together.
▪ It involves learning of professional skills.
Comparison of Formal, informal, and non-formal education
Formal Informal Non-forma
Specific period (from school to
university)
Life long process Continues process
Scope is limited Vast Vast
Institutional At home Structured organization
Aim is intellectual development
of man
Practicing All over development
Preplanned Un-planned Pre-planned
Curriculum and co-curricular No-curriculum Need-based-subjects
Unreal (theories) Natural Combination of both
Fixed teaching methods no fixed teaching method Pre-determined in written form
Imparted by professionals Unprofessional Correspondence
Students assessment and
evaluation for certification
Evaluation through observation
(no certification
Evaluation for certification
Discipline is strict and well
planned
Social discipline Self-disciplined
Rigid entry and exit rules and
regulations
Free Flexible
Does not utilize all human
resources
Human resources Based on maximum human
potential

Elements of Education
The teaching and learning process in education is largely based on following elements:
Aims, Curriculum, Pedagogy, Evaluation

4. FOUNDATION OF EDUCAITON BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) 2018

1. Aims
The aim of education is over all intellectual, moral, physical, social, spiritual, aesthetical, and ethical
development of individual. Aims are influenced by the political, economic, social, and religious factors. Some
aims are very general and defined in broader sense, while some aims are very specific. The following includes:
− Knowledge of subjects, disciplines, and environment etc. as aim of education
− Development of Physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social, spiritual, aesthetical, ethical,
and personal.
− Preservation of culture, valuing cultural heritage, and transmission of experiences from generation to
generation.
− Country’s economic, social, political, and moral progress, and utilizing sources.
− Education as for citizenship with individual’s self-discipline, honesty, responsible, co-operative
− Social efficiency through Learn skill for adjustment in society
− Vocational aim of education to transmit knowledge of industries, technology, skills etc.
2. Curriculum
In education, a curriculum is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational
process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view of the student's
experiences in terms of the educator's or school's instructional goals. The aim of education achieved through
curriculum. It includes curricular and co-curricular activities for the overall development of students.
3. Pedagogy
Pedagogy comes from Greek which means “to lead the child. In Latin, pedagogy means good learning style.
Pedagogy (most commonly understood as the approach to teaching) refers more broadly to the theory and
practice of education, and how this influences the growth of learners. It concerns with teaching methods. To
present the curriculum to the students, different methods are required. There are varieties of teaching strategies
to present the curriculum to the learners to achieve educational aims.
4. Evaluation
Educational evaluation is the evaluation process of characterizing and appraising some aspect/s of
an educational process. It concerns with judgment and knowing the value of anything. In education different
things are evaluated e.g. contents, teaching methods, and students performance. The evaluation is administered
to examine whether the educational aims and objectives achieved or not.