The Value of education

As I start to explore the many different forms of learning and consider them to the term education I have come to a conclusion, learning will occur with or without formal education but education can never exist without learning. Kind of like the connection between teaching and learning. When we consider these two terms it is very interesting the different points of view of each. "While learning is usually linked to an individual's progress in the acquisition of further knowledge, education is oriented towards a systems approach in which learning is provided in a co-ordinated manner through agencies" (Findsen & Formosa, 2011, p.23). So learning is the small discoveries of new knowledge while being educated in a new subject.

"In his analysis of 'education', Peters advocates that the concept should embody the transmission of that which is worthwhile and valuable" (Findsen & Formosa, 2011, p.22). If education is the transmission of that which is worthwhile and valuable I wonder who determines what information is worth learning and what is not. If you were to measure a certificate of qualification in a trade against a persons Degree in Ancient Chinese History how would you determine the value. In higher education institutions the Degree would hold more weight for positions such as administration. The thought process is that they have gone through the process so they have a better understanding of education even though the Degree does not speak to the ability to deal with the different unions involved or demonstrates ability to manager and work with budgets and within policies and procedures. Of course if we were to walk onto a construction site the Certificate of Qualification in a trade would have the highest value. So this brings me back to my question, who decides?

We could determine the value based simply on income after graduation. Of course this calculation would be based on speculation due to trying to figure out what the wages will be for a particular career and how they will change over time but it is a measure.  There is the other thought that it is determined by employ ability after graduation as if there is an abundance of employers wishing to hire graduates with these skills then the education must of course be valuable. Of course the sensible thought would be a mixture of both. Choosing these types of career paths also help society as there is a need for these individuals. Others will make a choice for formal education that speaks to them as individuals and helps them expand and explore them self. They pick based on the experience and the quest for knowledge, not for employable skills. I must admit that I can not argue against either point of view. The value in the information transferred in formal education then is determined by the individual student after careful consideration of all aspects and what speaks to them.

Personally I feel that no mater what formal education one decides to enroll in, the true valuable learning comes once they have completed the credential and have started to experience the World while putting their new found knowledge to work. You see the science of a subject can be taught but the mastery of the art of that subject must be obtained through years of experience applying that knowledge. In this manor people take the formal education and through experience that involves critical self reflection and then future adjustment, they actually increase the value of that information that has been transferred. In some cases they actually create new knowledge on the subject they were formally trained in while learning at work in an informal manor which in turn will eventually shift the subject being taught (changing the formal information on the subject). The interesting piece is that they never place a credential on this, the informal learning that occurs in later life. New students trying to determine what to enroll in must ask some critical questions so that they can evaluate each choice and make the right one that is the most valuable to them. After graduation they then must take the time to apply that knowledge to their fullest extent so that they become masters of what ever career they have decided on.  The choice is theirs.

Jeff

Findsen, B. & Formosa, M. (2011) Lifelong Learning in Later Life, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Sense