Meaning and Definition of Education

Etymologically, education is derived from Latin words educere, educare and educatum which mean ‘to learn”, ‘to know’
and ‘to lead out’, hence education means to lead out internal hidden talent of a child or person. In a narrow sense, education
is provided under the premises of schools, colleges and universities. It is limited under the premises of educational institutions. It
doesn’t include the education outside of the four walls of an institution. In a broader context, education is universal. We can gain
education anywhere, anytime. There is no bound of place and time. It is a long life process. It starts from the womb and ends in the
tomb.

Natural learning environments inspire a burning desire to learn. Is education knowledge in basic skills, academics, technical,
discipline, citizenship or is it something else? Our formal education system says only academic basics are important and that is based
on collecting knowledge without understanding its value. How about the processing of knowledge, using inspiration, visionary
ambitions, creativity, risk, ability to bounce back from failure, motivation? They succeeded because they knew how to research, collect
information for a selected project and process knowledge. Anyone who does not have the ability to put clear thoughts on paper is
labeled a failure. All natural skills, including knowledge processing, does not count.

The fact is, what is exercised grows stronger, what is ignored stays dormant. The classroom exercises the collection of
academics leaving all other natural skills in the closet. Test does not measure intelligence or ability, it does not measure how the mind
processes information, how motivating experiences develop persistence, or how the mind sorts out instincts, opinions, evaluations,
possibilities, alternatives. Knowledge by itself has no value, it is like a dictionary filled with words. Words by themselves have no value,
it is the process of stringing them together that gives them value. How they are strung together determines the level of value.

Now our education system is becoming a system that memorizes the dictionary. When students have memorized selected
knowledge, then they will be given a one-day test, based on dictionary knowledge, which will influence employment opportunity for the
rest of their life. Natural skills are not considered. Achievers in life use inspiration and motivation to overcome barriers. Teaching to the
test does not inspire or motivate anyone, memorizing does not inspire a love to learn, in fact, it does just the opposite, it turns off the
desire to learn. Education’s goal should be to develop a love to learn that stays with students throughout a lifetime. Education should
be a lifetime experience, not limited to the youth years.

Self-made millionaires are not "A" students in the classroom. The way they process knowledge is in conflict with classroom
priorities. The self-made millionaire has a vision, then s/he researches specific knowledge, applies intuitive knowledge and process all
elements, searching for a workable solution. Finding alternative ways to do common tasks makes millionaires. The secret is vision,
research and processing, not pre-stored knowledge alone.

An educated person perceive accurately, think clearly, and act effectively according to self-defined goals and aspirations. An
educated person is also respectful of others regardless of their power and status, responsible for the results of their actions, and
resourceful at getting what they need, both, personally and for their family, organization, and /or society. It is true that the educated
person needs information, but an educated person is not dependent on the information they have stored in their heads, because they
have the ability to find information, create knowledge, and develop skills when necessary. Achieving the status of being educated does
not require a teacher. Having and manipulating knowledge, skills and information is a necessity as well as the constant need to see
through the inherent illusions that arise from our unconscious thought processes since our ability to influence our states of mind.

What all learners are doing is developing a map of reliable methods of getting from negative states of mind to positive states
of mind. The units of knowledge skills and information are points on the map, but what makes the map useful are accurate portrayals
of the relationships between the points and how those points can be used to arrive at the desired states of mind. The key quality of an
educated person is the ability to move from negative states of mind to positive states of mind and assist others to do the same. This
covers all situations where there are problems such as poverty, conflict, and pollution as well as problems like depression, ignorance, or
ambition. The world that we are concerned with in education is the human mind. Students need to learn to navigate the terrain of their
own minds so that they can effectively navigate the real world that confronts that mind with all the challenges of earthly human
existence. Consistent attainment of positive states of mind is better known as having a good attitude. If everyone can achieve a good
attitude and help others do the same then the world will be a better place. Thus education, the process of attaining and assisting
others to attain a good attitude that enables a person to perceive accurately, think clearly, and act effectively according to self-selected
goals, is fundamentally about attitude no matter what age or level of schooling you are concerned with.

The three role circus are the learning agent, the learning catalyst, and the learning context. The learning agent is the active
map-maker. The learning agent is obviously the student as that role is normally thought of in schools. The learning catalyst is someone
or something that the agent engages in a deep relationship with and attempts to understand how the catalyst fits into the agent’s
world.

What is knowledge then? It is thought of as a body of information that exists "out there”, the results or products of human
thought processes that have taken on a life of their own. It is the sum total of facts, truths, laws, principles, and ideas that man has
produced. “Developing the knowledge of the student" is conceptualized as "giving" them these facts, truths, laws, principles, ideas, and
history. Knowledge is not "out there," but arises in the mind of an individual when that person interacts with the world.

“The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning; it should produce not learned but
learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and
children are students together." ~Eric Hoffer

“No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The
effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure." ~Emma Goldman

"The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think—rather to improve our
minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other
men." ~Bill Beattie

"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.“ (Aristotle)

Adopted from: Norman, M. (2012). Meaning and Definition of Education. Accessed athttps://www.slideshare.net/anz89/meaning-and-
definition-of-education