13108 - NCERT · 2020. 9. 28. · 13108 ISBN 978-93-5007-283-7 T extb ok f rB .Ed C u s Education...

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ISBN 978-93-5007-283-7

Textbook for B. Ed. Course

EducationBasics in

Basics inEducationTextbook for B. Ed. Course

First EditionJune 2014 Jyaishtha 1936

PD 1 T MJ

© National Council of Educational Research and Training, 2014

` 210.00

Printed on 80 GSM paper with NCERT watermark

Published at the Publication Divsion by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi 110 016 and printed at Karan Press (A Unit of KBT Plastics Pvt. Ltd.) A-215, Sector-83, Noida U.P.

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ISBN 978-93-5007-283-7

Publication Team

Head, Publication : N. K. GuptaDivision

Chief Production : Kalyan BanerjeeOfficer

Chief Editor : Shveta Uppal

Chief Business : Gautam Ganguly Manager

Editorial Assistant : Mathew John

Production Assistant : Subodh Srivastava

Foreword

What is ‘Education’? What is its primary purpose, and what is not? Which approaches support it, and at which levels of cognition? So many basic questions that many of our ‘trained teachers’, among others, ask. And very few fora to discuss the limited responses they have found so far. Therefore, the need for a book of this kind, on basic concepts and introductions to various relevant theories, was felt. The present textbook, ‘Basics in Education’, is related to one of the core components of the two-year B. Ed. Programme, introduced by NCERT recently. It aims to help the student-teachers understand and analyse diverse concepts related to education, their premises and contexts. It discusses crucial concepts like the nature and goals of education, the processes of education, different forms of knowledge and the process of knowing, organisation of knowledge in school curriculum, autonomy of the teachers and the learners, and the role of education in inculcating values among children. The textbook has been written in a self-instructional format, which provides the student-teachers with considerable scope for engaging in the processes of inquiry, critical analysis and intellectual discourse. Each chapter, in addition to the relevant content, carries Learning Checks, Activities, Summary, Review Questions, and References/Further Readings, providing opportunities to the student-teachers to engage with those concepts. As you go through it, you will see that the material reflects and propagates inclusiveness too. The NCERT gratefully acknowledges the joint effort of all the educationists involved in preparing this material, and particularly Professor Bharati Baveja for reviewing it. We hope that the book will be a meaningful resource to student-teachers, teachers, teacher-educators and all stakeholders in the schooling systems in our country.

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We would appreciate receiving feedback from you to bring further improvements in the book, which can be sent to the Editor of the book, Professor A.K. Srivastava (e-mail: [email protected]).

Parvin SinclairDirector

New Delhi National Council of EducationalJune 2014 Research and Training

TexTbook developmenT Team

ContributorsChanchal Goel, Lecturer, District Institute of Education and Training, Pitampura, New Delhi (e-mail:[email protected]) – Chapter 7

Daya Pant, Professor and Head, Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi (e-mail:[email protected]) – Chapter 10

G.L. Arora, Professor and Head (Retd.), Department of Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi (e-mail:[email protected]) Chapter – 2

Girishwar Misra, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, Delhi (e-mail: [email protected]) Chapter – 11

Kiran Walia, Associate Professor, Department of Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi (e-mail:[email protected]) Chapter – 8

Manjula P. Rao, Professor, Regional Institute of Education, Mysore. (e-mail: [email protected]) Chapter – 1

Naresh K. Gupta, Associate Professor, Division of Educational Research, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi. (e-mail: [email protected]) Chapter – 3

Poonam Agrawal, Professor, Division of Educational Research, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi (e-mail: [email protected]) Chapter – 9

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Ramesh Babu B., Professor at Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal (e-mail: [email protected]) Chapter – 4

Sunil Behari Mohanty, (Retd.) Professor of Education, presently residing at Puducherry (e-mail: [email protected]) Chapter – 6

Uma Vyas, Associate Professor and Head, Departmnet of Teacher Education, Bareilly College, Bareily (e-mail:[email protected]) Chapter – 5

EditorAshok K. Srivastava, Professor and Head, Division of Educational Research, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi (e-mail:[email protected])

ReviewerBharati Baveja, Professor, Department of Education, University of Delhi, Delhi (e-mail:[email protected])

acknowledgemenT

A number of scholars contributed towards the development of the textbook. The planning meeting was held in January 2010. The following scholars contributed towards the planning of the book: Professor M. Sen Gupta, Gurgaon; Professor M.D. Usha Devi, ISEC, Bangalore; Professor H.K. Senapati, RIE Bhubaneswar; Professor G.L. Arora, Gurgaon; Dr. Minal Narawane, Pune; Professor A.K. Mishra, NERIE, Shillong; Professor A.K. Srivastava, NCERT; and Dr. N.K. Gupta, NCERT. During the period April 2010 to November 2012, the work related to the development of textbook was coordinated by Professor Poonam Agrawal, NCERT; and Dr. Sharad Sinha, NCERT. A review meeting was held in February 2012 in which the following scholars contributed: Dr. S.B. Mohanty, Puducherry; Dr. Seema Joshi, Jaipur; Dr. Shivani Vij, Delhi; and Professor D.K. Bhattacharjee, formerly with NCERT. Professor G. Ravindra, Bangalore sent his comments by post. The Director, NCERT assigned the task of finalising the book to Professor A.K. Srivastava in November 2012. The final editing of the chapters was done by him. Professor Bharati Baveja, University of Delhi took the painstaking task of reviewing the chapters and gave valuable insights. The finalised versions of the chapters were looked into by the respective authors and modifications were suggested by them. The final manuscript was relooked by Professor Anupam Ahuja, NCERT from the perspective of inclusion (gender and disable friendly). The contributions of all the scholars are thankfully acknowledged.

conTenTs

Foreword iii

1. Concept and Meaning of Education 1

2. Goals of Education 42

3. Processes and Modes of Education 71

4. Knowledge: Meaning and Facets 91

5. Process of Knowing 112

6. Organisation of Knowledge in Schools 135

7. Teacher Autonomy and Accountability 160

8. Learner Autonomy 185

9. Values: Concept and Context 202

10. Education and Values 225

11. Values in the Emerging Social Context 246

Chapter 1

Concept and Meaning of Education

STRUCTURE• Introduction• Objectives• WhatisEducation?

– Etymologicalmeaning– NarrowandBroadermeaning– Educationasprocessandproduct– Conceptandmeaningofeducationaccordingto

Indianthinkers– Westernviewsoneducation– Analyticalconceptofeducation

• WhetherEducationisNaturalorSocialProcess?• WhetherEducationisIntentionalorUnintentional?• WhatDoesEducationCompriseof?• Does Education Occur only in Educational

Institutions? LetUsSumUp ReviewQuestions References

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Basics in Education

InTRodUCTIonTheterm‘education’isaverycommonandapopularwordthatisutteredbymanyofusbutunderstoodbyaveryfewinitsrightperspective.Itisinonewayortheotherappearstobeasoldasthehumanrace,thoughduringthecourseoftime,itsmeaningandobjectiveshaveinevitablyundergonecertainchanges.Asastudentofeducationcourse,and,asa future teacher, it is essential for you to understand themeaningofeducation,itsconceptualfeaturesanddifferentperspectivesthathaveshapeditsmeaningfromtimetotime.Understanding the concept of education and its dynamicfeatureswillhelpyoutodevelopinsightsaboutthepurposeof becoming a teacher and help youwhile educating yourstudents. ThischapteranalyzesdifferentperspectivesandviewsofIndianandwesternthinkersoneducation.Thecontemporarymeaningofeducationisdiscussedherefromanalyticalviewpoints. Education as a natural and a social process andalsoeducationasanintentionalactivityarediscussedwithsuitable illustrations.Thedifferentprocessesofeducationand understanding the role and the need of institutionsineducatingthe individualsarealsoexaminedbydrawingrelevancetoschoolcontext.

objECTIvESAftergoingthroughthischapter,youwillbeableto:• Analysevariousperspectivesandviewsontheconceptof

education.• Explaintheconceptofeducationasaninitiationprocess

inthewesternandeasternperspectives.• Explaintheconceptofeducationasaworthwhileactivity

inthecontextofschooleducation.• Differentiatebetweeneducationasanaturalprocessand

asasocialprocesswithsuitableillustrations.• Understand the dimensions of education and their

relevance.• Understand the role and the need of institutions in

educatingtheindividuals.

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ConCept and Meaning of eduCation

WhaT IS EdUCaTIon?Youare,bynow,familiarwiththeterm‘education’,‘educatedperson’‘educating’andsoon.Youmusthavealsousedthesetermsonseveraloccasionsinconversationwithothers.Whatdowemean by education?Does ‘teaching’ or ‘instructing’becomeeducation?Orisitlearninginaninstitution?Doesdeveloping the child into good human being known aseducation?Isitpossibletohaveonemeaningofeducation?Therearemanymoresuchquestionsthatcometoourmindwhenweattempttounderstandtheconceptofeducation. The term ‘education’ has been interpreted by differentpeople indifferentways.Somepeople refer to it as formalschoolingor to lifelong learning.Someothersrefer to itasacquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Some saythateducationisnothing,buttrainingofpeople’smindinaparticulardirectiontobringaboutdesiredchanges.Ifyouaskastatesman,anartisan,ateacher,aparent,aphilosopherand a student aboutwhat educationmeans to them, youwouldbesurprisedtoknowthemultipleinterpretationsandviews people have about education. This only shows thateducation doesn’t have one precise universally accepteddefinition. Ithasvariousmeaningswithvarious functions.Analysis of these meanings would help us to understandwhateducationreallyis.Tobeginwith,letuslookintohowthe term ‘education’has evolvedand someof the viewsofgreatthinkersthatexemplifiestheconceptandmeaningofeducation.

EtyMologiCal MEaningEtymologicallyspeaking,thewordeducationisderivedfromtheLatinword‘educare’meaning‘toraise’and‘tobringup’.Accordingtofewothers,theword‘education’hasoriginatedfromanotherLatinterm‘Educere’whichmeans‘toleadforth’or ‘to come out’. These meanings indicate that educationseeks tonourish thegoodqualitiesanddrawout thebestineveryindividual.Educationseekstodeveloptheinnateortheinnerpotentialitiesofhumans.Someothereducationistsbelievethattheword‘education’hasbeenderivedfromtheLatinterm‘Educatum’,whichmeanstheactofteachingortraining.Themeaningsoftheserootwordsleadustobelieve

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Basics in Education

thateducationaimstoprovideanourishingenvironmentthatwouldfacilitateorbringoutanddevelopthepotentialitiesinanindividual. If you refer to Dictionary of Education (edited by C.V.Good,1973),youwillfindthateducationisdefinedas“theaggregate of all the processes bywhich a persondevelopsabilities,attitudesandotherformsofbehaviourofpracticalvaluesinthesocietyinwhichs/helives;thesocialprocessbywhichpeoplearesubjectedtotheinfluenceofselectedandcontrolledenvironment(especiallythatoftheschool),sothattheymayobtainsocialcompetenceandoptimumindividualdevelopment”.Theconceptofeducationhasbeenusedinavarietyofcontextswithdifferentmeanings.Togiveaprecisedefinitionofeducation,justaswedefinecertainconceptsinscienceor other technical subjects, isdifficult, as there isnoonemeaningofeducationheldincommonbypeople.Letustrytoexplorethedifferentmeaningsandviewpointsoneducation.Understandingtheseconceptionswouldhelpyoutoanalyzethekindofeducationthatisinvoguenowandtowhatextentitisjustified.

narrow and BroadEr MEanings of EduCation

Narrow Meaning of EducationYou must have come across people who consider thatinstruction imparted in schools and higher educationinstitutionsisnothingbuteducation.Theaimsofeducationin these contexts are measured in terms of degrees orcertification or promotion. There is a deliberate effortmadewithadefinitepurposetodevelopcertainamountofknowledge,skills,attitudesandhabitsintheseinstitutions.Thisisanarrowconceptofeducation,whichisconfinedonlytoafewspecific,deliberate,andplannedeffortsthathaveabearingonthedevelopmentoftheindividual.Theeducator,in the narrow sense, aims at producing the literate or aprofessionalpersonsuchasanengineer,adoctor,ateacher,abusinessmanandsoon.Here,theindividualisdeliberately‘taughttothink’aspredeterminedbytheeducators.Thus,inanarrowsense, education isnothing,butapurposefulactivity,deliberatelyplannedfortheoptimumdevelopmentofanindividual’spotentials.

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Education in the narrow sense does not include self culture and the general influences of one’s surroundings, but only those special influences which are consciously and designedly brought to bear upon the youngster by the adult persons of the community whether through the family, the church or the state.

—ThomasRaymont(1906)

Broader Meaning of EducationInthebroaderorwidersense,educationisnotlimitedtoaclassroomoraschoolonly.Itisconsideredtobealifelongprocess,whereall theexperiences,knowledgeandwisdomthat an individual acquires at different stages of one’s lifethrough different channels (i.e., formally, informally andincidentally) are termed as education. The broader viewconsiderseducationasanactorexperiencethathasformativeor additive effect on the personality of an individual. It isbelievedthateducationisnotonlyaninstrumentofsocialchange, but also an investment in national development.Suchaviewofeducationencompassesall lifeexperiences,asthereisashiftinemphasisfromindividualdevelopmenttonationaldevelopment.Itisconsideredthateducationisalifelongprocessthatincludesallexperiencesthatthechildreceives in the school or at home, in the community andsocietythroughinteractionsofvarioussortsandactivities.The broader meaning of education implies the processof development, wherein the individual gradually adaptshimself/herself to variousways tohis/herphysical, socialandspiritualenvironments.

Whatever broadens our horizon, deepens our insight, refines our reactions, and stimulates our thoughts and feelings educates us.

—Lodge

It is really life that educates us.—ThomasRaymont(1906)

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Basics in Education

learning Check 11. AnalysetheviewsofRaymontoneducation.

Education as Process and ProductThereisalwaysacontroversywhethereducationisaprocessoraproduct.Mostly,weconsidereducationasaproduct,thatis,somethingthathasbeenproducedasaresultofcertaininputswhich in this case is instructionor experiences. Inthis sense, it is the sum total ofwhat is received throughlearning — the knowledge, skills, values that are theoutcomesoflearning.Theconceptofeducationasacquisitionof knowledgewas prevalent since the beginning of historyof education. Many literature sources and the religiousdoctrines have propounded that ‘knowledge is power’ and‘knowledgeisvirtue’.Evennowitisbelievedthatknowledgeleads towisdom.Educationbecomesaproductonlywhenitassimilatesthecultureofanysociety,andistransmittedfromonegenerationtoanother.Educationfostersvaluesinpeople,whichareuniversallyacceptedasvaluableatagivenpoint of time. Transmission of knowledge or skills whichtakesplaceasapurposefulactivityinavarietyofwayscouldbetermedastheproductofeducation. Educationcanalsobereferredtoasaprocess.Inthissense,education is referred to theact of developing the intellect,criticalthinkingabilities,socialandculturalunderstanding,andunderstandingofone’sownself.Educationisconsideredas an active and a dynamic process which takes placecontinuouslyduringone’slifebywayofvariousexperiencesthrough either in a formal or in an informalmanner. Theindividual continuously learns. In this process, he or shelearnstoutiliseone’sexperiencesinlearningnewthingsandalsotoreconstructnewthingsintheplaceofoldones.Thusthe learningtakesplacethroughout lifewhich isanactiveandadynamicprocess.Thisdynamicprocessisnothingbuteducation.So,itcanbesaidthateducationisaproductaswellasaprocess. Besidestheabove,educationisviewedinvariousotherwaysbydifferentphilosophersandeducationists.SomeofthemaregivenhereinActivity1foryoutoexploreandfindouttheirmeanings.

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activity 1Discuss the following meanings of education byreferringtothebookscitedinthereferencelistattheendofthischapterorbygoingtothelibrary.• Educationaspreparationforlife• Educationasdirection• Educationisalifelongprocess.

learning Check 21. Explaintheetymologicalmeaningsofeducation.2. Whyisthebroadmeaningofeducationpreferred

tothenarrowmeaningofeducation?3. ‘Education is considered as a dynamic and an

activeprocess’.Explain.

ConCEpt and MEaning of EduCation aCCording to indian thinkErsBesides knowing the narrow and the broad meanings ofeducationandvariousotherinterpretations,itmayalsobedesirable to explore into the educational thoughtsof greatthinkersinordertogetadeeperunderstandingoftheconceptandthenatureofeducation. The great philosophers and thinkers, through differentperiods of human civilisation, have attempted to defineeducation and, in doing so, have reflected their ownphilosophical ideals and thoughts. Let us try to trace theeducational thoughts of someof the great Indian thinkerswhomyouare familiarwith.WeshallalsoexaminebrieflyhoweducationwasconceivedinancienttimesinIndia.

Education in Ancient IndiaIn India, there isa rich traditionofeducationdatingbackto the dawn of human civilisation, where the Gurukulas and Guru-Shishya parampara (teacher-disciple tradition)developedthousandsofyearsago.TwoprominentwordsinSanskrit stand out as equivalents of the term ‘education’.ThesewordsareShiksha andVidya.The formerhasbeenderivedfromtherootwordShasmeaning‘todiscipline’or‘tocontrol’,thelatter,Vidya,isderivedfromtheverbalrootword‘Wd’meaning‘toknow’.Thesemeaningshadtheirrelevance

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Basics in Education

tothepurposeandthenatureofeducationimpartedintheancient India. Inancient India, learningwaspursued,notforitsownsake,butforthesakeofandasapartofreligion.Itwassoughtasameans for theultimateendof life (i.e.,salvation). Themain aim of educationwas training of themindasan instrumentofknowledgeand thedischargeofone’sdharma (dutyormoral-ethicalvalue).Educationwasalsoconceivedasthemeanstodevelopthephysicalandthesubtlebody,sothattheinnerspiritorthepureconsciousnesscanexpressitselfwithoutgettinghamperedbytheillusionsof the world. In this context, it was felt that the purposeof educationwas to train and exercise thefive sheaths orlayers – physical (gross body), vital (subtle body), mental,intellectual and spiritual–in suchaway as tomake themthesoundinstrumentsforleadingagoodlife(Kabir,1961).However, the meaning and aims of education underwentachangeaccordingtothesocial,politicalandtheculturalconditions of different periods. For instance, education inmedievalIndiawasconfinedtotheidealsandgoalsoflife. Themeaningofeducationhasbeenvisualisedindifferentwaysinthepost-independenceperiodbytheIndianthinkersandeducationists.Amongthemanygreatthinkerswhohavecontemplated on themeaning of education, a few of themhavebeendiscussedhere.

Mahatma GandhiAsyouallmusthavestudied,duringthepre-independenceperiod,theeducationsysteminIndiawasgovernedbytheBritish. The goals of education duringBritish periodwerenot akin to the Indian ways of thinking. The medium ofinstructionwasEnglishwhichwasforeigntomanyIndians.MahatmaGandhi’s interest in educationwas the outcomeofarevoltagainsttheBritishsystemofeducationthathadmanylimitationsanddrawbacks.Hiseducationalthoughtsemerged out of his own experiments with truth and non-violence.AccordingtoMahatmaGandhi,educationnotonlymouldsthenewgeneration,butreflectssociety’sfundamentalassumptionsaboutitselfandtheindividualswhocompriseit. By education, he meant, an all-round developmentdrawingoutofthebestinthechild’sbody,mindandspirit.Hestatedthatliteracyisnottheendofeducation,andnot

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eventhebeginning.Itisonlythemeansbywhichmenandwomen can be educated.In his opinion, education shouldaimatdevelopingself-reliance,wherepeople learn toearntheir livelihood.Hisaimsofeducationalsoemphasisedoncharacter formation and all round development (physical,mental, social, moral, aesthetic, and religious). Accordingtohim, education shouldmake children idealmembers ofthedemocratic society.Hewanteda school to be a ‘doingand thinking school’, rather than a listening school. Heemphasisedonexperientiallearningthroughwhichthechildacquiresknowledgeandutilisesitfortheunderstandingandcontrolofhissocialenvironment.Heaspiredthateducationshouldenablethechildtorelatewhatislearntintheschooltothereallifesituations.Hisconceptofbuniyadi talim (basiceducation)stressesonlearningthroughcraft,whichfavoursthechildbelongingtotheloweststratumofsociety.Educationthroughcraftwasfeltdesirableasitrelievesthechildfromthestressofpurelyacademicandtheoreticalinstruction.Theprogrammeofbasiceducationwasconceptualisedinsuchaway that canbring about social transformation.MahatmaGandhi believed in integrated education. He believed thatthechildhasseveral innatepotentialitieswhichshouldbefacilitatedthrougheducationalprocess.Healsobelievedthateducationshouldtransmittheculturalheritagetoenrichthehumanlives.AccordingtoMahatmaGandhi,educationhastobelifeitselfandthroughlife.

I hold that true education of the intellect can come only through a proper exercise and training of the body, hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, etc. In other words, an intelligent use of the bodily organs in a child provides the best and quickest way of developing his intellect. But unless the development of the body, and mind goes hand in hand with a corresponding awakening of the soul, the former alone would prove to be a poor lop-sided affair.

—MahatmaGandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was a strong advocate of providingeducationtothegirlchild.Accordingtohim:“The real difficulty is that people have no idea of whateducationtrulyis.Weassessthevalueofeducationinthe

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Basics in Education

samemannerasweassessthevalueoflandorofsharesinthe stock-exchangemarket.Wewant toprovideonly sucheducation as would enable the student to earnmore.Wehardlygiveanythoughttotheimprovementofthecharacteroftheeducated.Thegirls,wesay,donothavetoearn;sowhyshouldtheybeeducated?Aslongassuchideaspersistthereisnohopeofoureverknowingthetruevalueofeducation.”(inSrivastava,2003).

Swami VivekanandaSwami Vivekananda (1863-1902), a great thinker andreformer of India, providesan insight intowhat educationoughttobe.Accordingtohim,“Educationisthemanifestationofthedivineperfection,alreadyexistinginman”.Theword‘manifestation’impliesthatsomethingalreadyexistsandiswaiting to be expressed. Themain focus in learning is tomakethehiddenabilityofalearnermanifest. Vivekanandabelievedthatthesystemofeducation,whichexistedatthattime,didnotenableapersontostandonhis/herown feet,nordid it teachhim/herself-confidenceandselfrespect.ToSwamiVivekananda,educationwasnotonlycollection of information, but somethingmoremeaningful.Hefeltthateducationshouldbeman-making,life-givingandcharacter-building.Theaimofeducation,accordingtohim,istomanifestinourlivestheperfection,whichistheverynature of our inner-self, which resides in everything andeverywhere, which is known as ‘satchitananda’ (existence,consciousnessandbliss).Hence,education,inVivekananda’ssense,enablesone tocomprehendone’sselfwithinas theselfeverywhere.Theessentialunityoftheentireuniverseisrealisedthrougheducation.Therefore,man-makingrelatestotheharmoniousdevelopmentofthebody,mindandsoul.Inhis scheme of education, great emphasis is laid on the

learning Check 31. What were the aims of education in ancient

India?Aretheyrelevanttothepresentsystemofeducation?Discussinyourgroups.

2. HowwaseducationconceptualisedbyMahatmaGandhi?

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physicalhealth,becauseasoundmindresides inasoundbody.Alongwiththis,hepaysspecialattentiontothecultureofthemind,powerofconcentration,andpracticeofethicalpurity.Inhisopinion,educationisnotamereaccumulationof information, but a comprehensive training for life. Toquotehim:“Educationisnottheamountofinformationthatisput intobrainand runs riot there,undigested, all yourlife.” Education, according to Swami Vivekananda, meanstheprocessbywhichcharacterisformed,strengthofmindisincreased,andintellectissharpened,asaresultofwhichonecanstandonone’sownfeet. As regards education of girls, Vivekananda consideredmenandwomenastwowingsofabird,anditisnotpossibleforabirdtoflyononlyonewing.So,accordingtohim,thereisnochanceforthewelfareoftheworldunlesstheconditionofwomanisimproved.

Sri AurobindoSri Aurobindo, a great philosopher and anationalist,whowasbornin1872,contributedtoeducationimmensely.Hiseducational ideascanbeobtainedfromtwobasicsources:On Education (1990) and A System of National Education(1907).According toSriAurobindo, education ismeant tobringoutthebestinman,todevelophispotentialitiestothemaximum,tointegratehimwithhimself,hissurroundings,his society, his country and humanity to make him the‘completeman’,the‘integralman’.Thepurposeofeducationcannotbemerelytocreatealiterateindividual,orahighlyinformedpersoncrammedwithinformationandfacts,ortocreateanindividualtofindajob.Themoreimportantaspectsof an individual arehis character,hispersonality andhisvalues.Accordingtohim,theprocessofeducationmustbeintegralaimingatthetotalandcompletedevelopmentoftheindividual:astrong,supple,wellformedandhealthybody;asensitive,unselfishandmatureemotionalnature;apositivelyenergetic vital, an enlightened mind, a wide ranging andvibrant intelligence,astrongwill,abalancedandpleasingpersonality; and the subtler spiritual qualities that canchannelise,harmoniseanddirectallthedifferentpartsofanindividualintoalifethatisbeneficialtotheindividualandtohisfellowmen.Inshort,SriAurobindosaysthateducationshouldbeintegral,sothatitdevelopsthephysical,mental,

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Basics in Education

vital,psychicandspiritualaspectsofthehumanpersonality.Accordingtohim,eachindividualandeachnationhavetodevelop according to their own individual characteristics,swadharma. The desirable evolution of humanity is thenfacilitated. Sri Aurobindo observed that the then existingdifferent education trends were inadequate for impartingtrueor integraleducationthattakesthestudenttohigherlevelsofconsciousness.Heproposedamethodofeducation,that is, integral education, for achieving higher level ofconsciousness,whichcan radicallyand favourablychangethesocial,economicandpoliticalspheresoflife.

Education which will offer the tools whereby one can live for the divine, for the country, for oneself, and for others and this must be the ideal of every school which calls itself national. —SriAurobindo

Rabindranath TagoreRabindranathTagorewasbornin1861inCalcutta,andwasoneoftheearlyeducationistsofIndiawhoseideasgleamedthrough his variouswritings and educational experimentsatShantiniketan.Asanalternativetotheexistingformsofeducation,hestartedasmallschoolatShantiniketanin1901thatdevelopedintoauniversityandaruralreconstructioncentre, where he tried to develop an alternative model ofeducationthatstemmedfromhisownlearningexperiences.In general, he envisioned an education that was deeplyrooted in one’s immediate surroundings but connected totheculturesofthewiderworld,predicateduponpleasurablelearningand individualised to thepersonalityof thechild.Hefeltthatacurriculumshouldrevolveorganicallyaroundnaturewith classesheld in the open air, under the trees,to provide for a spontaneous atmosphere. In his opinion,schools shouldnot be factories, but shouldprovide a freeatmosphere for the pupils to have close contact with thenature anduniverse. To Tagore, “the highest education isthatwhichdoesnotmerelygiveusinformationbutmakesourlifeinharmonywithallexistence.Butwefindthatthistypeof education isnot only systematically ignored in schools,butitisseverelyrepressed.Fromourverychildhoodhabitsare formed and knowledge is imparted in such amanner

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thatourlifeisweanedawayfromnatureandourmindandthe world are set in opposition from the beginning of ourdays”.Tagoresaweducationasavehicleforappreciatingtherichest aspects of other cultures, while maintaining one’sown cultural specificity. Freedom, creative self expressionandactivecommunicationwithnatureandmanarethethreecardinalprinciplesofhiseducationalphilosophy.Accordingto him, education should aim at the development of theactivetendenciesofthechild.Itshouldbefordevelopinganindividualinto‘wholebeing’.Educationshouldalsopromotepeace,love,kindness,andidealsandshouldaimatgainingasenseoffreedomandofsympathywithallhumanity.Tagoreconsiderededucationasessentialneedofhumanlife.Inhisview,educationisthatsocialprocessbywhichmanattainsphysicalprogressandspiritualwholeness.Trueeducation,accordingtohim,consistsinknowingtheuseofanyusefulmaterialthathasbeencollected,toknowitsrealnatureandtobuildalongwithlife,arealshelter for life.Besidesthis,Tagoreconsideredthatgodpervadesineveryparticleofthenature, and felt that the ultimate aim of human life is toexperiencethisspiritualunitywhichisthesupremeaimorfunctionofeducation.

activity 2ReadthebookOn EducationbySriAurobindoandfindoutmoreabouttheintegraleducation,itsmeansandimplementationintheschoolstartedbyhimandthemother.Makepresentationsinyourclass.FindoutaboutthekindofeducationpractisedinShantiniketanduringTagore’stimes.

Jiddu KrishnamurthiJiddu Krishnamurthi, a philosopher and one of the 20thcentury’s most influential teacher, devoted his life to theawakening of ‘intelligence’ and transformation of society.Krishnamurty’sinterestineducationwaslongstandingandalwayspassionate.Headdressedthenatureofeducationinmajorityofhisbooksaswellasinhisspeechestothepublicand students in India as well as abroad. Krishnamurthi’s(1994)ideasoneducation,thoughradical,attempttomeet

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Basics in Education

thechallengesoflivingataprofoundlevel,andtheydosoatatimewhensuchinsightsaredesperatelyneeded.Accordingtohim,moderneducationisunabletopreparestudentsforthefundamentalchallengesofliving.InhisbooktitledEducation and the Significance of Life (1962),we see his concern foreducationandhisviewsonrightkindofeducation.AccordingtoKrishnamurthi,theeducationsystemthatexistsisquiteconventional.Theeducationalsysteminpracticenowleadstoconformitywhereindependentthinkingisnotpossible.Itproducesthekindofhumanbeingswhoseprimaryinterestistofindsecurity,tobecomesomebodyimportant,ortoachievesomedegreesandjobs.Whilediscussingaboutsignificanceoflife,hepropoundsthataslongaseducationdoesnotcultivateanintegratedoutlookonlife,ithasverylittlesignificance.Inhisview,today’seducationhasverylittlesignificanceasitmakesussubservient,mechanicalandthoughtless,thoughitawakensusintellectually;itleavesusincompleteinwardly,stupefied anduncreative. Thepurpose of education isnottoproducemerescholarsandprofessionals,butintegratedmenandwomenwhoarefreefromfear,foronlyamongsuchhumanbeingscantherebeenduringpeace.Tobringabouttherightkindofeducation,Krishnamurthiemphasisesuponunderstanding themeaning of life as awhole. In order toachievethis,onehastobeabletothinkdirectlyandtruly,butnotconsistently.Heimpliesthataconsistentthinkeris‘apersonwhoconforms toapattern,and repeatsphrasesandslogans.’Withthisanalysisabouttheeducationsystemanditsnarrowlydeterminedgoals,heviewsthefunctionofeducationasnotmerelyacquiringknowledge,andgatheringandcorrelating facts,buttocreatehumanbeingswhoareintegratedand,therefore,intelligent.Inhisview,“Intelligenceisthecapacitytoperceivetheessential,thewhatis;andtoawakenthiscapacity,inoneselfandothers,iseducation”.Inhisopinion,educationshouldaimtohelppeopletodiscoverlastingandtruevalueswhichcomewithself-awarenessandunbiasedself-investigation;tohelptobreakdownthenationalandsocialbarriers,astheybreedantagonismandviolenceamonghumanbeingsandtoawakenthecapacitytobeawareofoneselfandnotmerelyindulgeingratifyingself-expression. AbriefaccountoftheeducationalideasofafewIndianthinkers reveals that education is viewed differently bydifferent people. The philosophical ideals of the thinkers

activity 31. ReadthebookWhy are you being educated?byJ.

Krishnamurthi,whichconsistsofsixtalksgivenbyhimintheIndianUniversitiesandattheIndianInstitutesofTechnologybetween1969and1984.Make a list of questions that he asks studentsabout education and their future. Discuss hisviewswith reference to the existing educationalscenario in our country. Is it possible to bringchanges in our education system based on hisviews?Analyse.

2. Find out about Rishi Valley school run byKrishnamurthi Foundations of Education.Whatare the educational practices followed in thisinstitution? How does it differ from the othereducationalinstitutions?Explorethedetailsandmakeapresentationfollowedbydiscussion.

15


thechallengesoflivingataprofoundlevel,andtheydosoatatimewhensuchinsightsaredesperatelyneeded.Accordingtohim,moderneducationisunabletopreparestudentsforthefundamentalchallengesofliving.InhisbooktitledEducation and the Significance of Life (1962),we see his concern foreducationandhisviewsonrightkindofeducation.AccordingtoKrishnamurthi,theeducationsystemthatexistsisquiteconventional.Theeducationalsysteminpracticenowleadstoconformitywhereindependentthinkingisnotpossible.Itproducesthekindofhumanbeingswhoseprimaryinterestistofindsecurity,tobecomesomebodyimportant,ortoachievesomedegreesandjobs.Whilediscussingaboutsignificanceoflife,hepropoundsthataslongaseducationdoesnotcultivateanintegratedoutlookonlife,ithasverylittlesignificance.Inhisview,today’seducationhasverylittlesignificanceasitmakesussubservient,mechanicalandthoughtless,thoughitawakensusintellectually;itleavesusincompleteinwardly,stupefied anduncreative. Thepurpose of education isnottoproducemerescholarsandprofessionals,butintegratedmenandwomenwhoarefreefromfear,foronlyamongsuchhumanbeingscantherebeenduringpeace.Tobringabouttherightkindofeducation,Krishnamurthiemphasisesuponunderstanding themeaning of life as awhole. In order toachievethis,onehastobeabletothinkdirectlyandtruly,butnotconsistently.Heimpliesthataconsistentthinkeris‘apersonwhoconforms toapattern,and repeatsphrasesandslogans.’Withthisanalysisabouttheeducationsystemanditsnarrowlydeterminedgoals,heviewsthefunctionofeducationasnotmerelyacquiringknowledge,andgatheringandcorrelating facts,buttocreatehumanbeingswhoareintegratedand,therefore,intelligent.Inhisview,“Intelligenceisthecapacitytoperceivetheessential,thewhatis;andtoawakenthiscapacity,inoneselfandothers,iseducation”.Inhisopinion,educationshouldaimtohelppeopletodiscoverlastingandtruevalueswhichcomewithself-awarenessandunbiasedself-investigation;tohelptobreakdownthenationalandsocialbarriers,astheybreedantagonismandviolenceamonghumanbeingsandtoawakenthecapacitytobeawareofoneselfandnotmerelyindulgeingratifyingself-expression. AbriefaccountoftheeducationalideasofafewIndianthinkers reveals that education is viewed differently bydifferent people. The philosophical ideals of the thinkers

activity 31. ReadthebookWhy are you being educated?byJ.

Krishnamurthi,whichconsistsofsixtalksgivenbyhimintheIndianUniversitiesandattheIndianInstitutesofTechnologybetween1969and1984.Make a list of questions that he asks studentsabout education and their future. Discuss hisviewswith reference to the existing educationalscenario in our country. Is it possible to bringchanges in our education system based on hisviews?Analyse.

2. Find out about Rishi Valley school run byKrishnamurthi Foundations of Education.Whatare the educational practices followed in thisinstitution? How does it differ from the othereducationalinstitutions?Explorethedetailsandmakeapresentationfollowedbydiscussion.

aboutlifeandthehighestformofknowledgetobeattaintedbyhumanbeingsarereflectedintheirviewsoneducation.WefindthatIndianthinkerswereagainstthenarrowaims/vision of education and rigid pedagogical methods whichwereteacher-centred.Ingeneral,wefindthatalltheabovethinkershaveviewededucationasanintegralprocesswhichhelpsintheallrounddevelopmentoftheindividuals.Whatweneedtounderstandisthat,theseeducationalthoughtsandconcernsinfluencetheeducationalaimsandtheeducationalpractices in the society. The educational aims that aredeterminedbythephilosophical,andthesocialperspectives,aswellasbythenationalconcernsandpriorities, inturn,determine the nature of educational processes right fromcurriculumconstructiontopedagogicalpractices.

learning Check 41. WhywasMahatmaGandhiopposedtotheeducation

system prevalent during the British rule?Whatkindofeducationheproposedandwhy?

2. WhatistherightkindofeducationaccordingtoJ.Krishnamurti?

3. ExplainSriAurobindo’sconceptofeducation.

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Basics in Education

wEstErn ViEws on EduCationLetus also trace someof the viewpoints on education intheWest and try to find out how the presentmeaning ofeducationevolvedoveraperiodoftime.Theviewpointsandthe attempts to define education by several educationalthinkersandphilosophershavebeensynthesisedcollectivelyanddiscussedhereunderbroaddimensions.

Classical ViewsThe various approaches to educational thoughthavebeenclassifiedasconservativeversusliberalistic,traditionalversusmodern, and so on.Whatwe call as conservative positionineducationfinds itsorigin in theeducational thinkingofPlato,aGreekphilosopher,andhis contemporaries.Manytraditional philosophers, who were also the educationalthinkers,believedthatmaniscomposedofbodyandsoulormind,ofwhichmindistheknowingaspectofman’snature,whilethebodyisthesensingandfeelingaspectofhis/hernature.Thisviewasserts thatonly ‘academicsubjects’areworthyofthename‘education’;anyactivitiesinvolvingthebodysuchasmanualskills,crafts,andvocationalpreparationarenoteducation,buttraining.Thisclassicalviewassertsthat only the activities of mind designed to develop therationalpartofthecomposedbeingaretrulyeducative.Theclassical educationists alsobelieved thathumannature iseverywhereandatalltimesessentiallythesame.Therefore,theyheldaviewthatthemainpurposeofeducationshouldbe the same throughout the world, from which it followsthattheformalcurriculuminschoolsshouldbeessentiallythesame,allowingsomesmallvariationstolocalneedsanddifferences. This belief accounts for the emphasis placedupondeveloping the rational powers ofman.According tothiscontention,education–asa formaldiscipline–needstobeimpartedinthesamemannertoeveryone.Insuchasituationthereisaverylittlescopeofvariation.Theviewsofsomeoftheclassicalphilosophersoneducationaregiveninthebox.

Liberalists’ Views on EducationDiametricallyopposedtotheclassicalviewswasthepositionheld by another group of philosophers in the seventeenth

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and eighteenth centuries which was the beginning ofliberalism.Sincethe17thcentury,theideahasgrownthateducationshouldbedirectedatindividualdevelopmentforsocial living. Revolting against the mind-body dichotomyof theconservativeeducationists, thisgroupheld theviewthat true education is based upon the needs, interests,and the natural desires of the child. The child is viewedas an evolving organismconstituted of the same elementsasnaturearoundhimandthatthemanisnoteverywhereandatall times thesame,but is ina stateof continuouschange and development. Based on this, education wasviewedasacontinuousprocesswhichresultsinemotionaldevelopment, social adjustment, physical well-being andvocational competence. Some philosophers like Rousseau,Pestalozzi,Froebel,Basedowandothercontemporariesweretheprimemoversof thisview. Itwas felt that theschool’spurposeshouldbebroadenedtoincludeallfacetsofhumandevelopment.Theydidnotaffirmthattheschoolsshouldnotdeveloptheintellectualpowersofpupils,buttheyassertedthatalltheactivitiesofhumanlifearetheconcernsoftheschool.

activity 4Analyzeanddiscussthefollowingviewsoneducationinyourgroups:

socrates: “Educationmeans the bringing out oftheideasofuniversalvaliditywhicharelatentinthemindofeveryman.”plato: “Educationisthecapacityto feelpleasureandpainat therightmoment. Itdevelops in thebodyandinthesoulofthepupilallthebeautyandalltheperfectionwhichheiscapableof.”aristotle: “Education is the creation of a soundmindinasoundbody.Itdevelopsman’sfaculty,especiallyhismindsothathemaybeabletoenjoythe contemplation of supreme truth, goodnessandbeautyofwhichperfecthappinessessentiallyconsistsof.”

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Basics in Education

activity 5Analyzeanddiscussthefollowingquotationsinyourgroups:rousseau: “Education of man commences at hisbirth;beforehecanspeak,beforehecanunderstandheisalreadyinstructed.Experienceistheforerunneroftheperfect.”spencer:“Educationiscompleteliving.”pestalozzi: “Education is natural, harmonious andprogressivedevelopmentofman’sinnatepowers.”froebel:“Educationisunfoldmentofwhatisalreadyenfoldedinthegerm.Itistheprocessthroughwhichthechildmakesinternalexternal.”

Progressivists’ Views

Theseviews,propagatedinthe17thand18thcenturies,grewsomewhatslowlyandtookabettershapeinthe20thcentury.Educationreformsappearedinmanyguisesintheopeningdecades of the twentieth century. Progressive educationcameintofocuswiththerenownedandreformphilosopherslikeJohnDewey,FrancisW.Parker,andWilliamWirtwhowere also known as progressivists. Progressive educationmovementwasinfluencedbythenewscientificoutlookandthe empirical discoveries whichwere at their peak duringthattime.ThinkerslikeJ.S.Mill,Spencer,JohnDeweyandhisfollowersreflectedontheconceptofeducation,influencedby thesocialandeconomicconditions,whichshifted fromtheindividualtogrouporcollectivefreedom.Itwasfeltthatman’snature issocial inoriginandhencetheeducationalactivitiesareofprimeimportanceinmakingmanofwhatheis. The educational institutionswere viewedas the agentswiththeresponsibilityfornotonlymakingthesocialnatureofthepupilsandalsoforthereconstructionofsocietyitself.Itwasalso implied thatwhat the child is, orwill become,dependsuponsociety.Educationisseenfromthenotionofindividual’s free choice. Extending further, itwas also feltthattheeducationgivenbyteacherswhounderstandgrowthanddevelopmentwillsomehowpredeterminethepersontomakechoiceswhichareinharmonywithnature.

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According to John Dewey (1916), “Education isreconstruction or reorganisation of experiencewhich addstothemeaningofexperienceandwhichincreasestheabilitytodirect the course of subsequent experiences.”This viewimpliesthatthechildalreadyhasacquiredsomeexperiencesfrom his/her interaction with the environment. Andeducationplays a role in reconstructing these experiencesin therequireddirection inorder toaddmeaning to thoseexperiences. Let us take an example from your childhoodexperiences.Trytorecallyourideaabouttheearthandtheothercelestialbodieswhenyouwereachild.Throughyoureveryday observations, youmust have felt that earth wasflat,andyouareontheflatsurfaceoftheearth,andthesun,moonandstarsmovearoundtheearth.Butafteryoujoinedtheschoolandwereexposedtotheknowledgethat‘theearthisround,notflat;itisnotthesun,moonandstarsthatgoroundtheearth,butitistheearththatgoesroundthesun’,withproperscientificexplanationbytheteacher,supportedby visuals, you must have changed your idea about theearth,itsmotionandyourplaceontheearth.ThisiswhatmeantbyJohnDeweyas‘reconstructionofexperience’thatresultsinknowledgewhichfurtherhelpsinunderstandingsubsequentknowledgethroughsubsequentexperiences.

activity 6Explain the following educational quotations givenbyJohnDewey.Howaretheyrelevanttothepresenteducational system? Support your responses withsuitable illustrationsdrawnfromschoolexperiencesandotherinformalcontextsoflearning. Educationisasocialprocess…. Educationisgrowth... Educationisnotpreparationforlife... Educationislifeitself.

Analytical Concept of EducationIn the 20th century, a group of educationists who wereinfluenced by the analytical and linguistic philosophyanalyzed the concept of education. Among them, it isnoteworthy to mention the philosophical and educationalthinkers like R.S. Peters, Flannery O’Connor, Paul HirstandAlfredNorthWhitehead.Accordingtothem,education

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Basics in Education

isnotasimpleunitaryconceptanditdoesnotrefertoanyoneparticularprocess.Forexample,itisnotaconceptlikegardeningwhichisaspecificactivity.It isliketheconcept‘reform’. For example, if you are asked the question, ‘howdo you reformapersonwhohas committedamistake, ora crime or disobeyed the rules?’, you may have differentresponses,likebypunishing,orbycounselling,orbymakingthepersontorepentandsoon.Fromthis,weunderstandthat,reformpicksouttonoparticularprocess.Peoplecanbe reformed by counselling, reading a religious book, bypreventivedetention,etc.Similarly,peoplecanbeeducatedbyreadingbooks,byexploringtheenvironment,bytravel,byhavingaconversationwithothersandintheclassroomaswell.Itencapsulatescriteriatowhichanyoneofafamilyofprocessesmustconfirm.AsproposedbyR.S.Peters(1956),thelogicallynecessaryconditionsfor‘education’are: thatitisconcernedwiththetransmissionofknowledge; whichisworthwhile,andinwhich; the transmission of knowledge is done in a morally appropriatemanner. Eachoftheseconditionsisconsiderednecessarytodefinewhateducationis.Theycouldnotbemerelycontingentand,therefore,notpresentinacorrectapplicationoftheconcept.Takenjointly,theyaresaidtobetheconceptofeducation. Education is also consideredasaprocess of initiation,likesaying,thatitisanactivityratherthanitisaconceptor idea.Youmusthavecomeacrosstheculturalpracticesincertaincommunitiesof initiating thechild into learningwhich is celebrated as a ceremony (Akshara Abhyasa). InancientIndia,theboyafteraparticularagewasinitiatedintoVedic learning,whichwascalledasUpanayana Sanskara.Thispracticeofupanayanaiscarriedoutevennowinsomecommunities.Even insomeof the tribal communities, themale child, at a particular age, is initiated into the familyoccupation,forexample,hunting,bythetriballeadersandfamily heads. Similarly, the above educational viewers,especiallyR.S.Peters,considerededucationasaprocessofinitiationintowhatisconsideredasworthwhileforthechildtolearn.Heextendshisideasfurther,sayingthateducationinvolves essentially certain processes which intentionallytransmit what is valuable in an intelligible and voluntarymannerandcreatesinthelearneradesiretoachieveit.

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Insum,fromvariousinterpretationsandviewsoneducationthathavebeendiscussedsofar,wecansaythateducationisacomplexconceptwhichdoesnotrefertoaparticularprocess.Ithasbeenviewedvariouslysuchasacquisitionofknowledge,transmissionofculture,drawingoutanddevelopingthebestpotentialsinanindividual,etc.Byeducatinganindividualweattempttodirecthim/hertowardsdevelopmentofsomedesirable knowledge, understanding, skills, interests,attitudesandcriticalthinking,etc.Througheducation,onedevelopsproperunderstandingaboutthenaturalandsocialphenomenaaroundandtendtoliveharmoniously.Educationalsohelpsonetodevelopcertainessentialskillslike,reading,writing,communicating,handlingobjects,decisionmaking,examiningandanalyzingthings,groupliving,etc. thatarerequired inone’sday-to-day lifesituations.Educationalsohelpsinvalueandmoraldevelopmentofindividuals.Ithelpsone to be committed to tasks, goals and positive desiresandpursuethemintrinsically.Educationreferstoessentialprocessesthatareworthwhiletobetransmittedandwhichhelpsinchangeofattitudesandvaluestowardsthedesirableones.Weshalllookintowhattheseessentialprocessesareinthefollowingsections.

activity 7Collecttheviewsofschoolteachers,ofpeoplebelongingtootherprofessionsandofsomecommunitymemberson ‘what education and educated person mean tothem?’Analysetheirviewswithreferencetowhatyouhaveunderstoodbyeducationinthissubsection.

learning Check 51. Compare the classical views with that of the

Liberalistsviewsoneducation.2. What is the role of educational institutions

accordingtoprogressivists?3. WhydoesJohnDeweyview‘educationasaprocess

ofreconstructionofexperiences’?4. WhyisEducationnotaunitaryconcept?5. ‘EducationisaprocessofInitiation.’Explain.

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Basics in Education

WhEThER EdUCaTIon IS naTURal oR SoCIal PRoCESS?EduCation as a natural proCEssInyourexperienceasastudentforsomanyyears,youmusthaverealisedthatalllearningdonottakeplaceinaformalsettinglikeaschooloracollegealone.Youmusthavelearntmany things by observingnature, andby interactingwithpeoplearoundyou.So,weallknow thatchildren learn toidentifymanythingsontheirownfromtheirsurroundings,thoughlatertheylearntoidentifythemwithanamesuppliedtothemwiththehelpofparents,oreldersorteachers. Education is considered to be a natural process, bysome educationists. In their view, education takes placespontaneously inhumanbeings through their experiencesinnature.Thisviewassumesthatanindividualdevelopsorgrowslikeaplanttobecomesomethingthatispresumedtobedesirable.Asabiologicalorganism,thehumansinteractwiththe environment and gain experiences. These experiencesleadtosomesortoflearning,which,inturn,resultsinthedevelopment of the individual. In other words, educationbecomes a life-long process and with every experience,the individuals gain an understanding of the self as wellas of the environment. According to this view, educationisnot onlypreparation for life, but it is synonymouswithlife. Thus, education is concernedwith imparting survivalskills; developing the child’s innate potentialities; makingthe individual fit for his/her environment; and socialisingthechild.MariaMontessori,agreateducationist,statedthateducationisnotwhattheteachergives,itisanaturalprocessspontaneouslycarriedoutbythehuman individualand isacquirednotbylisteningtowords,butbyexperiencingintheenvironment.Inthiscontext,thetaskoftheteacherbecomesthatofpreparingaseriesofactivitiesspreadoveraspeciallypreparedenvironmentand letchildren learn through theirobservations,interactions,andtaskscarriedout. The process of education which makes human beingssuccessful in their respective environment continuesthroughout life. Life involves a constant and continuousmodification of experiences. As a consequence, the ideas,

23


perceptions,skills,attitudesandvaluesundergoachange.Thishelpsthechildtoadjustandaccommodatetothefastchanging world. Educational adjustment of the child isfurtherconditionedbythenatureofdemandsofthesocietytowhichthechildshouldbeadaptedandattuned. According to Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, a greatphilosopher, “Education is natural, harmonious andprogressive development of man’s innate powers.” It isbelieved that education consists in the development fromwithinofpotentialitiesratherthan ‘moulding’externally. Itisalsoassertedthatcurriculumshouldarisefromtheneedsandinterestsofthechildratherthanfromthedemandsoftheteacher.Self-expressionisconsideredmoreimportantthanmasteringofthesubjectmatter.ManyoftheIndianandthewesternthinkerslikeRabindranathTagore,J.Krishnamurthi,Rousseau,FroebelandMontessoriconsideredtheeducationof the child in the natural environment where the childexploresandlearnsthroughhis/herexperiences.Thenaturalprocessofeducationconsistedinpreparingthemostnaturalandlife-supportingenvironmentsforthechildandobservingthechildlivingfreelyinthisenvironment. Thoughthisviewcanbeappreciated,weseethatitsuffersfrom certain limitations. It does not answer the questionslikewhataretheworthwhilethingsthattheindividualwouldlearnwhichtheycanapplytotheirlifesituationsandwhattheycanpassontoothers,andwhatarethecriteriabywhichwecansaythattheyhaveachievedtherequiredstandards.

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.

—Krishnamurti

Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.

—MariaMontessori

We have come to this world to accept it, not merely to know it. We may become powerful by knowledge, but we attain fullness by sympathy. From our very childhood habits are formed and knowledge is imparted in such a manner that our life is weaned

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Basics in Education

away from nature and our mind and the world are set in opposition from the beginning of our days. Thus the greatest of educations for which we came prepared is neglected, and we are made to lose our world to find a bagful of information instead. We rob the child of his earth to teach him geography, of language to teach him grammar. His hunger is for the Epic, but he is supplied with chronicles of facts and dates...Child-nature protests against such calamity with all its power of suffering, subdued at last into silence by punishment.

—RabindranathTagore

EduCation as a soCial proCEssWhile some educationists felt that education is a naturalprocess, which takes place in the interaction between theindividuals and the environment, there were others whofeltthateducationisasocialprocess,andoneoftheprimefunctionsoftheschoolistohelpinthesocialisationofthechild.Letusexaminehoweducation functionsasasocialprocess. Amongalllivingorganisms,youmusthavenoticedthatitisthehumanchildthatdependsontheparentsforrelativelya longer period for nourishment, shelter and for learningbasic skills. Thisprolonged childhoodalsohelps the childtopreparehimself/herselfbetterforadultlife.Duringthisperiod,thechildlearnsthenecessaryskillsforhersurvivalin this world. Since human life is not only the result ofbiologicalandphysiologicalfunctions,thechildhasalsotogettrainingintheintellectual,socialandculturalaspectsofexistence.Ithastolearnthenormsandvaluesofthegrouptobecomeanacceptedandeffectivememberof thegroup.Inotherwords,achildneedstobesocialised,acculturisedandprovidedwithknowledgeandskillsofsurvivaltogether.Homeisthefirstplacewherethechildreceivesthiseducationinaninformalway.Later,schoolplaysanimportantroleasaformalagencytoimparteducation.Itexertsgreaterinfluenceineducating thechild, inaddition toothersocialagencieslikehome,neighbourhood,community,religion,media,etc.Itiswellknownthathumanisasocialanimalandthisbeliefgivessupporttotheconceptofeducationasasocialisation

25


process.Thisisalsoderivedfromthephilosophythatchildneedstobeeducatedinadesirableway. The process of education thus takes place in socialsettings,andsocietyasawholeexercisesgreatcontroloverits process. Every society uses education as a means forpromotingitsowninterests.Whileeducationissubjectedtothecontrolofsociety,italsoinfluencessocietybycontributingtoitsgoals.Educationperformsathreefoldsocialfunctionbymaintaining,transmittingandcreatingsocialvalues,ideals,beliefsandculture.Forthispurpose,educationprovidesalearningplatform forchildren todevelopavarietyof skillsandotherdimensionssuchassocialinteraction,emotionalgrowth,physicalawareness,awarenessoflifearoundusandintellectual and emotional dispositions such as attitudesandvalues.Thevalues,ideals,goals,mores,traditionsandcultureofsocietyareinculcatedinachildthrougheducationinordertomakehim/heraneffectivememberofthesociety.Infact,alleducation,beginningwithfamily,hasthetaskofsocialisingchildrenandadolescents.Themodernconceptofeducationalsogivesimportancetosocialsettingsinwhichinteractionbetweentheteacherandthetaughttakesplace.Butitisnotenough,ifthereisjustaninteractionbetweenthe teacher and the children. There ought to be an activeinteraction among children, as they learn quite a lot fromeachothers’experiences. Tounderstandthatsocialisationofthechildisamajorsocial process of education, let us turn to John Dewey,accordingtowhomalleducationproceedsbytheparticipationoftheindividual inthesocialconsciousnessoftherace.Itmeansthatanysystemofeducationthatisdevoidofsocialenvironment is not education at all. You have learnt thateducation is initiating the child into worthwhile activitiesin the preceding sections. Socialisation is the process ofinitiatingan individual intonormsofagroupand intohisownroleor roles in it.Educationasasocialprocessdoesincludeinitiationintothenormsandrolesofthesocietyingeneral. Education is thusbothanaturalandasocialprocess,whereindevelopmentoftheuniquenessandindividualityofthechildisconsideredastheveryessenceofeducation,and

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Basics in Education

atthesametimeinitiatinghim/herintothesociety,forwhichschoolprepareshim/her.Theindividualismeanstoanend–theendofperpetuatingthesocialorderinthesocialisationprocessandtheindividualisanendbyhim/herselfintheeducativeprocess.

learning Check 61. Identify the role of school in the socialisation

processofthechild.2. What role should the school play to make

educationasanaturalandasasocialprocess?3. As a teacher, how would you contribute to the

educationofachildforsocialisation?

WhEThER EdUCaTIon IS InTEnTIonal oR UnInTEnTIonal?Mostofouractionsorworkthatwedoisdirectedtowardssomegoals.LetustakeanexampleofyoujoiningtheB.Ed/B.Sc.Ed/BA.Edcourse.Youmusthavejoinedwithanaimofbecomingateacher inschool.Someofyoumaybehavingan aim of pursuing your post graduate course and thenbecoming a teacher. Most of our actions or decisions aregearedbysomeintentionswhichmaybeeitheratconsciousorunconsciouslevel.Letusexamine,whatkindofaprocess‘education’is–whetherintentionalorunintentional. Education is an intentional activity which necessitatesachievementofsomegoalortheother.Forexample,whenamanhaslostsomething,hedoesn’tlookoutside,nordoeshe

activity 71. Giveillustrationstoshowhoweducationreceived

athomehelpsinthesocialisationprocessofthechild.

2. Haveyoucomeacrossaschoolwhereeducationis treatedasanaturalprocess? Ifso,prepareapapergivingalldetailsandshareyourexperienceswiththeentireclass.

27


producesomethingdifferentfromtheactivityheisengagedin. He tries to find out what he has lost. He achieves orattainstheendwhichisinternaltotheactivityinwhichheisengaged.Similarlyeducationisintentionalwhichinvolvescertain processes or tasks in which the individual getsengaged for considerable period of time. Thus, it becomesintentional,goaldirected,orvaluedirectedor‘normative’. Education has instrumental (‘knowledge for practicalends’)andintrinsicdimensions(‘knowledgeforitsownsake’).Forexample,teachingcarpentryisbothvaluableinitselfandvaluable as ameans of increasing production of furnitureorconstructionofhouses.Similarly,theinstrumentalvalueis something extrinsic to education, while the intrinsic isvaluable for itsownsake. Ifaperson isdoingaparticularcourse,inordertogetajobortoearnmoney,wecansaythatthepersonhasaninstrumentalvalue.Ontheotherhand,ifapersonisdoingacourse,justfortheloveofthesubjectorwantedtolearnmoreinthatfield,wecansaythatthepersonhasanintrinsicvalue.Adeliberateefforttoplaneducationalactivitiessuchascurriculum,textbooks,school,etc.inordertobringinsomechangesinthelearnerinadesireddirectionistheinstrumentaldimensionofeducation.Therecouldbecertainaimsofeducationthathaveanintentionofinitiatingeverymanandwomanintothekindofeducationalactivitieswhichmakethemtotakerightplaceinthesociety;developvocationalskills,sothattheybecomeselfreliantwhiletherecouldbesomeaimstodevelopathirstforknowledgeforitsownsakeandtodevelopaestheticsenseintheindividuals. Education suggests that, not only what develops insomeoneisvaluable,butalsothatitinvolvesthedevelopmentofknowledgeandunderstanding.Inlearningatschool,thepracticalends,besidestheintrinsicendsarealsoimportant,asthelearningsituationisoftengearedtoapproval,passingexams, and moving to the higher classes based on one’sperformanceandsoon.Thenon-instrumentalorknowledgeforitsownsakeinvolvesnoexteriormotiveorintentionorapurpose.Thepersoninlearningenjoysdoingso,justforthesheerjoyinvolvedinit.

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Basics in Education

activity 91. Identifythevariouseducationalactivitiesthatare

carried out in schools with a purpose. Analysethepurposeoftheeducationalactivitiesandtheirrelevanceineducatingchildren.

2. Is it possible to have education with intrinsicvaluesalone?Discussandpresentyourviewsintheclass.

3. Identify the activities of schools that are non-instrumental?

Thougheducationisintentional,itisnotasingleaimedactivity. It has multiple aims which are directed towardsthe individual and national development. The imperativecharacterofeducationforindividualgrowthanddevelopmenthasbeenuniversallyaccepted.Itencompassesteachingandlearningspecificskillsandsomethinglesstangiblebutmoreprofound,i.e.impartingofknowledge,soundjudgementandwisdom.Educationalsotakesuponitselftheresponsibilityfor striking a balance while developing these abilities, sothat a ‘harmonious personality’ becomes the outcome. Asanindividualinthesociety,onehastothinkcriticallyaboutvarious issues in lifeandtakedecisionsabout thembeingfreefrombiasandprejudices,superstitionsandblindbeliefs.Education intends through its processes, develops in anindividual the capacity for critical and analytical thinkingandchangeshis/herapproachtolife.Itaimsatawakeningcuriosity,stimulatecreativity,developappropriateinterests,buildessentialskills,attitudesandvalues,andthecapacitytothinkandjudgeindependently.Educationalsointendstodevelopcertainsecular,democraticandsocialvalues,therebyservingasthemeansofrealisationofnation’sgoalsandideals.

According to the Education Commission (1964-66), ‘education must serve as a powerful instrument of social, economic and cultural transformation, necessary for the realisation of national goals’.

WhaT doES EdUCaTIon ComPRISE of?With an understanding of the concept of education andits intentions, let us look into what education comprises

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of. According toR.S.Peters (1967), education comprises ofnormative and cognitive aspects. It comprises of certaincriteriabywhichwecanexplaintheeducativeprocess.

thE norMatiVE aspECt of ‘EduCation’Education develops appreciation for certain norms orstandards. For example, how do you judge a person goodinhousekeeping? Is itnotwhengoodhousekeepingmeetscertain standards, certain criteria to satisfy? Similarly,educationhascertainstandardsorcriteriatobefulfilled.Itconsistsofinitiatingothersinto(a)doingactivitiesthatare‘worthwhile’,and(b)modesofconductandthoughtswhichhavestandardswrittenintothembywhichitispossibletoact, think,and feelwithvaryingdegreesofskill, relevanceandaestheticsense.Educationhasnormativeimplicationsasitimpliesthatsomethingworthwhileisbeingintentionallytransmitted inamorally acceptablemanner.For example,canwesay thataperson ‘x’ is educated, yet therearenochangesinhiswaysofthinking,attitudes,andbehaviour?Itwouldbecontradictiontosaythis.Therefore,therearecertainnormsorstandardsbywhichwecallapersonaseducated.Italsoimpliesthatthepersonhasundergonesomeworthwhileactivitiesthatwecallaseducativeprocesses.Inthiscontext,whatbecomesimportantisthetaskachievementorprocessesthatareworthwhileandintentional,inwhichoneisengagedinamorallyacceptablemanner.Forexample,youknowverywellthateducationinvolvesteachingandinstructiontosomeextent,yetonemaynotbesurewhetherallteachingresultsineducation.Thoughitmayormaynotresultineducation,definitely,itisnotmorallyobjectionable.Butwhenapersonusesconditioningasamethodtoeducateanindividual,justlikethewaysanimalsareconditionedtocertainbehaviourby rigorous training, then it is morally objectionable. So,conditioningorindoctrinatingmightberuledoutastheonlyprocessofeducation. Fromtheabove,wemayinferthateducationalpracticesarethoseinwhichpeopletrytopassonwhatisworthwhileaswellasthoseinwhichtheyactuallysucceedindoingso.Successmaybeevidentbysomeofthecharacteristicssuchassenseofrelevance,precision,applicabilityofknowledge,powertoconcentrate,higherorderofthinkingabilities,andsoon.

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Basics in Education

thE CognitiVE aspECt of EduCationOther important requirements describe education as thefamilyoftasks.Theseare(a)knowledgeandunderstanding,and (b) the cognitive perspective. Let us examine thesecharacteristicsinordertounderstandwhateducationisinthetotalsense.

Knowledge and UnderstandingLetusgobacktoourearlierquestion‘Towhomdowecallasaneducatedperson?’Dowecallanindividualasaneducatedpersonjustbecausehehasmasteredskills inaparticulararea?Definitelywedonotcallapersonas ‘educated’whohasmasteredskills,eventhoughtheskillshehasmasteredmaybehighlyrecognisedinthesocietyorhighlyprized,likeengineering, dealingwithmachines, computers, etc. For aperson to be educated, he should alsohave somebody ofknowledgeandsomekindofconceptualunderstandingtorise above the level of a collectionofdisjointed facts. Thisimpliesunderstandingofprinciples for theorganisationoffactswhichenablesanindividualtoapplywhathehaslearnttohis/herlifesituations.Amerelyinformedpersonisnotthesame as a truly educatedman orwoman. For example, apersonmaybehavinganumberofmastersdegreesandlotsof information regardinghissubject,buthe/shemay lackcertain qualitiesneeded to describehim/her as ‘educated’man.Onemustalsoknowthe‘why’ofthings.Further,theknowledgeacquiredbytheindividualmustnotbe‘inert’.Itmeans that theknowledgeacquiredshouldnotbea ‘deadweight’oruselesswhichcannotbeapplied.Forexample,theknowledgeof scienceshouldnotstopat theacquisitionofscientificfactsandprocedures,butshouldenablethelearnerto look at the nature, earthly phenomena, the cause andeffectrelationships,thediscoveriesmade,thespeculationsofmanaboutlifeoccurrencesinthepast,understandingthepresentinlightofthediscoveriesmadeandlookintofuturepossibilitiesaboutlifeonearthandtheuniverseasawhole.The knowledge acquired should also enable one to havebetterattitudesandapproachesto life,ratherthangettinglost in unfounded beliefs, dogmas and irrational thinking.This differentiates between a merely ‘knowledgeable’ manandan‘educatedone’.Scientificthinkingdoesnotjustmean

31


knowing the evidence based on certain assumptions, butoneshouldalsoknowwhatcountsasevidenceandensuringthatitcanbeobserved.Educationalsoimpliesthekindof‘commitment’thatcomesfrombeing‘ontheinsideof’aformofthoughtandawareness.Itrequiresonetounderstandandtocarefortheinternalstandardsofthosethoughts, formsand awareness. Without such commitment, one gets lostinthe informationgathered inthenameofknowledgeandsuchpersoncannotbecalledasaneducatedperson,whoseknowledgeispurelyexternalandinertoruseless.

Cognitive PerspectiveAfurtherrequirementofeducationiswhathasbeentermedas‘cognitiveperspective’.Thismeansthateducationmustinvolveessentialprocessesofknowledgeandunderstandingandtheholisticviewofallaspectsofsituationsthatwouldenableonetoapplytheknowledgeandunderstandingratherthanbeinginert (deadweight, useless andworthless knowledge). Thecognitiveperspectiveislinkedwithunderstandingandthereisnoplaceforinertnesswhichisuselessorworthless.Forexample,wecanhaveknowledgewhichweunderstandandwecanmakeuseofsuchknowledgeinactuallifesituations.Onthecontrary,wecanhaveknowledgewhichwecannotuse it,becausewedonotunderstandit (inert).Ascientistmaybegoodinhis/hersubject,verythoroughwithscientificprinciples,andyetdoesnotseetheinterrelatednessinthefieldwith rest of the thingsaround, in thepatternsof lifein the universe.What he/she is lacking here is ‘cognitiveperspective’.Suchanindividualcannotbereallyconsideredas educated. Education cannot be tied down into specificcompartmentsandspecialisedskills,viz.scientist,teacher,doctor,engineer,andsoon.Educationisconcernedwiththedevelopmentofwholemanandnotjustapartofhim.

Criteria of educative process(i) Education implies transmission of what is

worthwhile to those who are committed to it.(ii) Education involves not only knowledge and

understanding, but also some sort of cognitive perspective which stresses on interrelating the knowledge with the world around.

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Basics in Education

(iii) Education must be carried out through procedures that uphold dignity and autonomy of persons and secure and utilise their willingness, purposiveness and capabilities.

(iv) Education is concerned with the development of the whole man, and each activity must contribute to it.

—R.S.Peters(1967,1971)

activity 101. Identifythequalitiesofan‘educated’person.What

Qualities do you expect an educated individualshouldhave?

2. Read the UNESCO report on ‘Learning to be’.Identifythepointsthatdescribethedimensionsofeducation.Discusstheirrelevancetothecriteriaofeducationmentionedabove.

3. Analyse the role of the school in satisfying thecriteriaofeducation.

EduCational proCEssEsYou have already seen that education does not refer to asingle process, but to a family of processes leading to theachievementofbeingeducated.Itis,therefore,necessarytoisolatethedifferentaspectsofbeingeducatedandconsiderwhicheducationalprocessesareofparticularrelevance.

TrainingTrainingreferstothedevelopmentofspecificskillswhicharetobeexercisedinrelationtoparticularendsorfunctionsinaccordancewith the rulespertaining to theactivity.Skillsofreading,writingandcomputationsaresomeofthebasicskills to bemasteredbefore formal education canproceedfurther.Askillcannotbelearntinstantaneouslybyjustseeingsomebodyperformingit.Itrequiresakindofdrillorconstantpractice,especiallyunder thesupervisionof the instructorortheteacherwhoisteachingtheskill.Theteacherwhoisteachingaskillalsoprovidesamodeloftheperformanceandcorrects it tobring it toperfection. In this case, very littleemphasisisgiventotheunderlyingrationaleforperforming

33


askill.Forexample,apersonwhowantstoplaymusiconan instrument cannot perform the skill unless he or shepracticesitconstantlyforalongperiod.Trainingalsocarrieswithitanapplicationoftheskillwhichiswiderthanmerelearningoftheskill.Forexample,whileundergoingphysicaltrainingcourse,apersonnotonlylearnstheskillsofdoingexercises, games and so on, but also learns good habitsof keeping him/herself fit, healthy, punctual, eating righttypeoffood,etc.Suchlearningcannottakeplacesimplybyimitatingsomeoneblindly. Training consists of a systematic series of activitiesinvolving instruction, practice, etc. to produce desirablehabitsorbehaviourinparticularaspectsoflifeorvocation,forexample,militarytraining,technicaltraining,computertraining,etc.Thustrainingaimsatdevelopingandpromotingspecific skills in a chosen area with a view to make theindividualundergoingtraininganexpertinthefieldortaskconcerned.Itisakindofcapacitybuildingofanindividualinaparticularskill.

activity 111. Whatdoestheterm‘training’meantoyou?2. Canwecallyourcoursewhereyouaretaughtto

becomea teacherasa trainingcourse?Discussyourmeaningoftraininginthegroups.Listdownthedifferenttypesoftrainingcoursesthatyouareawareof.

3. Discusshowtrainingisdifferentfromlearning.

learning Check 71. Which part of your course has a training

componentinit?2. Doestrainingresultineducation?3. Doeseducationofapersoninvolvetraining?

Instruction and Learning by ExperienceInstruction is a process which helps in the acquisition ofknowledge.Itisthemeansemployedtobringaboutdesirablechanges in learners. Instruction involves communicationof ideas, values, skills, information and knowledge to the

34

Basics in Education

students. Instruction may also involve use of systematicand scientific methods of communication for effectivetransaction. Instruction aims at effective learning inindividualswithaviewtoeducatethem.Thus, instructionbecomes the instrument of educating individuals alongwith his/her educative experiences. In acquiring a bodyof knowledge, instruction serves as one of the means ofproviding experiences. This does notmean that a teacherhas to make children sit passively in the class and giveinstruction. By nature, children are very curious to knowthingsaroundthembydirectlyobservingorbyexploringontheirown.Theteachercanfacilitatetheirlearningcapacitiesby creating appropriate learning opportunities and be athandwhenchildrenaskquestions.Inthisway,therecanbenodangerof instructionbecomingateacher-centred.Mereexperiencealonewillnothelpthechildtodiscover.Toenablethechild todo that, therightsortofquestionshave tobeaskedattheappropriatetimeandhis/herexperiencehastobeguidedinaproperdirection.Itisthetaskoftheteachertohelpandguidechildrenintheirknowledgeexploration,anddevelopmentofskillsandvalues.

Understanding of PrinciplesAs you have already learnt in the preceding sections,understanding of principles does not depend uponaccumulationofisolatedbitsofinformationandknowledge.Rather,itrequiresreflectiononwhatonealreadyknowsandrelatingthemtootherfactsandconcepts,sothatunderlyingprinciples between the facts and the concepts could beknown.Itshouldbenotedthatunderstandingofprincipleshasnomeaningunlessonehasacquiredknowledgeoftheconcepts.Forinstance,therecouldbenoappealtoprinciple,unless there is an experiential or direct knowledge of theconcepts.Inourdailylifeinstances,wecomeacrossmanynaturalandphysicalphenomena.Whenwelookatthem,wedon’tmerelyobservebutacquireknowledgeaboutthem.Wedotrytoseerelationshipsamongdifferenteventsandalsotry to identify a common thread that runs across.We trytoidentifytheprinciplesthatgoverncertainoccurrencesinnature.Forexample,whenyouunderstandtheconceptofaplant,youalsotrytounderstandtheprinciplethatgoverns

35


thegrowthoftheplant–whytherootsofaplantalwaysgrowtowardstheground?Andwhydothe leavesandfruits falldown?andsoon.Inmorals,similarly,principlesareneededifonehastojustifythehumanconduct.Therefore,thegraspof principle is not just acquisition of knowledge, but goesbeyonditinstatingtherulesandtherelationships.

Logical and Critical ThinkingLogicalandcriticalthinkingisoneoftheeducationalprocessesinvolvingthepurposefulapplicationofcognitiveabilitiesinorder to attain more and higher cognitive structures andcapabilities.Developmentofsuchhighercognitiveprocessesin children is another important aspect of teaching. Theresponsibilityofa teacher is tocreate learningcontexts insuchawaythattheconceptsandmeaningsarediscoveredandat the same timea critical attitude towards themarealso developed.Creating appropriate learning environmentto develop logical thinking and critical thinking is a partof educative process. Further, mere passing on a body ofknowledgeorprincipleswithoutanysystematicattempttoexplainor justify themdoesnotconstitutetrueeducation;rather it leads to indoctrination. Indoctrination meansimposingtheprinciplesofaparticularschoolofthoughtsoastocreatefaithinthoseprinciplesinthemindsoflearners.Youmusthavecomeacrosscertaininstitutionsorschoolswhichimposetheirdogmaticbeliefsandidealsonchildrenwithoutlettingthemtoquestionorinquireintothem.Educationcannevertakeplaceinanindoctrinatedenvironment,wheretheindividualsaretreatedasmereobjects,butnotasthinkingminds. Learningandteachingistheprocessofeducation.Inthisprocess,theteacherandthelearnerinteractwitheachother,exchangethoughtsandideas,askandanswerquestions,etc.Incontrast,theindoctrinationdoesnotallowanyreasoningor development of critical mindedness. Developing criticalmindedness involves an attempt to explain and justifybeliefsandpractices,givinganopportunitytoquestionthefundamental assumptions onwhich the beliefs are based,lookingforevidencesforbelief,probingintopresuppositionsand thinking in a clear, coherent and rational way. Theimportance of critical thinking in a democratic society is

36

Basics in Education

necessaryforindividualstotakerightplaceinthesociety.Infact,thesuccessofdemocracyrestsontheindividuals’abilitytothinkcriticallyandnottobecarriedawaybypropaganda.Thusdevelopmentoflogicalandcriticalthinkingconstitutesanotherimportantaspectofeducationalprocess.

activity 121. Identify the extent to which skill development,

factuallearning,andscopefordevelopinglogicaland critical thinking are attempted throughcurricularareas.

2. What kind of educational processes would youadoptinthefollowingcontexts? • Students want to set up an experiment in

science. • Studentswanttopractisecomputerskills. • Students want to solve the mathematical

problems. • Studentswanttodevelopspeakingandreading

skillsinEnglish. • Students want to know why the objects fall

downwhendroppedfromheights. • Studentswanttoknowwhyshipsdonotsink

whereas the other heavier objects sink inwater.

doES EdUCaTIon oCCUR only In EdUCaTIonal InSTITUTIonS? Wheredoeseducationtakeplace? Ifyouaskthisquestionto yourself or to others, probably youmay get an answerfrommost of them, that it take place in the institutions.Educationdoesnotnecessarilytakeplaceonlyininstitutionslike schools, colleges and universities. Education is oftenbeingconfusedwithschooling,relyingonthepremisethattimespentinschoolisdirectlyrelatedtoeducation.Trytorecallallthatyouhavelearntduringyourschoolingdays.Itispossiblethatmostofushavelearntthingsevenoutsidetheschool. Inschools,wefind thatwhatonehas to learnispredeterminedwhichmayormaynotberelatedtoone’scontext.Theexperiencesgainedoutsidetheschoolhelp in

37


understanding the school content. Many times, we cameout with knowledge that is personally relevant and easilytransferabletonewsituations. Manypeoplehaveastrongbeliefthatsomehowspendingtimeinschoolwillmakeapersoneducated.This isoneofthebiggestmisnomersthatprevailsthroughoutoursociety.Certainly, there are many wonderful, authentic, relevantlearningexperiencesthattakeplace inschoolatall levels.Butthatisnottheonlysourceofeducation. Theprocessofeducationtakesplaceinallpersonalandsocial situations. Education in this sense would certainlyinclude all efforts for inculcation of values, attitudes andskills that the society desires to be imparted to children.In contrast to this broader notion, education occurring ininstitutionslikeschoolsandcollegesisanactofconsciouslyimparting values, knowledge and skills in accordancewith the requirements in a formal situation. Schools andcolleges also impart deliberate and systematic training inspecialisedsubjectareasthatmaynotbeotherwisegainedthroughtheinformalprocess.Initsessence,schoolingisalimitededucationalexerciseintermsofrangeofexperiencesprovided.Itisalsolimitedtoaspecificperiodofhumanlife,i.e.,fromchildhoodtilloneleavesschool,whiletheprocessof education continues throughout the life.We learnmostfrom our surroundings, from our friends and from otherpeople who share our interests. Besides school, there arenumberofinstitutionsinthesocietywhicharetheagenciesofeducation,suchasthefamily,thecommunity,thetemple,the church, etc. These institutions are also known asagenciesofeducation.Theprocessesofeducation intheseinstitutionsaredeliberatelyplannedwithacontinuousefforttogivecertaintypeofknowledge,skills,orattitudes. In the institutions like schools and universities, theknowledge is systematised and classified into subjects.Educationalactivitiesofaschoolareunderstoodintermsofthesubjectswhicharetaughtinit.Theschoolsasthesocialinstitutions, in fact, are establishedwith the presupposedobjectiveofimpartingknowledge,skillsandattitudestothefuturemembersofthesociety,asitisconsideredimportantforlivinginthesociety.InancientIndiawehadinstitutions

38

Basics in Education

likeguru ashrama, guru kula, vihara, sangha, pathasala and vidhyapitha which played a prominent role in the processof socialisation and transmission of knowledge and richcultural heritage of India. In themedieval period, we hadmaktabs(schools)andmadarasas (colleges).ItisduringtheBritishrule,theconceptofschoolsystememergedinIndia. Educationalsotakesinformallyoutsidetheinstitutions.For example, we also learn through the library, thenewspapers,themagazines,themassmediaandinteractivecommunicationtechnology,interactionwithlearnedpeople,andothers,etc.Allthesesourcesentaillearning.Interactingwitha farmermight leadonetoacquireanunderstandingof what kinds of crops are grown every year in differentseasons;howmuchisinvestedbythefarmerforproductionof crops;howmuchdoesheprofit from theproduction ofcrops; the hurdles faced by the farmer inmarketing, etc.Thislearningtakesplaceinformallywithoutanystructuredways andmeans like curriculum, teacher or textbooks oran institution. Itopenswiderpossibilitiesof learning fromothers’ experiences and get connected to the questions,issuesandfeelingsthatareimportanttopeople.Incontrastto this, education that takes place in the institutions ismoreformalandstructured,thattendstotakeplaceinanorganised manner with lots of instructional planning andsupportwhicharedeliberatelyplanned. Itmustberememberedthatthereissomeknowledgewhichishistoricalandrootedincertainsocialtraditionsandhadbeenaccumulated fromgeneration togenerationonwhichthe community depends considerably for developmentalpurposes. The community depends upon the agency likeschoolsforthetransmissionofsuchknowledge,skills,andvalues to children which may not be possible otherwiseto learn everything through informal means. Besides,the school environment can also eliminate the unworthyfeatures of the existing environment from influencing thechildrenindevelopingunhealthyattitudesandvalues.Theschoolhasthedutyofomittingthingsliketheundesirablesocialissuessuchasdiscrimination,inequality,genderbias,communalism,etc. Itisnecessarytohaveacommoncoresubjectmatterandvalues to have a unity of outlook upon a broader horizon

39


thanbeingconfinedtoasmallgroupnormsandculture.Theschoolasaninstitutioncoordinatesthediverseinfluencesofthevarioussocial environments fromwhich the individualstudentscomefromandprovidesaneducativeenvironmentinwhichtheindividualsinteract,socialiseandlearnthosethat are ‘worthwhile’. Thiswould develop a common andbalancedoutlooktodiversities insociety,acriticalandananalyticalmindwhichappliesrationallywhatislearnttothelifesituations.

activity 13Read the National Curriculum Framework – 2005.Analyze the ideas related to ‘learning beyond theclassroomandtheschools’.

learning Check 81. Explain the roleofaschoolasan institution in

educatingstudents.2. Whataretheotherpossiblethingsthatthechild

learnsfromhis/herenvironmentbeforecomingtoschool?

lEt us suM upThewordeducationisderivedfromtwoLatinwords‘Educare’and‘Educere’.Thefirstonemeaning‘toraise’andto‘tobringup’,whilethesecondonemeansto‘toleadforth’or‘tocomeout.’Thenarrowmeaningofeducationisconfinedonlytoafewspecific,deliberate,plannedinfluencesthathaveabearingonthedevelopmentoftheindividual.However,educationismuchmorethanthis.Itisconsideredtobealifelongprocess,which includesall the events, experiences,knowledgeandwisdom that an individual acquires at different stages ofone’slifeformally,informallyandincidentally. EducationinancientIndiawasaimedattrainingofthemindasan instrumentofknowledgeand thedischargeofone’sdharma. The contemporary Indian thinkers linked itwiththehumanandsocietaldevelopment.Thewesternviewoneducationhasalsochangedovertimefromitbeingtheactivities of mind to reconstruction and reorganisation of

40

Basics in Education

experiences.Educationisbothanaturalandasocialprocess,whereindevelopmentoftheuniquenessandindividualityofthechildisconsideredastheveryessenceofeducation,andatthesametimeinitiatinghim/herintothesociety,forwhichschool prepares him. Education does not refer to a singleprocess,buttofamilyofprocessesleadingtotheachievementof being educated. Some of the processes are training,instruction and learning by experiences, understanding ofprinciples,andlogicalandcriticalthinking.

rEViEw QuEstions1. Compare the views of Indian thinkers with western

thinkers on the concept of education. How did theconceptofeducationundergochangesoveraperiodoftime?Explainwithjustification.

2. Analyse the following statement and give yourinterpretation.“Youdonoteducateamanbytellinghimwhathe knowsnot, but bymakinghimwhathewasnot.”–Ruskin.

3. Explain the concept of education as (i) initiation, (ii)worthwhileactivitywithexamples.

4. Whatarethecriteriaofeducation?Whicharethecriteriathatyouthinkaresatisfiedbyschooling?Explainwithexamples.

5. Discusstheconceptof‘educatedman’withreferencetotoday’seducationalcontext.

6. Whyeducationdoesnot refer toaparticularprocess?Justifyyouranswer.

7. Whichofthetwoisimportant–‘Educationasanaturalprocess’or‘Educationasasocialprocess’?

8. What kind of educational processes are important indeveloping an inquiring mind? Support your answerwithsuitableillustrations.

9. Does education take place through training andinstruction? Justify your response with suitableexamples.

10. Whydoeseducationcompriseofdevelopmentofcriticalattitude?Givereasons.

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11. Whatarethesourcesotherthanschools,throughwhicheducation takes place? Do those sources satisfy thecriteriaofeducativeprocess?

12. Explaintheroleofaninstitutionineducatingaperson.Whataretherequirementsofeducationthataresatisfiedinaninstitution?

rEfErEnCEs/furthEr rEadingsAurobindo. S. 1990. On Education. Aurobindo Ashram,

Pondicherry.dewey, J. 1916.Democracy and Education, TheMacmillan

Company,NewYork.Good, C.V. (Ed.)1973.Dictionary of Education(3rdedition).

McGrawHill,Michigan.KAbir, HumAyun. 1961. Indian Philosophy of Education,Asia

PublishingHouse,Bombay.KriplAni, K. 1980. Rabindranath Tagore: A Biography,

Viswabharathi,Shantiniketan.KrisHnAmurtHi, J.1994.Education and the Significance of Life.

KrishnamurthiFoundation,India.mAni, r.s. 1996.Educational Ideas and Ideals of Gandhi and

Tagore (A Comparative Study).NewBookSocietyofIndia,NewDelhi.

National Council of Educational Research and Training.2005. National Curriculum Framework, NCERT, NewDelhi.

peters, r.s. 1967. The Concept of Education. Rutledge &KeganPaulLtd.GreatBritain.

peters, r.s. 1971.Ethics and Education.GeorgeAllenandUnwin,London.

rAymont, t. 1906. The Principles of Education. Longmans,Green,andCompany,London.

sriVAstAVA,G.2003.Compiler.Reflections of Eminent Indian Thinkers about Women - A Monograph. NCERT (DWS),NewDelhi.

tHApAn, m. 2006. Life at School: An Ethnographic Study.OxfordUniversityPress,NewDelhi.

UNESCO.1996.TheTreasurewithinLearning.

Chapter 2

Goals of Education

STRUCTURE• Introduction• Objectives• BasesofEducationalGoals

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