Basic Concept of Education

Education:

“Education is the manifestation of divine perfection which already exists in man”. – Swami Vivekananda (1863 – 1902). Such manifestation is the outcome of the development of the individual in all aspects namely physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. The education, one receives, is the greatest input for advancing towards this objective since education helps the total development of human personality. Education holds the key to human progress. Education plays an important role in bringing change. The Education Commission (1964-66) has emphasised, ‘Education is the one and the only instrument that can be used to bring about a change towards the social and economic betterment of India’. So, education must be used as a powerful instrument of social, economic and cultural transformation necessary for the realization of the national goals. Inculcating ‘Social Responsibilities’ and ‘National Integration Values’ are a few of the national goals. The teachers with good leadership traits are required in this regard. The prospective teachers, during their education, should be sensitised in this regard.

Etymological Meaning of Education

Etymologically, the word “education” is said to be derived from the following Latin words.

(i) `Educare’ means ‘to bring up’, ‘to nourish’ and to ‘raise’.

(ii) `Educere’ implies ‘to draw out’, ‘to lead out’.

(iii) `Educatum’ denotes ‘to train’, `Educo’, it consists of two words ‘e’ meaning ‘out of’ and `duco’ meaning ‘to lead’, ‘to lead out’.

So the function of education, thus, is to bring up or to develop children. The most popular meaning of the term education identifies with the process of instruction and training that takes place in an educational institution. Besides gaining knowledge and information, education also develops and promotes national values, leadership and responsibilities. Education also helps an individual to develop adjustment to the environment and have control over it. It develops social responsibilities in learning.

The concept of Education:

Gandhi further explained the concept of education as: ‘I hold that true education of the intellect can only come through a proper exercise and training of the bodily organs. e.g., hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, etc. In other words, intelligent use of the organs in a child provides the best and quickest way of developing his intellect. But unless the development of the mind goes hand in hand with a corresponding awakening of the soul, the former alone would prove to be a poor lopsided affair. By spiritual exercise, I mean education of the heart. Proper and all-round development of the mind, therefore, can take place only when it proceeds pari passu with the education of the physical and spiritual faculties of the child, they constitute an indivisible whole’.

For drawing out the best, a suitable environment is needed in the family, the school, the community and the society and all-around development of the individual.

Nature of Education:

Education is a tri-polar process where a teacher, taught and social environment act and react with one another. It is a life-long process. It is a process of individual development. It is both theoretical and practical. It is science as well as art. It is an instrument that is used to attain a better life. Education is essentially a process of growth and development which goes on throughout life. Education is the modification of behavior.

The scope of Education:

Scope of education is as vast as life itself. There is no aspect or dimension of life which is not covered under education. In fact, all education is life and all life is education. Education is a life — long process. Education is formal, non-formal and informal, likewise, agencies of education are formal, non-formal and informal. One learns from every source always. Education is concerned with the aesthetic, cultural, ethical, intellectual, physical, religious, social, spiritual and vocational development of an individual. Education has moved away from preparing pupils to fit into a particular society but it seeks to make them feel that they belong to the larger world family.

Aims of Education:

The aims of education are determined by human life. Since the basic form of human nature has remained unchanged over many centuries, the aims of education have also remained the same while humanity has passed through many centuries. For example, the human being is constituted not only of the reason and intellect but also of emotions and the body, any system of education which seeks to fulfill its aims must provide for the development of all these aspects.

• For citing this article use:
• Kolangi, A. (2014). National integration values, leadership traits, and social responsibilities among the prospective teachers in ariyalur district. V O Chidambaram College of Education, India. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10603/38596