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Education is a process to develop the intellectual faculties of the man. It makes the civilized, refined, cultured and educated. For a civilized and socialized society, education is the only means. It makes a man perfect. It is systematic process through which a child or a man acquires knowledge, experience, skill and sound attitude. Every society gives importance to education because it is a panacea for all evils. It is the key to solve all problems of life. Derivative Meaning of Education: The word Education has been derived from different words. Latin word E and Duco means to draw out of the inner qualities of the child. Similarly, educare means to nurture and to bring up while educare means to draw out the qualities of a child to make a complete man. Various educationists have given their views on education. Some important definitions are: Gandhi By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in man body, mind and spirit. Tagore - Education makes ones life in harmony with all existence. Dr. Zakir Husain Education is the process of the individual mind, getting to its full possible development. Aristotle- Education is the creation of sound mind in a sound body. Rousseau- Education is the childs development from within. Spencer- Education is complete living. It can be estimated that education is a comprehensive term and it reflects ones day-to-day life and an essential aspect for perfect balanced personality development. On other hand, the meaning of education can be understood from the narrower and broader point of view. Narrower meaning implies education is limited in educational institutions and broader meaning refers to life-long comprehensive process of education. Nature of Education: As the meaning of education, so its nature which is very complex. The natures of education are: (a) Education is life-long process- Education is life long process because every stage of life of an individual is important from educational point. (b) Education is a systematic process- It refers to transact its activities through a systematic institution and regulation. (c) 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. (d) Education is modification of behavior- Human behavior is modified and improved through educational process.
(e) Education is a training- Human senses, mind, behavior, activities; skills are trained in a constructive and socially desirable way. (f) Education is instruction and direction- It directs and instructs an individual to fulfill his desires and needs for exaltation of his whole personality. (g) 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. (h) Education is continuous reconstruction of our experiences- As per the definition of John Dewey education reconstructs and remodels our experiences towards socially desirable way. (i) Education is a power and treasure in human being through which he is entitled as the supreme master on the earth. Therefore, the role of education is countless for a perfect society and man. It is necessary for every society and nation to bring holistic happiness and prosperity to its individuals.
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Latin words 'Educare' and 'Educere' mean to bring up, tolead out and to develop etc. In this way the word education means to develop the inborn qualities of a child to the full.
(3) Education as a Dynamic Process. Education is not a static but a dynamic process which develops the child accordingto changing situation and times. It is a purposive activity always pursuing some aim of life to which an individual devoteshimself fully. (4) Education as a Bipolar Process. In his book Evolution of Educational Theory Adams has interpreted education as abipolar process. He analysed education as under (i) "It (Education) is a bipolar process in which one personality acts upon another in order to modify the development of the other." (ii) "The process is not only a conscious one but a deliberate one. The educator has the clearly realized intention of modifying the development of the educand." (iii) "The means by which the development of the educand is to be modifiedare two folds: (a) The direct application of the educator's personality to the personality of the educand, and (b) The use of knowledge in its various forms." According to Adams, the bipolareducation has two poles. At one end is the teacher and at the other is the child. Both are equally important in education. If the teacher instruct, the child follows. If the teacher gives, the child receives. Thus, in the process of education there isinteraction between the teacher and the child.The teacher tries to mould and modify the behaviour of the child so that the latter develops his personality to the full.With the active cooperation of the teacher and the child, the process of education goes on smoothly and efficiently. (5) Education as a Tripolar Process. Like Adams, John. Dewey also regards education as a process of development. Butwhile accepting the psychological view, Adams emphasizes the importance of teacher and the child, John Deweyemphasizes the sociological view point. Hence, according to John Dewey,5education has two aspects(1) Psychological, and (2) Sociological. He accepts the contention that education of the child should be according to his native endowment. He further asserts that the development of a child does not take place in a vacuum. It takes place in and through thesociety in which the teacher and the child both live. It is the society which will determine the aims, contents and methodsof teaching. In this way, the process of education contains three poles, namely (1) the teacher, (2) the child, (3) thesociety. These three factors actively co-operate in the efficient and successful working of the educational process.
T. Raymont, a well known educationist, has similar idea that, "Education is the process of development which consists thepassage of human being from infancy to maturity, the process6whereby he adapts himself gradually in various ways to his physical, social and spiritual environment."Thus, education is a process of development, lo understand its nature and rate of progress, one must know the data of education.
Data of Education
The data of education consists of the following four factors (1) The Child. The foremost data of education is the child. Each child has certain innate powers. His natural developmentis possible only according to these native endowments. As such, the child's nature should be known to those who provideeducation for his development. (2) Heredity. Hereditarians believe that education of a child is predetermined by heredity. According to them, hereditaryimpressions influence a child from his infancy before any formal education begins. As the impressions are often indelible,therefore education has to follow the lines laid down by these impressions generated and formed by parents and otherrelated elders of society. These innate tendencies and qualities are the firm foundations for his education. These also delimit and define the highestachievements to be achieved by him. Without hereditary traits and impressions of a musician, a child can never bedeveloped into a noted musician of repute by education or any other process. Thus, to be hereditarians, education isdevelopment according to lines pre-determined and prelaid by the heredity of a child. (3) Environment. Another factor of education is environment. Every child is born in a family at a particular place andtime. His upbringing also takes place in a specific environment. This environment is either controlled or uncontrolled.Both types of environments exert their influence upon the growing child in different ways. Controlled environment leadsto controlled growth and uncontrolled environment promotes uncontrolled growth. According to environmentalists, heredity factor is only a myth. They assert that if the environment is not desirable, noamount of heredity will be able to develop the child according to desirable lines and standards of growth. According tothem, environment is a powerful factor which influences the development of child consciously or both. One cannot escape itsinfluence at any cost. The environmentalists hold that as the child gradually comes into contact with the physical and social environments, hisinnate tendencies flower out and his behaviour begins to change. In this sense, it is the environment and not the hereditywhich makes a child a musician or an artist. Thus, according to environmentalists, education is a process based on and conditioned by the environment in which thechild is brought up. (4) Time. During the process of development, specific activities are indulged by the child at specific times. To understandthis process of development, one must have a clear understanding of the various stages of development. As different andspecific tendencies sprout out of these various stages, education must correspond its plans and programmes to thesebudding capacities. Then only, the development of the child will be normal and natural. Hence, education shouldcorrespond and suit the mental level of the child, otherwise it will create complexes and mar the development.Both the hereditarians and the environmentalists assert one side of the truth. The two factors are not contradictory. Theyare mutually
complementary and supplementary. Both work together to develop the child smoothly and in a balanced way.Both are essential for the proper development of a child.
undergone by their thoughts, personalities and abilities would have been impossible otherwise. In much thesame way, people other than the educator, teach and learn simultaneously.
Synthetic Definition
It is clear from the above discussion of the meaning of education in West and India, ancient and modem that it may besynthesised since all these accept some common characteristics of education. The following points, concerning themeaning of education, emerge from a review of the meaning of education in the West and in India:1. A Life-long Process. Education, according to most of the philosophers, continues from birth to death. As Madam Paul11Richard pointed out, the education of man, "should begin at his very birth and it is to continue the whole length of hislife."2. Unfolding. Education is a gradual unfolding. In his allegory of the cave Plato observed that "the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already, and just as the eye was unable to turn from darkness to light, without the whole body,so too, the instrument of knowledge can only, by the movement of the whole soul, be turned from the world of thebecoming into that of being and learn by degrees to endure the sight of being and of the brightest and best of being or inother words of the good."It is in the same sense that Sri Aurobindo said, "'The chief aim of education should be to help the growing soul to drawout that in itself which is best and make it perfect for a noble use."3. Based on Child Psychology Western thinkers unanimously agree that true education should be based on childpsychology. This again has been accepted by Indian philosophers of education. According to Sri Aurobindo, "Nothing canbe taught to the mind which is not already concealed as potential knowledge in the unfolding soul of the creature."Educational theory must be based on sound psychology. As Sri Aurobindo points out, "The true basis of education is thestudy of the human mind, infant, adolescent arid adult."4. Individual as well as Social. True education is individual as well as social. Plato brought out a scheme of educationaccording to each individual's capacities to serve the society. Philosophers, in the West, have everywhere laid emphasisupon individual as well as social aims of education.12Contemporary Indian philosophers also exhibit this tendency. M.K. Gandhi said, "I value individual freedom, but youmust not forget that man is essentially a social being. He has risen to his present status by learning to adjust hisindividuality to the
requirements of social progress."5. Total Development. Thus, education by general agreement is a total development, physical, mental and spiritual,individual as well as social. This total development is the meaning of self-realisation. This synthesis of the different aspectof man's development is characteristic of not only idealism but alsonaturalism, pragmatism and realism. It is again the meaning of perfection, acclaimed as the aim of education by so manythinkers. It is also what is known as complete education. It is again the humanist meaning of education since man is acomplex being having several aspects of his personality all of which require full development.According to Sri Aurobindo, education should help the individual to grow "into a fullness of physical and vital energy andutmost breadth, depth and height of his emotional, his intellectual and his spiritual being". The total development lays equal emphasis upon physical as well as spiritual growth. Without physical culture mental training has been considered asone-sided.In the words of Aldous Huxley, "Where the body is maladjusted and under strain, the mind's relations, sensory, emotional,intellectual, conative, with external realty are likely to be unsatisfactory."Education aims at an all round and total perfection of the individual and society. Hence, physical culture should form animportant part of the educational process. As Sri Aurobindo puts it, "If seeking is for a total perfection of the being, thephysical part of it cannot be left aside, for the body is the material basis, the body is the instrument which we have touse."Similar quotations may be hunted from other philosophers of education in West and East. The total development involvescharacter development, development of social virtues and individual skills. It includes all the various aims of education. Itinvolves all the functions of education in human life such as development of natural abilities, character building,personality integration, preparation for adult life, control and sublimation of basic instincts, creation of useful citizens,development of a sense of community, progress of culture and civilization, social welfare, use of leisure and synthesis of national as well as international consciousness.
type examination14encouraged cramming and rote memorization. Modern techniques evaluate as well as examine These include objectivetests, progress reports, cumulative records, interviews and practical performances.(7) Agencies of Education. According to old beliefs, school was the only agency for the education of children. Accordingto modern views, all formal and informal agencies arc harnessed to the task of education.(8) Teacher. Old education put the teacher at the top of the educational process. In modern times, a teacher is considered as a friend, philosopher and guide.(9) Child. According to old concept, the child was a mere passive recipient of whatever the teacher instructed. Moderneducation is child-centred. The entire educational process is to cater to his needs and develop him according to his nature.He is to interact actively with the teacher and his class-mates to achieve effective learning promoting his owndevelopment and the development of the society of which he is an integral part.(10) School. According to old concept, school served as a shop for selling knowledge. Everything was pre-planned inadvance. Teachers were concerned with the input and bothered little about output. Modern concept of education regardsschool as miniature of society laying emphasis more on output in comparison with input.(11) Education as a Discipline. In ancient times, education meant only training of something for some aim. Moderneducation is a separate discipline of deep study, investigation and research. It is a very important process of humandevelopment in all fields of human activities. It has its own distinct special feature and factors to promote it as a vitalformative process.
Parts of Education
According to John Dewey, education is a tripolar process. It has following three important ingredients: (1) The Teacher. In ancient times, the teacher had the main role to play while the learner's role was subsidiary. In moderntime, the role has been reversed. Though the place of teacher has now become secondary, yet his responsibility hasincreased because a teacher is not only an important factor in the educational environment of the learner, he is also abuilder of the whole educational environment which is very comprehensive and all inclusive.In the process of education, a teacher's role is of two fold. First, being the important factor of the educationalenvironment, he influences the personality of the learner through his own magnetic personality. Second, as a builder of theeducational environment, he provides suitable experiences to the learner to develop and use fully his skills and capacitiesto achieve the good of his ownself and the welfare of his society, of which he is an integral part. Besides, by his ownattitudes and behaviour, the teacher builds the character of learners and infuses in them respect for moral and spiritualvalues.This is only possible when the teacher is himself a man of strong moral character. He must be well aware of the modernstrategies, tactics and techniques of teaching. He should be capable of using
them to the best of his knowledge to maketeaching-learning most effective. Thus, to develop the learner as well as the society, a teacher is a very, important factorin the educational process of today.(2) The Learner. According to psychological findings and democratic feelings, education starts from the child. Thus,education has become child-centred today. Adams was the first educationist to point out this truth by his remark, "Theteacher teaches Latin to John". John is more important than Latin.17Modern educationists are unanimous about the importance of child in the educational process. Education should developthe personality of the learner according to his interests, inclinations, abilities and capacities. Everything concerningeducation is now child-centered. Aims, curriculum and methods keep the child at the centre of their formulation andplanning of educational programmes.No teacher can be successful in his activities if he fails to understand the learner with which he is to deal. To maketeaching-learning normal, natural and effective, the teacher should not only be the master of content but also know fullywell the stages of child development and their characteristics.(3) Curriculum. The essential link between the teacher and the child is the curriculum. It serves as a vehicle for therealization of educational aims. The teacher uses the items of curriculum according to modem methods of teaching toeducate children to realize the predetermined aims of education. In the wider sense, curriculum means all the experiencesand activities from which a child learns something or the other.The teacher and the child both co-operate in building and formulating experiences conducive to learning. Curriculum isstructured according to the ever-growing needs of children and changing demands of dynamic society.This is the difference between the curriculum of despotic as well as democratic countries. In the former type, all activitiesare rigid, predetermined and fully controlled by the state, while in the latter pattern, there is flexibility, freedom and adjustment.