1.1.3 EDUCATION MEANING TO NARROWER AND BROADER
(i) Education in its Narrow Meaning
(ii) Education in its Broader Meaning
(i) Education in its Narrow Meaning
In the narrow sense, education is confined to school and university instruction. From this point of view, education of the child starts as soon as he enters the school where he is given a limited and definite amount of knowledge. Under this scheme, education of the child is over when, having received the given amount of knowledge, he leaves the institution and takes up some occupation in life. The narrower meaning of education has been summed up by T. Raymont in the following words:
"In the narrower and more definite sense.... education does not include self-culture and the general influences of one's surroundings, but only those special influences which are consciously and designedly brought to bear upon the young, by the adult portion of the community, whether through the family, the church or the state."
In short, education in its narrow meaning is equivalent to schooling, instruction or act of training.
(ii) Education in its Broader Meaning
In its broader meaning, education is a life-long process.
J.S. Mackenzie says: "It is a process that goes on throughout life, and is promoted by every experience in life."
According to Prof. Dumvile, "Education in its wider sense includes all the influences which act upon an individual during his passage from the cradle to the grave."
In the words of Lodge, "All experiences are said to be educative. The bite of mosquito, the taste of a watermelon, the experiences of falling in love, of flying in an aeroplane, of being caught in a storm in a small boat.......all such experiences have directly educative effect on us.... Whatever broadens ur horizon, deepens our insight, refines our reactions, and stimulates thought and feeling educates us."
Border Meaning versus Narrow Meaning
Narrow MeaningBroader Meaning1. Meaning: Education is limited to schooling and instruction.1. Education goes beyond schooling and instruction.2. Duration: Starts with the child's entry into a school and ends with the completion of specified course content.2. Education is a process which goes on throughout life and ends only when life ends. It is a life long process.3. Aim: The aim of education in its narrow sense is to impart limited knowledge in specific subjects.3. Education in this sense becomes man-making activity. Its aim is all-round development of human. personality.4. Methods: Education in the narrow sense makes use of limited methodology. It is confined to classroom teaching in which text- book is the be-all and end- all of instruction.4. There is no limited methodology. Experience is the touchstone of education in its wider sense. Education is one with life which teaches in both bitter and sweat ways.5. Contents: Contents of education are limited to specific bits of knowledge which are pre-determined. Contents include only the academic subjects traditionally taught in the school.5. Contents of education in its Wider sense "includes the totality of experiences that pupil receives through the manifold activities that go on in the school, in the classroom, laboratory, library, workshop, playground and in the numerous informal contacts between teachers and pupils."