INTRODUCTION
Education is a thought
full process by which the inner powers of the individual are developed.
Education is verb broad in it true sense and is not confined to school
experiences. But in a narrow sense education is a well-planned process.
Education may be defined as a purposive conscious or unconscious psychological,
sociological, scientific and philosophical process which brings about the
development of the individual to the fullest extent and also the maximum
development of society in such a way that both enjoy maximum happiness and
prosperity. T. Reymont has rightly remarked –“Education is that process of
development in which consists the passage of human being from infancy to
maturity, the process whereby he adapts himself gradually in various ways to
his physical, social and spiritual environment.”
There are
three important types of education,
EDUCATION
Formal Non-formal Informal
Formal education is that education where
according to predetermined aims and methods of teaching, definite dozes of
knowledge are thrust into the mind of a child at a specific place during a set
duration of time by a particular individual.
Informal
education is natural and incidental. There are no predetermined aims,
curricula, methods, teachers and places where
children receive informal education:
E.g.:
Family, community, peer groups, etc.
Non-formal education is in-between the formal and
informal types of education. It is midway because it is partly formal and
partly informal it is both intentional and incidental.
E.g. Open
school, open universities, correspondence course etc.
Sir
Godfrey Thomas has written, “The whole of environment is the instrument of
man’s education in the wildest sense. But in that environment certain factors
are distinguishable as more particularly concerned, the home, the school, the
church, press, the vacation, public life, amusement and hobbies”. Generally, of
course, the process of education continues from birth to death, but some
specific institution play more important part in it. All of these institutions
are the agencies of education, and they include all these factors, bases, places
or institutions, which have an educative influence upon the Child. Hence, the
institutions, agencies and bases of education mean the same thing, and should
be interpreted as such. Here are discussing about informal education and its
agencies only.
INFOMAL EDUCATION
Education
for no formalities are observed is known as informal type of education. In this
type of education there is modification of the behavior of the learner but no
conscious efforts are made for it. Whatever it is learnt here is not preplanned.
It is natural and incidental. Here neither the teacher nor the learner is
conscious of the process of teaching learning. In this type of education there
are no pre-determined aims, no definite curriculum no well thought methods of
teaching, no qualified and trained teachers and no definite place of education.
Here education is received by the company of friends, relatives, community etc.
whatever as education is received plays a very important and significant role
in the life of educate. Informal education complements the formal education
which has a particular pattern. Education of this kind has no specific time or
place at which it is provided. Even the educator is not fixed. All fixed
syllabi, rules, formalities are absent from it. Education of this kind in the
education one receives while playing in field, talking to family members in the
house, roaming around somewhere, in fact everywhere. This kind of education
never comes to an end. And it teaches the individual more than he ever learns
through his formal education. A child learns many things when he comes in
contact with new people. He discovers many new words when he goes to new
places. This education that he receives cannot be evaluated as formal education
can. Format education can be evaluated by some specific techniques and the
quality and quantity of education imbibed by the educate can be known. But this
is not true of informal education for there is no standard or measure in its
case. It also does not provide the recipient with a certificate or a degree.
Informal education is gradual process, for people learn a few things after
years of experience. But the things learnt in this manner prove to be more
valuable than all the degrees accumulated through formal education. Informal
education is more general in nature.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INFORMAL TYPE
OF EDUCATION
1. This type
of education is informal because formalities are observed here.
2. No
conscious efforts are made either by the teacher or the taught.
3. It is in
no way pre-planned activity.
4. It is
incidental.
5. No formal
goals are fixed up.
6. No formal
means are used to attain the goals.
7. There are
no fixed or appointed teachers.
8. Here a
situation might crop up where student may teach a teacher something.
9. There is
no prescribed curriculum and no time table is observed.
10. There is
none who organize this type of education.
11. There is
no fixed place for it.
12. This
type of education is never completed as there is no fixed syllabus.
13. There
are no examinations of any type.
14. It is
all a natural way of teaching –leaving.
Example: 1.
A person goes to the play ground for physical exercise and there comes across
someone who tells him very good ways of utilizing leisure time.
Example: 2.
Courteous manners, gentleness etc learnt even in a marketplace in a hotel or in
ones sitting room talking with others constitute informal education.
AGENCIES OF INFORMAL EDUCATION
The
major agencies of informal education are the following.
A) HOME OR FAMILY
This is most
true of the family, for the family makes a sizeable contribution to the child’s
education, irrespective of the quality of this education. As a agency of
education family should perform the following duties.
1. PLACES OF AFFECTIONS:
Every home fundamentally is a piece of affections especially for
the younger ones. The head of the family or the elderly person in the home is a
source of affection for others. They have their lovers for the younger. It is a
different story that now due to disintegration of families, some youngsters have
stated showing hatred for the elders. Naturally in such circumstances, there is
to be decrease of affections. Through the system of education, there is need of
receiving good old tradition like adoring the elders.
2. MAKES SOCIAL:
Every home makes the child more and more social in nature. In the
home, there is interaction between the different members of the family. In the
street, there is interaction with the children coming from neighboring homes.
It develops the qualities of mixing with others.
One is also able to modify one’s behavior in accordance with
others in whose contact one comes. It is but natural that children learn more from other
children. So it is the peer-group that helps the child in becoming more and
more social.
3. MAKES MORALLY SOUND:
The
home teaches the child many things of morality. The child, is able to
understand the importance of truth, honesty etc. All this is able to learn from
the parents or the grand-parents. Besides, the company of good children also
helps in this regard. Moral training is the basic function of the family.
4. IMPARTS EDUCATION:
The
home educates the child directly or indirectly. The educated parents and other
members of family who are educated are able to educate the younger’s directly.
But in the case of uneducated parents, the home helps indirectly in educating
them. Here education means all round developed of the child.
5. STATISTICS ECONOMICS NEEDS:
The
home creates statistics economic needs of the child. Money is needed by the
child for various activities. It is also needed for giving him right type of
diet. All these facilities are provided by the parents. A good home makes earn
money rightly and utilize it properly.
“Family
is a well-knit economic unit”. In a good home, the child enjoys economic
security. He finds himself free from any type of economic worries. All this
helps the child have a balanced personality.
6. RECREATES:
Recreation
is also important for the proper growth and development of the child. At home,
there is provision of recreation. Radio, T.V or other instruments of recreation
are used in the homes. They provide the required type of recreation to the
child.
7. HELPS IN PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
Parents
are always careful about the health of their children. They try to provide the
required type of diet. They inculcate among them the habits of cleanliness and
sense of healthful living. They make the children work at the time of work and
then allow them to play. Thus the home or the parents help in the proper
physical growth and development of their children.
8. HELPS IN MENTAL DEVELOPMENT:
Full
care is also taken at home for mental development of the children. Here mental
development means development of mental power such as thinking, language
development etc. The parents make efforts so that their children are able to
use the mother tongue rightly in their expression. Intellectual development of
this stage helps the children later on because their education largely depends
upon it.
9. HELPS EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Emotional
development is very important for the proper growth and development of the
child. The parents at home help a good dual in this regard. The child learns at
home about emotional stability. The home develops in the child healthy and
positive emotions like sympathy, affection, courage etc. Only well adjusted
home environment helps in this direction.
10. HELPS RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT:
Religion
and religious beliefs refine the personality of a child. The basic foundation
of religion and spiritual faith are laid down at home. In fact, family is the
only institution where religious development of the child can be ensured. From
home child learns the basic fundamentals of spirituality. From home he gets a
concrete form of religion.
India
being a secular country, the duty of parents to impart religious education to
the children becomes too important. Only religious environment of the family
develops the duty of every home to create peaceful atmospheres in order to
enable the boys and girls to drive pleasure by staying at home.
B) SOCIETY OR COMMUNITY
Society
performs a number of educational functions which are briefly explained below;
1. ESTABLISHES SCHOOLS:
The
society establishes the schools, maintains them and glorifies them .It educates
the children and enables them to stand on their own feet. Besides, it also
helps in bringing all round development of the children.
2. MAINTAINS STANDARD OF THE
SCHOOLS:
The
society helps the schools in maintaining good standards. It fixes up standards
with the help of higher controlling authorities and then it verifies with the
help of school, board or university whether the students have attained the
desired goals or not.
3. HELPS IN ALL ROUND DEVELOPMENT
OF INDIVIDUAL:
The
society creates proper environment in the school so as to bring about different
types of development of the learner-physical, moral, social, cultural, academic
etc. Thus it makes the individual a fit person for the society.
4. SETS UP AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF
EDUCATION:
It
is needed at different levels of education. Then it checks their
appropriateness. It also corrects them, reflexes them and redefines them if
need arises there to.
5. PLANS NATIONAL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:
The
society prepare national scheme of education keeping in view the needs and
requirement of the people. It also tries to find out whether the system is
according to the aspiration of the people.
6. MAKE PROVISION OF SUITABLE CURRICULUM:
The
society takes the opinions of experts and makes provision of suitable
curriculum where the learner should be able to grow and develop fully so as to
achieve the target fixed up by the society.
7. SUPERVISION:
The
society supervises the school and its various components with the purpose of
bringing improvement in the school, teachers, students etc. Through regular
supervision, it ensures proper and smooth functioning of the school. Thus it is
also able to root out the ills and draw-backs of the school.
8. APPOINT COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES:
The
society sets up commission and committees as per needs of the situations. The
main purpose behind is overall improvement of the school.
9. PRESERVES TRADITIONS AND CONVENTIONS:
The
society has its rich heritage, healthy traditions and conventions and it wants
to preserve them. It does so by stabling museums art galleries. It does
propagate good values through T.V, radio, News-papers, Magazines etc.
10. ENCOURAGES RESEARCH:
The
society encourages research in various fields by supporting the financially so
as to improve the teaching-learning environment of the school.
11. CO-ORDINATE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES:
Society
inters links school and home. It helps in making them realize that they can
server many useful purposes. Schools exist but society makes them better and
better. Home exists society tries to improve it. It provides them with guidance
and thereby helps them do wonderful job for the betterment of the individuals.
Surely this approach improves the home, improves the school and improves the society
itself.
12. INCULCATES MORAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUES:
Society
has in its store the cultural heritage of humanity. Moral and spiritual values
are maintained by it. It tries to inculcate those values in the individuals.
Honesty, sincerity, truth, simplicity of life and high thinking behaviors, hard
working, fellow-feelings etc. are noble values. The society advocates and
propagates these values among the masses.
C) STATE
State
is also informal agency of education. The proper management of education is an
important task of the state. Apart from school, family and society, state also
educates as on as informal agency of education. People always learn something
or other from the state without any definite rule, place or time. Briefly, the
main duties of the state as an educational agency are given below.
·
Instead of taking the place of the individual or the family, the
state should help in the development of both.
·
It is the duty of the state to establish its own schools and
provide assistance to private schools.
·
State is responsible for the change in the form of schools
according to needs.
·
State is to establish inter relationship among various agencies of
education.
·
It has to establish relationship among various schools in order to
avoid wastage so that higher standard of education may established.
·
It should prepare a list of minimum achievements for school and
lay down broad guide-lines for them.
·
State should keep education free from local cries by allowing some
local elements to participate in the process of education but subordinating
them to the national system of education.
·
It should provide sound attitude to parents towards education.
·
Arrangement of free and universal education for a definite period
is an important task of the state.
·
State is to take the responsibility of educational expenditure
and persuade other institutions for
this task.
·
Proper arrangement of training for teachers is to be made by
the state so that the standard of
education many not full.
·
State should give proper advice to educational institutions. State
in expected to organize suitable committees and commissions for this purpose.
·
State should pay special attention to the security of nation’s
culture.
·
State is expected to help inculcate feeling of duty to the nation
in the minds of its citizens and it should contribute in the development of
normal idea for social efficiency.
D) PEER GROUP
Peer
in one who is equal in rank older boys and girls form groups of their peers
called peer groups. As an agency, peer group seems insignificant but the hard
fact in that it is a very significant one and it plays a very important role in
education. In peer groups, there is better learning. Generally it is seen that
what the student cannot learn from the teacher, the same thing he/she can learn
easily and in a much better way in the peer group.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PEER GROUP
§ There is no difference between
the rank and profile of the students who are in one group.
§ They are free to take in any one
of their colleagues and also vice-versa.
§ There in element of freedom and
there is no fear of any soft.
§ They are able to give an outlet
to their pent up feelings
§ When there is no suppression of
feelings, mind works without any type of compulsion.
There is
inborn type of motivation which ensures good LEARNING BY ALL IN THE GROUP.
FUNCTIONS OF THE PEER GROUP
1.
SOCIALIZES:
In the peer group, everybody learns how to behave with each other
and how to live well in the group and how to make their group strong. Good
interaction takes place there.
2.
MODIFICATION OF BEHAVIOR:
Peer group helps in modifying the behavior of the individuals of
the group. The simple reason being that there is free and frank. In the self
created environment, everybody comes out as better individual with modified
behavior.
3.
WE- FEELING:
We-feelings are inculcated in the individual of the peer groups.
The individuals feel that they belong to one group. The feel more secured.
Fellow feelings are born in them. With their togetherness, they find themselves
stronger.
4.
HELP IN ALL ROUND DEVELOPMENT:
Unlike class room learning the peer group provides the individuals
full freedom and more opportunities of mixing each other. They are able to
learn together, they are able to play together. They are able to have better
instruction with one another. All this helps in all round growth and
development of the individuals.
5.
TEACH THEM TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY:
Peer groups instill in the individuals as way of life where they
become self dependent.
E) MASS MEDIA
Media
used for the masses to communicate something is known as mass media. Radio TV,
Film News papers etc; serve the purpose of mass media. In our country, the
chief faction of these media is informal education.
a) FILM
Although
films have some other purpose to achieve, we can also learn something from
them. Children learn many things from the films. People also listen to the
message of the actors. Film can promote social welfare if they screen good
stories and adopt techniques suiting the needs of society. Scientific and
informative documentary films shown by other institutions are also very
educative.
b) RADIO
In
our daily life we learn something from radio programmer. We receive sufficient
education from the speeches on different subjects delivered by the great
scholar. Now radio program organizers sometime arrange for well planned
education to be impacted to different age groups of people. Some programmers’
are especially meant for school children some for women-folk, some for teachers
and so on. Sometimes, some education talk of some great person is relayed from
all radio station. Radio does educate us informally.
c) TELEVISION
Children
can use visual as well as auditory sense organs in enjoying TV programs which
are not only source of recreation but also of education. TV educates us
informally and sometimes TV education is more effective then school education.
d) PRESS
We
get some new experience by reading daily news papers, weekly papers,
fortnightly and monthly margarines, annual or half yearly journals and various
bulletins.
F). OTHER AGENCIES
SPORTS:
Children
are naturally interested in games. Adults are also interested in play. By means
of games and sports feelings of co-operation honesty and love are developed in
children. This is also an important informal agency of education.
LIBRARY AND READING ROOM:
Libraries
and reading rooms provide education by making available various papers,
journals, magazines, great reference books and books on many subjects for
reference study.
SOCIAL EDUCATION CENTRE:
Under
community development project social education centre have been established at
village and mahallas of cities we informally receive education from these
centers.
SCOUTING AND GIRL-GUIDING:
Scouting
and girl-guiding programs provide education to boys and girls respectively.
Both are informal agencies of education.
MUSEUMS:
Only
a brief reference needs to be made to museums as an informal agency of
education.
MERIT AND DEMERIT OF INFORMAL
EDUCATION:
MERITS:
a)
There are no strains of any type on the mind of the learner.
b)
It is a natural way of teaching learning
c)
The learner is self-motivated in process of learning.
d)
Most of the learnt things are situational as they are learnt in
one situation o the other. So they are remembered for a long time.
e)
In this type of education there is dependence on rote learning.
DE-MERITS
a)
It does not give much confidence to the learner. In spite of good
knowledge, the learner may feel inferiority complete in a group of highly
educated person.
b)
Here education is received in the absence of a so called ‘guru’-
the teacher. One may not learn the right things.
c)
Whatever is expected to be learnt in the company of equal age
group that is missed here? Class fellow feeling, discipline, good habits,
attitudes etc. May not be acquired properly and rightly.
CONCLUSION
The
truth is that none of the above discussed agencies is complete in itself. Each
gives a certain type of education which is only a part of the whole. In reality
both formal and informal agencies of education are mutually complementary and
supplementary for the complete and whole some development of personality. Thus,
both the agencies should co-operate in educating the child. There must be a
balance of working by both the agencies for the total development of the child.
No one is to be neglected as both complete the desired development.
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