MEANING OF EDUCATION
INTRODUCTION
Education is called a systematic process by that a child or an adult gets knowledge, experience, skill and sound attitude. It makes a person civilized and educated. For a civilized and socialized society, education is the only means. Its aim is to make an individual perfect. So every society gives more importance to education as it is a panacea for all evils. It is the main key to overcoming life’s challenges.
DEFINATION OF EDUCATION
Education is defined by Western philosophers as under.
1. Socrates: was a Greek philosopher from Athens.He says:
“Education means the bringing out of the ideas of universal validity which are latent in the mind of every man”
2. Plato: He was an Ancient Greek philosopher.He says:
“Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment. It develops in the body and in the soul of the pupil all the beauty and all the perfection which he is capable of.”
3. Aristotle: He was an Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath.He says:
“Education is the creation of a sound mind in a sound body. It develops man’s faculty, especially his mind so that he may be able to enjoy the contemplation of supreme truth, goodness and beauty of which perfect happiness essentially consists.
Nature of Education
As is the meaning of Education, so is its nature. It is very complex. some important elements are about the Nature of Education.
1. Education is a life-long process: Education is a continuous and lifelong process. It starts from the womb of the mother and continues till death. It is the process of development from infancy to maturity. It includes the effect of everything which influences human personality.
2. Education is a systematic process: It refers to transact its activities through a systematic institution and regulation.
3. Education is development of individual and the society : It is called a force for social development, which brings improvement in every aspect in the society.
4. Education is modification of behavior: Human behavior is modified and improved through educational process.
5. Education is purposive: Every individual has some goal in his life. Education contributes in attainment of that goal. There is a definite purpose underlined all Educational activities.
6. Education is training: Human senses, mind, behavior, activities; skills are trained in a constructive and socially desirable way.
7. Education is instruction and direction: It directs and instructs an individual to fulfill his desires and needs for exaltation of his whole personality.
8. Education is life: Life without Education is meaningless and like the life of a beast. Every aspect and incident needs education for its sound development.
9. Education is continuous reconstruction of our experiences: As per the definition of John Dewey Education reconstructs and remodels our experiences towards socially desirable way.
10. Education helps in individual adjustment: A man is a social being. If he is not able to adjust himself in different aspects of life his personality can’t remain balanced. Through the medium of education he learns to adjust himself with the friends, class fellows, parents, relations, neighbors and teachers etc.
11. Education is balanced development: Education is concerned with the development of all faculties of the child. It performs the functions of the physical, mental, aesthetic, moral, economic, spiritual development of the individual so that the individual may get rid of his animal instincts by sublimating the same so that he becomes a civilized person of society.
12. Education is a dynamic process : Education is not a static but a dynamic process which develops the child according to changing situations and times. It always induces the individual towards progress. It reconstructs the society according to the changing needs of the time and place of the society.
13. Education is a bipolar process : Adams says, Education is a bipolar process in which one personality acts on another to modify the development of other person. The process is not only conscious but deliberate.
14. Education is a three dimensional process: John Dewey accurately pointed “All Educations proceeds by participation of the individual in the social consciousness of the race.” Thus it is the society which will determine the aims, contents and methods of teachings . In this way the process of Education consists of 3 poles – the teacher, the child and the society.
15. Education as growth: The end of growth is more growth and the end of Education is more Education. According to John Dewey , “An individual is a changing and growing personality.” The purpose of Education is to facilitate the process of his/her growth.
Hi, My name is Zulfiqar Ali. I am a teacher and having 22 years teaching experience. I am M.Phil(Urdu) M.Ed, LLB.