Formal and Non Formal Education - Free Essay Example

Education  in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the  mind,character  or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated  knowledge,  skills  and  values  from one generation to another. Etymologically, the word education is derived from  educare  (Latin) bring up, which is related toeducere  bring out, bring forth what is within, bring out potential and  ducere, to lead. 1] Teachers  in educational institutions direct the education of  students  and might draw on manysubjects, including  reading,  writing,  mathematics,  science  and  history. This process is sometimes called  schooling  when referring to the education of teaching only a certain subject, usually as professors at institutions of  higher learning. There is also education in fields for those who want specific  vocational  skills, such as those required to be a pilot. In addition there is an array of education possible at the  informal level, such as in museums and libraries, with the Internet and in life experience. Many non-traditional education options are now available and continue to evolve. Formal and Non Formal Education  has basic differences. Formal education is classroom-based, accompanied by trained teachers. Informal education happens outside the classroom, in after-school programs, community-based organizations, museums, libraries, or at home. Both formal and informal education settings offer different strengths to educational outreach project. After-school programs offer a different kind of environment, where ones activities dont need to be as formal and once can easily reach the audience. While both schools and after-school programs serve students, at school blossom in after-school settings. Real learning can happen in a setting where kids feel less intimidated or more comfortable than they do in a formal classroom. Education  is about teaching and learning  skills  and  knowledge. Education also means helping people to learn how to do things and encouraging them to think about what they learn. It is also important for educators to teach ways to find and use information. Through education, the knowledge f  society,  country, and of the  world  is passed on fromgeneration  to generation. In  democracies, through education,  children  and  adults  are supposed to learn how to be active and effective  citizens. t is part of the job of an  educator, an instructor,  teacher, or  tutor  to create a place for learning. There are many  different  kinds of education. Formal education Formal education is usually in  school, where a pe rson may learn basic, academic, or  trade  skills. Formal education begins in  elementary school  and continues with  secondary school. Post-secondary education (or higher education) is usually at a  college  or  university. Nonformal education Nonformal education is sometimes called adult  basic  education, adult  literacy  education or school equivalency preparation. In nonformal education an adult (or a youth who is not in school) can learn literacy, other basic skills or job skills. Nonformal education can be in small classes or through self study. [nformal education There is also informal education. For example, a parent teaches a child how to prepare a  meal. Someone can also get an informal education by reading many  books  from a  library. Informal education is when you are not studying in a school and dont use another particular  learning method. This article presents a conceptual framework for understanding the interrelationships among formal, nonformal and informal education. It provides a typology of modes of education across the life span, from childhood to old age. The nonformal education mode is the focus of the article as examples of programs for differing ages, sexes, social classes and ethnic groups are discussed. The third section of the article raises questions regarding the relationship between nonformal education for individual and social change within and across cultural and socio-economic groups. It also discusses the relationship between nonformal and formal education relative to their respective scope and outcomes. The author argues that educational resources must be viewed as interacting modes of emphasis rather than as discrete entities. Hence, all individuals are engaged in learning experiences at all times, from planned, compulsory and intentional to unplanned, voluntary and incidental. It is also argued that nonformal education may be more strongly associated with socio-economic, sex and ethno-religious groups than is formal education. Because of these strong socio-economic and cultural ties, the utility of nonformal education for social, as opposed to individual, change is often restricted. The value of nonformal, as opposed to formal, education for access to the opportunity structure for low socio-economic status populations is also questioned because of the greater legitimacy typically associated with schooling.