EDUCATION AS A DISCIPLINE

1.1 MEANING OF EDUCATION AS A DISCIPLINE

It has been pointed out by many researchers of higher education that the concept of a discipline is not a straightforward one. The disciplines are so different from each other that it is hard to come up with a concise definition that would fit all of them to the same degree. A ‘discipline’ can be many things at the same time, and it is worthwhile to look closely at the various meanings of the word. Therefore, many academic investigations of the concept of ‘disciplinarily’ start off with an exploration of the etymology of the word discipline.

This seems to be a useful exercise as the word has clearly retained a strong connection to its etymological roots. The term ‘discipline’ originates from the Latin words discipulus, which means pupil, and disciplina, which means teaching (noun). Related to it is also the word ‘disciple’ as in the disciples of Jesus.

A dictionary definition will give a whole range of quite different meanings of the term from training to submission to an authority to the control and self-control of behavior’s a verb it means training someone to follow a rigorous set of instructions, but also punishing and enforcing obedience. Important is ‘military discipline’ in the sense of the drill in the use of weapons and strict obedience to military commands. Bryan Turner has also pointed at the ecclesiastical meaning, which refers to the order maintained in the church, and at the medical meaning of ‘discipline ‘as a medical regimen imposed by a doctor on a patient of the patient’s benefit. It follows that the academic discipline can be seen as a form of specific and rigorous scientific training that will turn out practitioners who have been ‘disciplined by their discipline’ for their own good. In addition, ‘discipline’ also means policing certain behaviors or ways of thinking. Individuals who have deviated from their ‘discipline’ can be brought back in line or excluded. As a result, there is an important moral dimension to ‘discipline’ that defines how people should behave or think. Michel Foucault has famously interpreted ‘discipline’ as a violent political force and practice that is brought to bear on individuals for producing ‘docile bodies and minds. In this process of disciplining for the general purpose of economic exploitation and political subjugation the ‘disciplines’ do not remain external to the subject but become increasingly internalized. Although Foucault uses the term ‘discipline’ in a very general and also fairly specific sense, it clearly includes the academic disciplines and their contributions to bringing about ‘discipline’ in society. The disciplined individual accepts the external rationality and values as one’s own, which means open repression is no longer needed. For Foucault disciplining is thus a process aimed at limiting the freedom of individuals and as a way of constraining discourses.

Generally, it can be said that the more of these boxes a discipline can tick, the more likely it becomes that a certain field of academic enquiry is a recognized discipline capable of reproducing itself and building upon a growing body of own scholarship. If a discipline is called ‘studies’, then it usually indicates that it is of newer origin (post Second World War) and that it may fall short of one or more of the abovementioned characteristics. This would be typically lack of theorization or lack of specific methodologies, which usually diminishes the status of a field of research. These ‘studies’ disciplines can either aim at remaining ‘undisciplined’, as women’s studies did in the 1970s, or they can engage in the process of their disciplinarisation and institutionalization. Furthermore, although there can be no true hierarchy in the world of science, as each discipline can claim expert knowledge in its own domain, not all disciplines are created equal. Some disciplines would be considered to be ‘more useful, more rigorous, more difficult, or more important than others.

There are also tremendous differences between the disciplines with respect to their overall standing within universities, which can be seen by the number of students and the amount of research money they can attract and the overall resources that are allocated to them by universities in terms of teaching personnel, teaching hours, and equipment. Bigger departments with more staff and more expensive equipment tend to have greater influence within universities than smaller and less equipped departments. In the UK this mean s that vice chancellors are usually.

Education is generally denoted as a discipline related to the activities of educating or instructing and activities that impart knowledge, skills and attitudes. It is meant that education is said to be gaining knowledge or to learn new ideas, skills and attitudes. It is a continuous process which goes along the life.

According to the concept of Educationist, Dumvile- “Education begins from the cradle and ends to the grave”. It is difficult to define education according to the limitations of historical boundary. It is analyzed, described and used differently according to the time, situation and environment.

Now, we are going to discuss about education as a discipline in which it is required to clarify the concept of discipline as well. Discipline means distinctive field of study. Discipline is defined as a branch of study or research through which in depth knowledge of organized area so that the study can be done logically.

“The subject matters which are studied and research deeply and logically in particular area are called discipline. “In other words a “Discipline is branch of knowledge.”

Any study or research done by over viewing each and every small thing on behaving a fact organized in a particular educational field is called discipline. We can say that the meaning of discipline is:

i} A branch of knowledge,

ii} The concept of instruction,

iii} A subject of study.

Now days, knowledge can be clarified in regarding to its content and nature for the organized study along with diffusion of knowledge all over the world. In the mid time of 19^th century, we could see that the education had got chance to be developed as a new content of discipline. The meaning of discipline is clearly tabulated below:

1. Branch of knowledge
2. Structure of knowledge
3. Subject of instruction.

Structures of knowledge are classified as follows:

1. Meaning and definition
2. Rules and Generalization
3. Concept & principles
4. Facts and information
5. Methodology & Terminology

Education is known as world of learning in ancient time. The meaning of education was to gain knowledge and become enlighten. In medieval time, education is affected by the religious, tradition, customs and beliefs are conserved through holy books and epics such as Geeta, Ramayana, Bible and Quran. All of these concepts were helped to establish education as a discipline in the world. Educational discipline is started from science of education. In the field of education, innovative concept was immersed via what is life? What is education? Education is provided for what, why, when and whom? What is society for? What should the methodology be like? Why we need the teaching materials? How it was constructed and used in classroom? Why should we evaluate effectively? What are the major learning theories? etc help to develop enormously education as a discipline.

On the development of education as a discipline the following philosophers have illustrated their ideas which are as follows:

• Plato- Societies are classified differently to imagine whether the society is ideal state.
• Aristotle- Explain inductive and deductive method
• Herbert Spence- He had contributed scientific thinking in education.
• Socrates- He had pro founded dialectic method.
• Coombs told educational crisis.
• Ivan Illich and Rammer had published a book named as   Deschawling society and the school is dead.
• Paulo Freire had emphasized the equality of education.

All of these progressive nations had played important roles in developing education as a discipline. An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of knowledge that is taught and researched as part of higher education.

In the context of Nepal, Normal school (2004), teacher education program (2006 B.S) was established that was conducted in college of education which was established in 2013 B.S. Now a day modern thought is begun in educational discipline. Education is made subject of human right and birth right, free compulsory education, equality of education, education for all are the right that was included in discipline of education. Education is life whereas life is education. The broad concept that was developed along with Open University, non-formal education qualitative aspect of education and employment-oriented education as innovation and development of education for strengthens in discipline. It is meant that the structure of knowledge and field of study has been depth gently in the fields of educational discipline.

In narrower the meaning of discipline means a branch of knowledge or subject matter or department.

It regards that education is a process of giving and taking of knowledge through interaction of environment. In other words, discipline is written as teaching subject or study of subject matters in a particular area. There are some major aspects of education as a discipline:

1. Education as a transmission tradition. It also explains transfer of learning through formal or non-formal way in the family and their elders for happiness of their life and spiritually feel enlightens.
2. Education as a development philosophy- In the field of education, there were developed various kinds of ideas or notions that are set up in the form of systematic thinking such as Idealism, Naturalism, pragmatism, realism, progressivism and existentialism. They are freely developed in regarding to the religious and social aims of education according to the notions of philosopher in education.
3. Development of school/ system as formal education,
4. Education as a science
5. Development of new thinking and research in education,
6. Education as human right,
7. Alternative thinking and practice in education development

Open learning, correspondence education, distance education are alternative thinking in education

     Summary of meaning of discipline-

A discipline in the generally accepted sense of the world means a field of study which has a well defined content and a technique of its own together with a unique system of values. It is implicit in this concept of a learned discipline that it constitutes an important part that its pursuit results in a specific enrichment of the human mind. Most of the subjects taught in universities and colleges are disciplined in this sense: The discipline of education is based on:

1. New innovation of education
2. A branch of knowledge.
3. Educational research
4. Modern thinking of education
5. Developed educational principles
6. Bringing out educational faculty
7. Instruction e.g. a general subject area such as psychology, linguistics etc.

There are five elements, which designate an area of knowledge as a distinct discipline. These areas are:

1. Specific origin or history: The stock of knowledge which is the core element of any discipline is experienced and verified over a long period of time. It constitutes the history of any discipline. Every discipline such as mathematics, science has their long history. Every discipline is developed on the footmarks of history. The experiences developed in historical time make a discipline rich.
2. Concepts, theories and principles: The stock of knowledge in any discipline should be arranged in the form of concepts, theories and principles. Concepts are a generalized category of facts revealed by experiences. Theories and principles are those arrangements in which concepts are interlinked in the form of cause and effect. These all are needed to preserve the knowledge and predict the future phenomenon. There should be a stock of concepts, principles and theories in any discipline.
3. A theoretical structure: The hierarchical relationship of knowledge in the form of interrelated concepts, theories and principles constitute a theoretical structure. This theoretical structure is the main body of a discipline, which gives it a distinct existence. Every discipline should have a sound theoretical structure in which its underlying body of knowledge is interlinked in the form as an intact area of knowledge.
4. Own research methodology: Every discipline should have its own research methodology. The aim of research is theorizing or theory building. Every discipline can be made rich and the sound disciplinary base of it can be developed via research.

      1.2. CHARACTERISTICS OF DISCIPLINE

Disciplines then have to be considered to be considerable barriers to free thinking and an obstacle to more self-governed subjectivities, which became the focus of Foucault’s later work. The term ‘academic discipline’ certainly incorporates many elements of the meaning work. The term ‘academic discipline’ certainly incorporates many elements of the meaning of ‘discipline’ discussed above. At the same time, it has also become a technical term for the organization of learning and the systematic production of new knowledge. Often disciplines are identified with taught subjects, but clearly not every subject taught at university can be called a discipline. There is more to disciplines than the fact that something is a subject taught in an academic setting. In fact, there is a whole list of criteria and characteristics, which indicate whether a subject is indeed a distinct discipline. A general list of characteristics would include:

• Disciplines have a particular object of research (e.g. law, society, Politics), though the object of research may be shared with another discipline;
• Disciplines have a body of accumulated specialist knowledge referring to their object of research, which is specific to them and not generally shared with another discipline;
• Disciplines have theories and concepts that can organize the accumulated specialist knowledge effectively;
• Disciplines use specific terminologies, or a specific technical language adjusted to their research object;
• Disciplines have developed specific research methods according to their specific research requirements; and maybe most crucially
• Disciplines must have some institutional manifestation in the form of subjects taught at universities or colleges, respective academic departments and professional associations connected to it.

Only through institutionalizations are disciplines able to reproduce themselves ‘from one generation to the next by means of specific educational preparation’ A new discipline is therefore usually founded by the way of creating a professorial chair devoted to it at an established university. Not all disciplines have all of the aforementioned six characteristics. For example, English literature has the problem that it lacks both a unifying theoretical paradigm and method and a definable stable object of research, but it still passes as an academic discipline.

Each and every discipline has definite characteristics for itself. Disciplines are separated from each other revealed to its characteristics. Generally, the characteristics of disciplines are as follows:

1. Own content: Every discipline has own specific content or subject matters or course of study at different level of teaching.                    It is related to some professional and social activity: Various disciplines are related to different sectors of professions with their activities such as agricultural discipline is related to farming, psychology is related to behavior of human being and chemistry is related to matters. Likewise, teaching is related to profession of academic knowledge, skills and attitudes.
2. Every discipline has its own method of study: There are different methods to study to their various types of discipline. For examples, for the study of the contents of physics and chemistry, especially used laboratory and experimental methods. Library is used for the study of history and political science. On the study of discipline of education, we can especially prefer and use descriptive method, discussion method and field trip method etc as far as possible.
3. related to investigate different categories of plants. Similarly, education discipline is also related to investigate our society and education system, education and psychology, education and teaching child or pedagogy, philosophy and others aspects that are the central points of investigation of each discipline.
4. Each discipline has its own method of investigation: Each and every discipline of education has its own frame of investigation and definite method of study. For examples, the subject of pure science is used the experiment or laboratory method for study. On the social sciences, for in-depth investigation, most of the scholars are used survey method.
   

   
   1.3.   MEANING OF EDUCATION

Education is not analyzed in regarding to its limited basis of boundary of thought, notions and circumferences. There is no only one meaning of education. Generally, education means acquisition of knowledge, understanding, intelligence, conscience, wisdom etc. Common people think it is the process, which takes place in schools and colleges, and the person, who has acquired a certificate from these institutions, can only be termed as educated. However, in real sense, it is not limited only to schooling. There is no limit of time, place and age for acquisition of education. People can acquire education everywhere, in every moment of their life without the bound of age. The main function of education is not only physical development through stage of infancy but also developed the genius social being by them. Therefore, we can say that the education is the mother of cultural and civilization. Individuals can receive education from every source such as schools, parents, society, colleagues, mass media etc. It can be planned or unplanned. It can be intended or unintended. One can acquire the needed ability, knowledge, skills, attitudes and aptitude from different means. Education is the aggregate of all experiences by which a person’s develop ability, attitudes and other forms of behavior of practical value in the society in which they live. Some Scholars or educationists have evoked their notions are mentions below:

1. According to John Locke, “Plants are developed by cultivation and men by education.”
2. According to John Dewey, “We need food for physical development and education is for social growth.”
3. According to Plato,” I mean by education that training which is given by suitable habits to the first instincts of virtue in children.”
4. According to Aristotle-“Education is the creation of a sound mind in a sound body.”
5. According to Pestalozzi-“Education is a natural, harmonious and progressive development of a man’s innate powers.”
6. According to Adams-“Education is a conscious and deliberate process in which one personality acts upon another in order to modify the development of the other by the communication and manipulation of language.”
7. According to Thomson-“By education, I mean the influence of the environment upon the individual to produce a permanent change in his habits of behaviors of thought and of attitude.”
8. According to Milton-“I call, therefore, complete and generous education that which fits a man to perform justly, skillfully and magnanimously all the office, both private and public peace and war.”
9. According to Herbert-“Education is the development of a good moral character.”
10. According to Mahatma Gandhi-“By education I mean all-round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, mind and spirit.”
11. According to Tagore-“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence”
12. According to Leste F. ward-“Education means universal distribution of extant knowledge.”
13. According to Ulich Robert-“Education is the constant interaction among people and between people and the objective world.”

On the basis of statements of these overviews, we can conclude that education is the focal point of consciousness. Education is required for all round development of each individuals and society. It is obvious that implications of education are seen differently as contextual timing, situations and need of attitude of learners. So, education is a thoughtful process by which the inner powers of the individual are developed. Education is very broad in its true sense and is not confined to school experience. But in a narrow sense, education is a well planned process which is conducted through institutions or individual by themselves.

There are six meanings of education that are illustrated below:

1. General meaning
2. Etymological meaning
3. Narrow meaning
4. Wider meaning
5. Actual meaning
6. .  Analytical meaning.

          1.General meaning:

Dynamics of civilized society and good human life are depending on education. Education is a means through which a conscious ideal man like a lamp and action oriented human is being made. It develops innate powers of individuals. Education can built up strengthens and efficiency for fullest potentialities of man. It also develops individual personalities and characters. The general meaning of English word ‘Education’ that’s full form is enlisted below:

E = Enlargement of mind.             D= Discipline             U= Universal Outlook

C= Character                                     A= Activities              T= Trustworthiness

I= Ideation of God                           O= Omniscient           N= Nice Temperament.

        2.Etymological Meaning of education

Etymologically, it is believed that the word” education” has been derived from two Latin words “E” and “duco”.  “E” means”from within” and “duco” means “to bring out”. Thus, etymologically education means the process which brings out the internal potentialities and abilities of learners. There are other etymological sources of the word education. These sources are presented below:

At first, the word was related to an original Latin word ‘Educatum. The word “Educatum” is the combination of two words ‘E’ and ‘Duco’, meaning ‘out of and ‘to lead’ respectively. Hence, the word ‘education’ means to lead to the outside from the inside. From its meaning it becomes clear that in education the teacher does not give anything to the taught but helps him in developing his inner potentialities.

 There are many potentialities inherent in the student. These powers are recessive. The function of bringing them out and developing them is performed through education. The word ‘education’ indicates that education is a thing by which the inner powers of students are developed. Since

education is not a thing or element, the educationists thought of two other Latin words, namely ‘Educere’ and ‘Educare’. The first means developing or bringing out and the other means increasing, progressing, raising etc. Both these words are verbs in their original forms.

Education also seems to be an activity rather than a thing. Therefore, according to the educationists the word ‘education’ must have been derived from ‘Educere’ and ‘Educare’. Thus, one thing is clear that education is a process rather than a thing grammatically it is a noun, but in meaning it is a process. Education is acquisition of knowledge or art of teaching and the development of skills, attitudes, habits etc. Based on these different etymological sources, it can be concluded that education is a process, which brings the internal potentialities of a learner outside. It is a process of training, raising the children and drawing out the fuller internal ability of an individual.

        3. Narrow meaning of Education:

The knowledge that is provided through the school is termed as Education. Those persons who can read books are literate. The teaching process which managed and determined the time, curriculum and system or processes through the school and university is explained as education. To give more emphasis only on bookish knowledge in teaching learning process and to fulfill the demand of job market are taken as narrower meaning of education. In the narrow sense, the education that is bounded on definite curriculum, limit time and duration, education system, teacher, examination and methodology etc. that are already determined in regarding to their institutions. Education is that which is limited on the criteria of success and failure in exam. Only the people trained in these institutions and who have received certificates as a mark of success can be considered as educated. It is therefore that education is bounded on limit circumference of viewing is known as narrower meaning of education. Formal education is also taken as narrow meaning of education.

• According to T. Rayman – In a narrow sense education is bookish knowledge, which may not be adequate for the all-round development of an individual.
• According to S.S Mackenziee – In a narrow sense education may be taken to mean any consciously directed effort to develop and cultivate our powers.
• According to prof. Drevery- Education is a process in which and by which knowledge, character and behaviors of the young are shaped and molded.
• According to G.H. Thomson- “The influence of environment on the individual with a view to producing a permanent change in his habits or behavior of thoughts and attitude is education.

In a narrow sense, education is imparted at a definite place…..school, college or university and at a definite time, to a definite person. Such an education has got a definite curriculum. Thus, this is a narrow meaning of education.

       4. Wider meaning

In the whole life of human being, we can acquire knowledge along with so many ways via whenever, how, from which things and events are defined as education. Education cultivated and established as a entire development of whole life of child through which set up sustained efficient life for relative to contemporary society. It is also known as wider meaning of education. In the other words, A child acquired knowledge means to achieve innovative experiences from their surroundings. To identify what is right and wrong behaviors that are categories in regarding to acceptance to our societies. It inspires child for development of good habits to them for appraising virtue of life. Especially, it praises them good virtues are utilized in their life with respect to generate value on behave of society for all is illustrated as education. From birth up to death, individual has acquired and cumulated difference experiences in a whole entire life are defined as wider meaning of education. Therefore, education is continuous process for entire life of man.  Thus, it is also called life long and life wide process. Education is that which has done all round development of child. Through the formal, Non-formal and informal ways, children may develop humanitarian characters and virtues for their successful life as a whole is defined as wider meaning of education. Through the education, the following knowledge and behaviors have developed on individuals such are:

1. Development of innate power
2. Development of individual personality and character
3. Development of organizational activities.

According to Addison- When education works on a noble mind it draws out to view every talent and perfection.

According to T.P Nunn – Education is complete development of the individuality of a child so that he can make an original contribution to human life according to his best capacity.

According to James- Education is the organization of acquired habits of action as will fit the individual to his physical and social environment.

According to Pestalozzi – Education is a natural, harmonious and progressive development of man’s innate power.

According to Frobel – Education is a process by which the child makes the internal external.

According to Mackenziee – In a wider sense it is a process that goes on throughout life and is promoted by almost every experience in life.

In the sense of wider, there are following overviews which are under below:

• According to the Idealism: Education is the adjustment of god
• According to Naturalism: Education is the study of nature
• According to Pragmatism: Education is reconstruction of experience
• According to Realism: Education is sense’s perception

With help of education, child can conduct efficiently and organized action in society with help of education. Such experiences which are effort and ensure to reform and improvement of society are the education for sustainability of life of child. The education which ensure and safe and sound the life in any circumstances of experiences that help to attain need and objectives of individuals.

From birth up to death we come in contact with many things, persons, institutions and ideas. Every moment we gain new experiences. These experiences and traits bring changes in our behavior. These experiences are encountered on a larger canvass. Education is a process of gaining these experiences. Hence, the meaning of education is very wide ranging.

In this broad sense, experiences gained from tours or excursions, marriage ceremonies, social organizations and fairs come under the term ‘education’. We learn something by participating in religious programmers. Our education goes on during our travels also.

In the words of the educationist lodge, “In the wider sense, experience is said to be educative. The bite of a mosquito, the taste of a watermelon, the experience of falling in love, of flying in an aero plane, of being caught in a storm in a small boat all such students educate their teachers. Everything we say, think or do educates no less than what is said or done to us by other beings, animate or inanimate. In this wider sense, life is education, and education is life.”

The idea of life-long education has challenged the traditional concept of terminal education. Education now lasts throughout life from cradle to the grave so that it could meet the needs of individuals and of society as a whole.

The concept of life-long education was given by UNESCO in its meetings in 1965. The basic principle was defined as” the animating principle of the whole process of education regarded as continuing throughout an individual’s life from his earliest childhood to the end of his days and, therefore, calling for an integrated organization. The necessary integration should be achieved both vertically throughout the duration of life, and horizontally to cover all the various aspects of the life of individuals and societies.”

       5. Actual meaning of education

In actual sense education should develop mental, moral, intellectual, cultural, aesthetic, emotional, linguistic and social aspects of a learner’s personality.  Education is that which develop all round and multi-focal circumstances of learners. The actual meaning of education is its well-developed meanings. It develops the sense of self-dependency, self- realization and self –respect within them. By education, people are enabled to enjoy a successful life and also become responsible members of the society and responsible citizens of a country. At last, education brings perfection of the potentialities, which lies within an individual. Education is that which take part along with perfection of life of individuals. These are used in the practical life of human beings such are drawn in the following ways:

        6. Analytical meaning of Education

Various educationists have analyzed and illustrated education from different perspectives. The combination of above illustrate meanings is known as analytical meaning of education. Some statements or examples of analytical meaning of education are discussed below:

• The meaning of education is not limited to school education.

According to this view, education takes place throughout the life from birth to death. It takes place in different forms i.e. formal, non-formal and informal forms. It cannot be limited only to the school education. The process of education is broad and unlimited. It covers all the life of an individual; therefore; it can’t be limited only to schools.

• The meaning of education as harmonious development of innate powers of a child.

In ancient period, education was considered as knowledge centered. The aim of education was limited to the acquisition of knowledge. In medieval period, it was considered as a child centered process. The French philosopher, Rousseau was the propagator of this thought. According to him the function of education is to bring the harmonious development of the innate power of the child. Now it is accepted that the main role of education is to support the all-round development of a child by developing his innate powers.

• Education is a bipolar process.

Education is believed as a bipolar process. The two poles of education are educand and educator only which are interrelated to each others. It was believed that the teacher (educator) decides about what to teach and he was supposed to give this knowledge to his students (Educands).

• Education is a tri-polar process.

Education is believed as a tri-polar process. The three poles of education are educator, educand and curriculum which are co-related to each others. In modern approach to education believes that curriculum is the third and most important pole of educative process. Education takes place to fulfill some predetermined aims via a predetermined curriculum. The principle aim of the curriculum is to bring manifested changes in the behavior of the learner. The role of the teacher is as an organizer of the educative process.

• Education is a dynamic process.

Although, education in the modern time had takes place through a predetermined curriculum. It is not corrects to say that it is a static process. Instead, education is a dynamic process. The traditional thought about education as a process of acquiring knowledge, which makes a person educated for his or her whole life, has been changed now. Now it is believed that a person must regularly update his or her knowledge according to the changing demand of life. Curriculum itself should be updated time to time to meet the demands of changing life in accordance with the changing demand of time.

The current era is the era of explosion of knowledge. New knowledge and skills are being frequently developed. It is making the old knowledge obsolete. It has turned education as a dynamic and a life- long process. Education is believed to be a process, which prepares the individuals capable to fulfill the changing demands of human life through education.

• Education is a process of social development.

Human beings are inherently social animals by their nature. They are always in the effort of being adjusted with their complex social environment and maintaining societal relationships. They have to play a specific role in the society according to its specific and changing needs. Education helps them in the process of their adjustment with the changing context of society. The process of this social adjustment is also termed as social development, because human beings develop specific skills in the process of this adjustment. In this way, education is a process of social development through which people learn the skill of social adjustment.

• Education is a modification of behavior.

Psychologists explain education as the modification of behavior. They believe that human beings modify their original behavior through education. It is the process by which, they bring change in their old knowledge, skill and attitude and acquire new patterns. These changes enable them in their adjustment with society. Education is the process by which an individual changes his or her old set of behavior and acquires a new set of experiences.

Besides these above meanings, education is also considered as the process of training, guidance, human development and development of life skills.

     1.4 Definition of Education 

1. There has been much interest in learning modalities and styles over the last two decades. The most commonly employed learning modalities are:
2. Visual: learning based on observation and seeing what is being learned.
3. Auditory: learning based on listening to instructions/information.
4. Kinesthetic: learning based on movement, e.g. hands-on work and engaging in activities.
5. Other commonly employed modalities include musical, interpersonal, verbal, logical, and intrapersonal.
6. There has been much interest in learning modalities and styles over the last two decades. The most commonly employed learning modalities are:
7. Visual: learning based on observation and seeing what is being learned.
8. Auditory: learning based on listening to instructions/information.
9. Kinesthetic: learning based on movement, e.g. hands-on work and engaging in activities.
10. Other commonly employed modalities include musical, interpersonal, verbal, logical, and intrapersonal.

Since time immemorial, education is estimated as the right road to progress and prosperity. Different educationists’ thoughts from both Eastern and Western side have explained the term ‘education’ according to the need of the hour. Various educationists have given their views on education. Some important definitions are following slides.

• Mahatma Gandhi – “By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in man – body, mind and spirit.”
• Rabindranath Tagore– “Education enables the mind to find out the ultimate truth, which gives us the wealth of inner light and love and gives significance to life.”
• Dr. Zakir Husain – “Education is the process of the individual mind, getting to its full possible development.”Swami
• Vivekananda – “Education is the manifestation of divine perfection already existing in man.”
• Aristotle – “Education is the creation of sound mind in a sound body.”
•  Rousseau – “Education is the child’s development from within.”
• Herbert Spencer– “Education is complete living.”
• Plato – “Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment.”
• Aristotle – “Education is the creation of a sound mind in a sound body.”
• Pestalozzi – “Education is natural, harmonious and progressive development of man’s innate powers.”
• Froebel -“Education is enfoldment of what is already enfolded in the germ.”
• John Locke said, “Plants are developed by cultivation and men by education”. This world would have been enveloped in intellectual darkness if it had not been illuminated by the light of education.
• It is right to say that the story of civilization is the story of education. Thus, education is an integral part of human life. It is the basic condition for a development of a whole man and vital instrument For accelerating the wellbeing and prosperity by the light of education.
• Indira Gandhi – “Education is a liberating force and in our age it is also a democratizing force, cutting across the barriers of caste and class, smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth and other circumstances.

    1.5 Major Forms/Types of Education

FORMAL, NON-FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION: CONCEPTS/APPLICABILITY

 ABSTRACT

Educative system classification proposal, comprising formal, non-formal and informal education, their features and relations at the level of concepts and practical utilization is presented. Considering the problems arising from formal education, alternatives that displace the “center of gravity” from formal, to non-formal education processes are herein advanced, with regard to the advantages offered by the latter. The aspects relating to the creation of non-formal systems and their perspectives are also analyzed in the search for solutions to our current educational problems.

INTRODUCTION

In educational literature, the study of alternative education systems often mentions “open systems”, “non-formal education”, “distance learning”, “non-conventional studies”, among other terms. In some cases these are employed as synonyms, whereas in others, there is no agreement as to their meanings, making it impossible to reach a consensus for their concepts. A more precise definition of such concepts is fundamental, as is their possible classification, aimed at better understanding and practical utilization. We shall therefore analyze the concepts of formal, non-formal and informal education, in an attempt to define their features, advantages, limitations and inter-relations.

1.5.1 FORMAL EDUCATION

Formal education corresponds to a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting a rather rigid curriculum as regards objectives, content and methodology. It is characterized by a contiguous education process named, as Sarramona remarks, “presential education”, which necessarily involves the teacher, the students and the institution. It corresponds to the education process normally adopted by our schools and universities. Formal education institutions are administratively, physically and curricular organized and require from students a minimum classroom attendance. There is a program that teachers and students alike must observe, involving intermediate and final assessments in order to advance students to the next learning stage. It confers degrees and diplomas pursuant to a quite strict set of regulations. The methodology is basically expositive, scarcely relating to the desired behavioral objectives – as a matter of fact, it is but seldom that such targets are operationally established. Assessments are made on a general basis, for administrative purposes and are infrequently used to improve the education process. Their character is, for the most part, punitive, obeying a mono-directional methodology that fails to stimulate students and to provide for their active participation in the process, though in most cases, failures are ascribed to them. The setting-up of a formal education system does not consider the students’ standards, values and attitudes that are relevant to the education system which, generally, is not tested or assessed at the level of student acceptance, as well as for efficacy and efficiency. The same methodology – poor, ineffective, scarcely creative – is adopted, whether the universe contains 10, 50 or 200 students. Others institutional resources than the expositive method are seldom employed and, when they are employed, the basic learning principles are disregarded. The subjects are presented in isolated blocks, whether as to content or methodology. Thus, for instance, in the case of Physics, for techno- administrative reasons the subject is divided into theory, laboratory and exercises and, their adequate order and correlation is disregarded.

In general, the objectives aimed at the personal growth of students are negligence and, the basic principles of learning fail to be considered in the planning and the perform acne of education systems. It is not excessive to say that in the case of formal education, for the most part teachers pretend to teach; students pretend to learn; and, institutions pretend to be really catering to the interests of students and of the society. Thus, generally, formal education cannot disguise its aloofness from the real needs of the students and of the community.

FEATURES OF FORMAL EDUCATION:

• Fixed objectives, curriculum, subject matter, teaching method, evaluation
• Limited to specific class periods
• Planned with particular and bounded education.
• Well-defined and systematic curriculum.
• Given by specially qualified teachers.
• Based on classroom activities
• Not based on learner’s interest
• Structure complexity
• Bookish knowledge
• Formal institute, school and university
• Fixed points of entry and exit
• Certificate distribution, centralized.

1.5.2 NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

As seen, formal education has a well-defined set of features. Whenever one or more of these is absent, we may safely state that the educational process has acquired non-formal features. Therefore, if a given education system is not presential most of the time – non-contiguous communication – we may say that it has non-formal education features. Likewise, non-formal education characteristics are found when the adopted strategy does not require student attendance, decreasing the contacts between teacher and student and most activities take place outside the institution – as for instance, home reading and paperwork. Educative processes endowed with flexible curricula and methodology, capable of adapting to the needs and interests of students, for which time is not a pre-established factor but is contingent upon the student’s work pace, certainly do not correspond to those comprised by formal education, but fit into the so-called non-formal education . Proportionally to the number of formal education factors that are absent from a process, we find several grades of non-formal systems. These preliminary considerations emphasize the need clearly and objectively to establish the possible basic features of non-formal education. This, however, is not an easy task. As remarked by Ward and collaborators, “A comprehensive and standard definition of non-formal education is not yet available in common usage. Perhaps such definitions will not emerge until after much more study of the educational issues and potentialities inherent in the variety of experiences now called non-formal education has been done.” As regards the distinction between both educational models, the same authors point out that “the implied and real distinctions between formal and non-formal education should be seen within a systematic and holistic view of education.” In the same paper, they remark that education remains relatively undefined because the non-school view of education has merited little interest and responsibility from educational planners. Notwithstanding the above, even a preliminary analysis of the existing non-formal systems reveals the constant presence of two features: 1(a) – centralization of the process on the student, as to his previously identified needs and possibilities; and, (b) – the immediate usefulness of the education for the student’s personal and professional growth. 2Non-formal education seems better to meet the individual needs of students. According to Ward, et al.3, a systematic analysis of the main features of non-formal education, diversely from formal schooling, shows that participants are led to non-formal programmes because these offer the expertise that they hope to acquire and the necessary assistance for a better understanding of their own selves and of their world. It is but natural those if the education offered by schools is without value for a student’s life and fails to prepare him to deal with daily problems, he will simply refuse to participate in programmes that may finally disappear or, at best, have to be reformulated to gain significance for students. As non-formal education is focused on the student, it perforce presents flexible features as regards the initially established and adopted procedures, objectives and contents. It is therefore quicker to react in face of the changes that may affect the needs of students and of the community. With basis on these preliminary considerations we may easily conclude that the non-formal label encompasses a wide variety of educational systems endowed with features that either led them towards or away from the established   formal systems. Thus, we might infer the existence of a certain degree of continuity linking the formal and the non-formal education. This view is not limited to a merely academic interest because, as will be seen below, it is an extremely objective and practical one in the search for alternative solutions to educational problems. Given its scope, non-formal education is comprised of an ample diversity of educational in situations, many of which have played a significant role in the renewal of educational systems. We shall now analyze three educative processes, namely: “correspondence learning”, “distance learning” and “open systems”, which, because of their features fall within the scope of non-formal education.

       Correspondence Learning: organized, structured correspondence schools date from more than one century. Several works 4 and authors 5 mention that in 1856, in Berlin, Toussaint and Langenscheidt founded a correspondence languages course. In 1886, in England, a graduate studies correspondence course was introduced. A “Society to Encourage Study at Home” was organized in 1873, in Boston, and the first formal experience took place in 1883, in New York, the “Correspondence University”. In several countries similar efforts were made, named “enseignement par correspondence” in France, “fern Unter such” and “fern Studium” in Germany, “home study”, “tuition mail” and “postal tuition” in England; “ensino por correspondência” in Portugal; ensenãnza por correo” and “ensenãnza por correspondencia” in Spain. Nowadays, there is a large number of correspondence schools all over the World, encompassing studies that range from basic education to university studies, including wide variety of subjects in the professional area. Correspondence course participants are found in all age brackets and economic-social classes. But, which are the main features of correspondence learning? It is a planned and systematized activity, based on the preparation of printed educational materials which are forwarded to students who are physically separated from the teachers who can give but a limited assistance to them. Correspondence learning is an individualized learning system that allows students to proceed at their own pace, according to their interests. The institutional materials are for the most part printed and are generally prepared by a teacher who has not enough didactic and technical knowledge to prepare top quality educational material. Although a number of correspondence courses currently offer other types of instructional material- audio-tapes and videotapes, kits, etc. – we shall for classification purposes solely consider the printed materials offered by correspondence courses. We shall reserve the name “distance learning” to the courses prepared on a high technical level, by a multidisciplinary team, administered by a relatively large institution, comprising a wide variety of educational materials. Correspondence courses generally establish a bi-directional communication by mail, supported by the teacher who corrects the paperwork, offers guidance and the requested explanations. A degree may or may not be obtained and there is no pressure – the student’s motivation is the basic factor for the program’s success. It is not difficult to see that correspondence courses do not incorporate several features of the formal education and are thus classified in the field of non-formal education.

        Distance Learning: According to Holmberg “Distance study is learning supported by those teaching methods in which, because of the physical separateness of learners and teachers, the interactive, as well as the proactive phase of teaching is conducted through print, mechanical or electronic devices.”Distance learning is based on non-contiguous communication, that is, “the learner is at a distance from the teacher for much, most or even all the time during the teaching-learning process”. Based on this definition, we may infer that the concept of distance learning is wider than that of correspondence learning, with which it is sometimes confused. Thus, Butts remarks that “the rapid adoption, over the past ten years, of the phrase ‘distance learning’ to replace ‘correspondence courses’ would seem to reflect the incorporation of media other than print (and particularly the medium of broadcasting); the fresh impetus coming from research into individualized learning and self-instructional methods; the broadening of the social base for open learning systems; and the development of courses and qualifications designed specifically to meet the needs of distance learning students.” The concept of open learning systems used by Butts is wider than that of distance learning, as below analyzed. In sum, according to Holmberg, the three universally accepted features of distance learning are as follows:

1.  – Typical of the whole distance study is that it is based on non-contiguous communication, i.e., the learner is at a distance from the teacher for much, most or even all of the time during the teaching-learning process.
2. – A pre-produced course, as self-instructional as possible, printed and/or consisting of presentation brought about by other means than print (audio or video-tapes, radio or TV programmes, etc.) guides the study.
3. – Organized non-contiguous two-way communication is a constitutive element of distance study. It is in most cases principally brought about by assignments for submission for the students to solve and answer and for the tutors’ to comment on (in writing or on and Io-tape), but freer forms of communication also occur.” The organization and administration of distance learning significantly differs from those of formal education. Thus, for instance, no students attend classes at the institution, except for occasional visitors. There are no classrooms; instead there are places where multidisciplinary teams comprised of red actors, authors, audio-visual experts, and so on, plan and compose the materials that will be used. In distance learning we find no “academic semesters”. The students may at will discontinue studies whenever he needs or wants to do so. As per Holmberg, distance learning is comprised of the following basic activities: “- the development and technical production of distance study courses; -the distribution of course materials;- the non-contiguous two-way communication between students and tutors/counselors; and – record-keeping.”Holmberg also reminds us that, in some case, other activities may be required, as for instance: “– course certificate – examination and degrees – supplementary face-to-face contacts between students and tutors/counselors.” A large experience has been obtained over these years through application of distance study at various levels, for different target populations. Our main concern in this Chapter relates to the use of distance study for higher level education. A well-succeeded example of such use is the Open University. As pointed out by Oliveira, Open Universities are generally based on distance study through one or more communication media, such as radio, TV and the printed press. They mostly formulate the instructional materials used in their courses, for the most part employing a distance tutoring system that contracts teachers to provide the required support to the performance of supplementary activities. The assessment and graduation requirements are not uniform and in some cases, the diplomas are on a par with those issued by regular universities, whereas in others we find that certain restrictions are made with regard to given courses. There are also open universities which are in no way concerned with the validation or equivalence of the offered courses and of their diplomas to those given in the existing formal universities. Open universities need their own organizational structure that differs widely from that of traditional universities. According to Oliveira,“The nature of their tasks and the modus operand of open universities provide a mixture of academic culture and industrial activity”, requiring the cooperation of professionals from varied backgrounds to act as redactors, educational planners, professors specializing in the different fields, audio-visual experts, and so on, thus displaying a multidisciplinary character. The materials forwarded to the students, comprising printed texts, audio or videotapes, kits, etc., is usually validated prior to their utilization, so as to ensure a high degree of efficacy and efficiency. Oliveira also notes that “in countries with a shallower academic sedimentation, open universities seldom have their start on an academic basis and this results is their remaining for the most part on the fringes of the educational process” -an extremely significant aspect which will be relevant to the proposal that will be submitted below. The British Open University may be mentioned as being the most successful among all open universities. As described by Grayson, the British Open University founded on 1969 was created in order to remain open to new people, methods and ideas. According to that author, “it despite a variety of forms and contexts of education, Open Universities illustrate the many possibilities for widening the scope of higher level education.” As to the expression “Open” he remarks that it may relate to (a) – the moment in which the student enrolls on a course for which the required credits system has been extremely simplified; (b) -the educational process itself, as well as the range of options offered to the students as regards programmes and courses; (c) – the fact that the course is taught at a distance; and (d) – the fact that although not generally providing final degrees, they offer to students the possibility and the required flexibility to stay on or to leave the courses.

       Open Systems: The third instance of non-formal education corresponds to open systems or open learning, which have drifted much farther apart from the features of formal education, creating a wide, deep rift. As remarked by Butts “open learning systems are defined as those which offer students a measure of flexibility and autonomy, to study the programmes of their choice when and where they wish, and at a pace to suit their circumstances. “The features ascribed to open systems, by this author, necessarily set them up as non-formal education instances, jointly with correspondence learning and distance study. As Butts points outs out, “…distance learning is seen … as one type of open learning.” As mentioned before, correspondence learning can be deemed a type of distance learning and, as distance learning can be said to be an instance of open systems, we conclude that this latter is in the most widely encompassing class among non-formal education examples. Some authors also consider rather freely the concept of open education – as synonymous with open systems. As Yalli says, “the idea of openness may be twofold: open as to structures, that is, a rupture of the physical barriers of educative institutions, so as to provide free access to schools; or open as to methodology and learning resources.” And, he concludes: “The essential fact about open education is that it does not matter how knowledge is acquired, all means are valid. The open learning system aim sat the formation of independent students who have capacity for self-discipline and a high capacity for synthesis and for analysis.” This author defines that in an open system, learning is the function of an interaction between the student and the actual world.

DEFINATION OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION ACCORDING TO WARD AND DELTON:

Non-formal education is a planned instructional design which uses both overt and covert producers in a more flexible environment to teach towards a goal determined by a regulated policy.

FEATURES OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

1. It is consciously and purposively organized and systematically purposed.
2. It is planned with a view to facilitating the learning process.
3. Particular kind of learning for a particular learning client.
4. It is not a integral part of the formal educational system
5. Lies outside the realm of formal education
6. Planned with particular objectives but bounded of as formal education.
7. Does not require certified teachers
8. Free education system
9. Serving the need of an identified group
10. Simple structure,
11. Skill oriented knowledge
12. Social and non-formal programme
13. Adult education, women education programmers.

       1.5.3 INFORMAL EDUCATION

Informal education is quite diverse from formal education and, particularly, from non-formal education, although in certain cases it is capable of maintaining a close relationship with both. It does not correspond to an organized and systematic view of education; informal education does not necessarily include the objectives and subjects usually encompassed by the traditional curricula. It is aimed at students as much as at the public at large and imposes no obligations whatever their nature. There generally being no control over the performed activities, informal education does not of necessity regard the providing of degrees or diplomas; it merely supplements both formal and non-formal education. Informal education for instance comprises the following activities: (a) -visits to museums or to scientific and other fairs and exhibits, etc.; (b) – listening to radio broadcasting or watching TV programmes on educational or scientific themes; (c) – reading texts on sciences, education, technology, etc. in journals and magazines; (d) – participating in scientific contests, etc.; (e) attending lectures and conferences. There are many instances of situations/activities encompassed by informal education, from those that may take place in the students’ homes -such as scientific or didactic games, manipulation of kits, experiments, reading sessions (biographies, scientific news, etc.) – to institutional activities – lectures in institutions, visiting museums, etc. It is easy to see that the higher the degree of systematization and organization involved in informal education activities, the nearer it will be to non-formal education. This is a relevant fact in as much as it suggests the possibility of transition from in formal to non-formal. We must ponder that, considered by it, we cannot generally assert whether an educative action belongs to the formal, to the non-formal or to the informal universe. For instance, a visit to a Science Museum may be an informal education instance if arising from a personal and spontaneous decision by a student, as it is not directly related to his scholastic activities. However, if such a visit is part of an established curriculum, requiring from students a written report and including assessments by the teacher, or tutor, then it will probably be an activity associated to either the formal or to the non-formal education.

DEFINATION OF IN FORMAL EDUCATION ACCORDING TO COOMBS:

Informal education is lifelong process by which every person acquires and accumulates knowledge, skills, attitudes and insights form daily experiences and exposure.

FEATURE OF INFORMAL EDUCATION

• Life a long process whereby every individual acquires attitudes, values, skills, and knowledge from daily experience.
• The educational influences and resources in one’s environment from family and neighbors, from work and play, from the market, the library and the mass media.

1. Not pre-planned nor deliberate.
2. Unconscious and incidental education.
3. Does not require a teacher.
4. Full freedom.
5. No any structure.
6. No pre-planned subject matter.
7. It is accidental and costs nothing
8. No any fixed institute and programme

THE TRANSITION FROM FORMAL TO NON-FORMAL

An analysis of formal, non-formal and informal education features suggests the existence of a range for transition from formal to non-formal education, as well as from non-formal to the informal one. Let us analyze the first of these. Although formal education corresponds to a well structured, systematized system governed by stringent norms and laws, and so on, it is possible to consider more and less formal education, according to the amount of rigidity detected in such features. If a formal instance provides a curriculum endowed with a certain degree of flexibility, in which “ complying with the program “is not vital and having a methodology that is pliant enough to meet the students’ characteristics, we can reasonably say that this instance is less formal than another where these features are set on a rigid mold. Let us quote another example: when two formal education instances present identical features, except for one sole feature of one of these -communication is only partially contiguous – it is reasonable to consider that it is less formal than the first. Thus, it is possible to discern a certain gradation as regards the formality of educative systems and by extension, it will be possible to depart from a formal system and, gradually, arrive at a non-formal one, by making some features more flexible, by substituting or eliminating others.

This would then be a transition from formal to non-formal and it also suggests the existence of further transition, a sort of “continuity”. This line of thought also applies to the transition from non-formal to informal. Yalli remarks that an open education system can be adopted within the traditional structures of schools: “Students determine the pace of learning and are totally free to move around in classrooms, searching for the best place to stay and learn, even if it is outside the school premises and, to make use of available means to dominate the subjects that catch their interest.” Wouldn’t this be a kind of transition from formal to non-formal? Likewise, it is possible to depart from a non-formal system to arrive at an informal one, by gradually suppressing a few of the former’s basic features, granting students total freedom as to the choice of objectives, content and activities that will be carried out, as well as to when and how much time will be granted to each. It is not farfetched to consider that whereas informal structures the process focuses on the professor/school system, in non-formal education the focus is placed on the student – objectives, programmes, and methodologies are developed with basis on their needs and characteristics. All activities are aimed at the students, from global strategies, to concern with formulation of instructional materials. In going from formal to non-formal education, we are perforce displacing the “center of gravity” from the process of the professor/school system, to the student. 7The proposed view, considering a transition from formal to non-formal education that still preserves a certain continuity, and from the latter to the informal education, represents more than a mere academic interest, as it constitutes an action plan that will be extremely useful to create and introduce new concepts into the educative process, as we shall explain below.

WHY IS NON-FORMAL EDUCATION NECESSARY?

A rather extensive literature currently emphasize show inadequate formal systems are to meet -effectively, efficiently – the needs of individuals and of the society. The need to offer more and better education at all levels, to a growing number of people, particularly in developing countries and, the scant success of current formal education systems to meet all such demands, has shown to a growing number of researchers the urgent need to provide alternatives that escape from the formal standards, in order to solve these problems. As Ward, et al.14pointout, “Piaget, Freire, Havighurst, Colemam, Brookover and literally hundreds of other psychologists, educators, sociologists and philosophers have indicated clearly where education should be and where, instead it wallows in inefficiency, crust rigidity and stubbornness. Most of those critics advocate changes of the existing educational system and there is ample evidence of the need for dramatic efforts in this area.” And, they add: “There are two sets of alternatives to be sought: the first and most historically venerable is the improvement of the schooling establishment itself. While not at all a new or untried idea, its past record of relatively low success does not inspire confidence. The second sort of alternative to schooling as it is known today lies in the development of resources for learning outside the school.” In other words, they refer to the strategies offered by non-formal education, emphasizing that in one way or another most critics disparage formal education for its incapacity to fulfill the actual needs of students, whereas non-formal education is based on the notion that in order to obtain effective results it is necessary to identify and provide for the real needs of people. After all, how can we justify the adoption of formal education if, as Oliveira points out,” in large cities students spend more time in buses than in the colleges and many others cannot even get there, hindered by costs and distances.” The inadequacy and the incapacity of formal educational models to meet the needs of individuals and of society at large must lead to the search for alternatives that escape that mold. As said by Ward, et.al. “The legitimacy of schools is based upon their role as credentialing agencies while non- formal education will derive its legitimacy only from its ability to meet real social needs.” The rigid structure of formal schools, mainly based on laws and regulations than on the real needs of students, offering a curriculum that leans away from individuals and from society, far more concerned with performing programmes than with reaching useful objectives, obeying a rigid set of clerical-administrative procedures, has long since fallen short of meeting individual and social needs. Non-formal education, starting from the basic needs of students, is concerned with the establishment of strategies that are compatible with reality.

 FORMAL VERSUS NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

The issue initially relates with a probable conflict between formal and non-formal education. While the former has been firmly established for quite a while and its traditions are accepted by society, non-formal systems in their most advanced forms are only now emerging. According to Ward, et al…, the question is, what to do about them: “Allow them to continue and develop as competitive, alternative systems; repress them; adopt the formal educational institutions for the non-formal model; or integrate the whole into a broader concept and plan for educational development?” Considering that success even when limited, should not be disregarded, in the case of non-formal education it is necessary that formal education should analyze the reasons that led to this success and, if possible, incorporate many of its proposals, structures and programmes. Oliveira suggests that “instead of attracting students to the classroom, universities should be accredited and authorized to offer distance learning as well, establishing, themselves, the equivalence of courses, teaching loads and requisites for enrollment and graduation, should that be the case.” It seems that there’s no doubt that no competition should exist between formal and non-formal systems, nor should they be considered conflicting systems. After all, one is not necessarily the antithesis of the other and in the educational universe there is rather more than enough room for both. The analysis above, suggesting the presence of certain continuity in the transition from formal to non-formal systems, leads to the proposal of a strategy in which non-formal and informal elements would be gradually incorporated by formal education, so as continually to meet the needs of individuals and of the society. Thus, the existing structures could be used and would little by little adopt and adapt non-formal propositions. It would be a politically and technically feasible strategy, allowing a gradual and painless transition. This would of course require the adoption of a series of measures with view to organize work teams in charge of planning that transition, so as to render it compatible with the reality that prevails within each institution and assist institutions and teachers as regards the required technical-administrative re-structure ration and, to organize with basic on multidisciplinary teams the necessary instructional materials. We shall now present three transitions from the formal to the non-formal model with different degrees of alterations. In the first instance, a formal learning institution detects in some classes an insufficient level of pre-requisites (for instance, the usual knowledge of calculus required from students who want a degree in Physics). In that case, the program that will be developed cannot ignore that fact, as is usually the case with formal models. Instructional materials, of the self-instruction type, previously prepared by multidisciplinary team- mathematicians, redactors, education psychologists and technologists – will be given to the students for individual utilization (in small groups) whether in the classroom, or not – for instance somewhere else in the campus appropriate for this type of self-instruction work – and, especially, at home.

The students will join the Physics class after having acquired the necessary knowledge, as com proved by assessment procedures. It is natural that the development of the original program must be re-structured as regards time, so as to consider the alterations arising from the introduction of non-formal elements into the overall framework. It must be pointed out that the resulting system would not be strictly formal, since it is in an initial stage of transition from formal to non-formal. Let us now consider a second instance in which this transition is deeper, that is, the rupture with formal features is greater. The fact that an university student requires an excessive amount of time to arrive at the campus is detected; a careful study by a multidisciplinary team- let us call it “team for non-formal studies implementation” – suggests, as a basic strategy, that by means of previously prepared instructional materials the program should be restructured so as to enable student to perform part of his or her work at home and only go to the campus when his or her presence should be required to carry-out supplementary work – such as experimental tasks, teamwork, meetings with the faculty for clarifications and required explanations, and so on. Some of this restructuration’s relating with technical-administrative issues, as for instance control plans, assessments, etc., must also be implemented. In this case, the system approaches non-formal elements although supported by a formal organization.

The third instance submitted to analysis relates to a formal institution which, in the case of certain night-course programmes, has to provide for an extremely heterogeneous population presenting a diversity of pre-requisites, geographically distributed far and wide, and coming from places distant from the campus. The required analysis and study of this problem would lead the team for non-formal elements implementation to suggest a more radical transformation of the system to distance learning model which would be mostly developed at students’ homes by means of self-instructional materials and study guides, as well as previously prepared distance control systems.

A two-way communication by mail would enable the correction of the students’ works and the follow-up of their progress. Phone call communications would be used for additional guidance and clarifications, as would visits to the institution for personal contact between students and professors and to perform some supplementary work, either on week-ends or vacation periods. In this case, the transition from formal to non-formal is more widely encompassing, leading to the creation of a program endowed with non-formal features and supported by an originally formal institution. The above instances illustrate the three types of transition from formal to non-formal, each of which requiring different efforts and investments. They are part of an initial strategy to be considered for implementation of non-formal programmes. The second strategy would of course correspond to the creation of non-formal institutions which, as to their physical, technical and administrative organizations would be specially conceived to offer non-formal courses and also act as a technical support center for the logistics, administration, etc., of formal institutions, with view to a gradual transition to the non-formal model.

COMPERATIVE STUDY OF FORMAL, NON-FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION

       1.6 NATURE OF EDUCATION

In the field of education, there is different types/nature of education. The first classification of these types is between formal, non-formal and informal education. Formal education is imparted to the individuals through a deliberately planned process. It is planned beforehand, and its goals are decided before its planning. Non-formal education is a literacy, and skill-based programme. It is flexible has fixed objectives and curriculum but not the place, time, age, grade etc. Informal education is received by imitating the elders in the society and through experience in different walks of life.

More or less, peoples can learn knowledge or education through directly or indirectly to establish their relation and come to contacts with others from birth to before death. In regards to its various definitions, concept and meaning, basis of education, educational process and forms etc. are the basis of interchange to their knowledge and experiences along with their surroundings is known as nature of education. In what way and how the education is acquired and accepted the society in beginning to till that of human civilization harmoniously is taken as nature of education. The changing of time, its nature, form, use and trains of education is also feeling change spontaneously. On the basis of acquiring knowledge, there are classified as nature of education as under:

1.6.1 DIRECT AND INDIRECT EDUCATION

Another classification of education is between direct and indirect education. Direct education is generally personal education, is the result of direct contacts between the teachers and the students. On the way of taking education, learners have accepted directly and changed their habit, behavior, knowledge, ideal, personality, teaching learning activities etc. on the behave of effectively  in his life is known as direct education. Such type of education is also said as personal education. The personal education is learned through the imitation, simulation and assimilation from their environment and his/her teachers also. Likewise, the learners can learn various knowledge easily in direct education through listening radio, watching television and cinema and others media.

Whereas the indirect education is impersonal and the teacher instead of directly teaching, adopt the other media such as resource person, radio, artists so on. If the students is not inspired to his teachers behaviors, effiency and capacity of teaching learning activities than tried to motivate to them to use others indirect tools like resource personals and teachers, related Medias and excursions or field study or field trip for gaining knowledge on the interest of learners is known as indirect education. Indirect education is effective component which is appreciating heartily for learners and they are benefited through the reading life sketch and their description of genius scientists, poetry, artists, singers, players, warriors and virtual human like Mahatma Gandhi. Such a way, their emotion and different visions are accepted the students heartily and to make happier and fruitful for their life indirectly is known as indirect education.

1.6.2 INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE EDUCATION

The third classification includes individual and collective education. Individual education is concerned only with one individual while collective education is concerned with several students being taught at the same time.

On the personal way, the education which is revealed to overviews on the different side of the child that he/she can learn on level of their capacity or provided education individually along with their need, interest, age, capacity, ability, nature and personal or individual differences also known as individual education. In new era, Individual education is given more emphasis because of fulfilling the learner’s ambitions. Therefore, individual education is also similar as specific education.

More than one learner are gathered on one place or room and one teacher teaches definite subject matters using one methodology for all small or large group of students collectively is known as collective education. Collective education gives more emphasis on group of student rather than individual. Specially, such education is related to need of society and treated the group of student in same manner. Generally, a large class of teaching is known as collective education.

1.6.3 GENERAL AND SPECIFIC EDUCATION

The fourth classification consists of general and specific education. General education, which is sometimes called liberal education, prepares the students for general life and trains their general intellect, having no specific goals.

There is no any special goals of life and prepares himself only for simple life through the education is known as general education. The main aims of education are to generate general intelligence of students and to develop fundamental concept for general life. From this education, individual can get to develop their special degree and capacity of certain discipline through which he/she can achieve administrative capacity and getting opportunity to serve the nation as taken any civilian post.

Specific education, on the other hand, has special goals and prepares the students for specific vocations or definite activities such as doctors, engineers, lowers, professors; pilot etc. The individual who achieved such education on the basis of determined objectives and vocation or profession oriented for definite purposes is termed as specific education. The individual who is master of own field of subjects is called subject specialist or experts on his discipline. This education is oriented on special profession or vocation in regards to its specific function of individual on this field.

1.6.4 Positive and Negative education

The education which is provided to the learner on the basis of social ethics and ideology, cultural attitudes, social values and norms, rules and regulations that are established in society is known as positive education. The nature of this education is universal, collective, public and in general. It is spiritual education not only this it is also idealistic, traditional and moral education at all.

Without depend of social norms and values, students learned themselves through self activities and self experiences to construct own culture is known as negative education. Especially, naturalism and pragmatism is accepted and emphasized such education as well.