What Is Education?

Yesterday I overheard someone at my local coffee shop talking about his education. He began to rattle off the schools he attended and the degree and certifications he holds. Never did he actually mention what he knew, what skills he possessed or what experience he had with any particular domain of knowledge. No, he made the mistake so many people make. He equated education with diplomas, degrees and certifications. They are not the same.

Education is whatever knowledge, experience and skill you possess regardless of how they were attained. Hopefully an education ultimately brings about some semblance of wisdom as well. It has no inherent connection to how you learned what you know. Your education might result from formal schooling, reading, your profession, volunteer work, personal projects, casual interactions, media or discussions with others. Gaining an education happens constantly throughout our lives if we open up to the educational possibilities. There are as many approaches to learning as there are people.

It’s risky to equate education with schooling. Education is the goal. Formal schooling is but one of many methods by which that goal might be attained. Obviously I’m a proponent of carving out your own path to an education that’s meaningful to you. Education is what’s important, not how we get it. If we focus on the process and not the desired outcome, we become easy prey to schools and training organizations that care more about churning out graduates than they do in facilitating a quality education. That’s not a recipe for an educated society.

Tagged as: certifications, degrees, diplomas, future of education