Definitions of Education

Compiled by Monirith Ly (2018)

1. Traditional theory: Education is the transmission (passing down) of

knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) from one generation to another or
from the teachers to the students (one way). (compared by Paulo Freire
to “banking education” [deposit, save, and withdraw], or pouring water
into the students’ buckets or on their heads)

2. Education is the use of positive (rewards) and negative (punishment)

reinforcements to encourage and correct child behavior. (behaviorist
philosophy)

3. Article 4 of Cambodia’s Law on Education (2007) defined education as:

... the learning development process or the training of body,

consciousness, wisdom, and morality by all educational activities that
enable learners to obtain the knowledge set, skills, capability, and
values in order to become good persons beneficial to themselves, the
families, the communities, the nation, and the world. (p. 2)

Group Discussion Q1: How can you be “good” to yourself, families,

communities, nation, and the world?

4. “Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.” Learning

occurs through experience (experiential learning). – John Dewey

– Lifelong learning (learning throughout the whole life, inside [formal]

and outside [informal] the classroom, to keep ourselves updated)

5. The goal of education is enlightenment (objective/scientific knowledge),

and the method is critical (logical) thinking. For example, a tree must be
scientifically defined in terms of its parts: roots, trunk, branches, and
leaves. Truth and knowledge exist outside people’s minds.
(objectivist/positivist philosophy)

6. Because individuals (subjects) may experience the same object/event

differently, they develop different meanings associated with it. For
example, trees are cut down by some businessmen because it means
 money to them, but to environmentalists, trees save the earth and must
be preserved. Truths and knowledge exist inside people’s minds. Thus,
education involves discussion of different perspectives so that some
common understanding and resolution can occur – diversity/peace-
oriented. As in the trees example, when businessmen and
environmentalists share some understanding, they will agree that some
trees can be cut down. (constructivist philosophy)

7. Education leads people toward independent life, according to Sovanyara

Yoeun and Chhuonvuoch Koem (2017). Without followers, there is no
leader (Mahatma Gandhi on mass civil disobedience). Independent life
includes independent mental (perspectives), verbal (speaking), and
physical (bodily) actions (The Buddha’s philosophy on self-reflection).

8. Ly’s (2017) definition of outcome-based education: Education is a set of

outcomes, structured contents, and methods of teaching & learning and
assessment. Teaching and learning cannot be separated. Without
learning, there is no teaching.

………

Group Discussion

Q2. What is your most favorite definition of education (above or other) and
why? Reflect on and relate to your personal learning experience.