Education


 * Definition**

People have been passing down cultural and social values, traditions, morality, religion and skills to later generations for millennia (Kendall, 2004, p. 390). The concept of education has existed long before people even began using the word “education.” The word education comes from the Latin “educat” from the stem of “educare” (to rear, bring up children, young animals), and is related to “educere” (to lead forth) (English Oxford Dictionary). This stem is combined with the ending “tion,” meaning the state or condition of being (English Oxford Dictionary). “Educare,” or to become educated, is to learn to be a person, while “educere,” or to lead forth, requires that the student is treated as a human and with respect (Zitlinski, 2004, p.81 ).


 * Classical Views of Education**

The concept of education has been theorized in Western philosophy at least since Plato and Aristotle, both of whom claimed that the purpose of education was to challenge students to acquire an independent mind oriented toward the truth reality of things, rather than toward appearances and opinions (Zitlinkski, 2004, p. 92). Over time, the concept of education has remained influenced by this philosophy. The word “education” used in 14th century meant the process of “bringing up” (young persons) with reference to social position, manners and habits acquired, calling or employment (English Oxford Dictionary). The attention paid to education during the Renaissance established a more “traditional” conception of education. In the early 15th century the definition of education became, “the systematic instruction, schooling or training given to the young in preparation for the work of life; by extension, similar instruction or training obtained in adult age, also the whole course of scholastic instruction which a person has received” (English Oxford Dictionary). This definition corresponds to the current sociological perspective of education as the social institution responsible for the systematic transmission of knowledge, skills and cultural values within a formally organized structure (Kendall, 2004, p. 390 ).


 * Education and Society**

Education socially, culturally and politically impacts society. Education has the ability to enact change in societies because it reflects values while modifying inappropriate practices (Zitlinski, 2004, p. 84). Education contributes to the maintenance of society by providing people with opportunities for self-enhancement and upward social mobility, but it also generates social inequalities, hegemony and stratification (Kendall, 2004, p. 390). Shaping the values of the particular society produces various educational benefits and consequences, which depend upon the society’s political system (Zitlinkski, 2004, p. 88). Education is bound to more cultural and societal values than just schooling.


 * Education and Research**

Many scholars, from various fields, have written about education. Education is intertwined with the development of states of mind involving understanding and knowledge (Maccia, 1968, p. 44). Education is a process involving the acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding through tasks such as: training, instruction, experiences, teaching, transmission, principles and communication (Maccia, 1968, p. 45). Education is a discipline concerned with the logic of value judgments and is focused on questions of learning (Paul, 2006, p. 265). Education is a series of organized experiences that contribute to development and facilitate learning (Shaw, 1936, p.589). Education is a “practical social activity,” performed by educators and students, and reflects the ideology of the society or group using it (Zitlinski, 2004, p. 84). Education is a concept that is inevitable because it is something we already have an interest in (Wilson, 2003, p.106).


 * Education as opposed to Learning, Indoctrination and Conditioning**

“Education” is therefore a rich and varied concept. One means by which scholars have attempted to clarify its meaning has been by differentiating it from other concepts. For example, according to Wilson and Maccia, education differs from learning, indoctrination and conditioning. Education is not simply learning, because learning involves any change in behavior, which may not involve maturation (Maccia, 1968, p. 48). Education is not trivial learning because it requires disciplinary structure to certify the program is effective and to evaluate that learning has been achieved (Wilson. 2003, p.105). Education is not everyday learning because it occurs above the level of what people pick up for themselves in their daily life (Wilson. 2003, p.105). Education does not only occur during specific times, but it occurs by people for people at any time (Wilson. 2003, p.105). Education is not conditioning because education involves knowledge and understanding (Maccia, 1968, p. 48). Furthermore, education is not used to describe a child when he or she learns to walk or talk its natural language (Wilson. 2003, p.105). There is more to the concept of education that just learning, training and natural processes, therefore the education of communication is an essential field.


 * Communication Education**

Although humans have the innate ability to vocalize, they are not innately given the knowledge, attitudes, or skills that constitute a competent communicator (Morreale & Pearson, 2008, p. 226). The ability to communicate effectively is learned and taught by communication education through instructional strategies specifically designed to teach the content of the speech communication discipline (Sorensen & Chirstophel, 1992, p. 36). The goals of teaching rhetoric and speech communication have remained closely tied to the ideas of teaching individuals to speak well and their value and responsibility to society, as they were in the time of Aristotle and Cicero (Sprague, 1990, p. 24). The educational goals of communication were first concerned with the individual’s relation to society, but then the relations with others were emphasized with interpersonal communication (Morreale & Backlund, 2002, p.4). Communication education goals expanded to study desirable relationships in multiple communication situations and contexts focusing on the basic speaking and listening skills of informing, persuading and relating (Morreale & Backlund, 2002, p.5).


 * Types of Learning**

These goals are achieved in communication education by highlighting three types of learning; These types of learning provide an individual with the ability to demonstrate knowledge of the appropriate communicative behavior in a certain situation, thereby becoming a competent communicator (Larson et al., 1978, p.21).
 * 1) __**Psychomotor Learning**__--skills required for the effective production of speech and for nonverbal skills are practiced (Sprague, 1990, p. 24).
 * 2) __**Affective Learning**__--taught through the reduction of apprehension, the appreciation of effective communication and ethical values in speakers (Sprague, 1990, p. 24).
 * 3) __**Cognitive Learning**__--includes the development of intellectual skills and communication knowledge through comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation (Sprague, 1990, p. 24).


 * Communication Education Goals**

Competence in communicating requires communication education to be one of the most pragmatic fields of study in academia. Goals of education achieved through communication education include: transmission of cultural knowledge, development of intellectual skills, provision of career skills and reshaping the values of society (Sprague, 1990, p. 16). Specifically, communication education contributes to the self-development of an individual by enhancing relationships through effective communicative skills that assist individuals socially and culturally (Morreale & Pearson, 2008, p. 225). Communication education and skills are essential for success in careers and enhance organizational processes by improving interactions in the institution (Morreale & Pearson, 2008, p. 225).

In summary, communication education performs a plethora of functions, achieves a multitude of goals, and improves individuals, relationships and organizations. The concept of education and communication education will continue to contribute beneficial aspects to individuals and society as it continues to be studied and researched. All forms of education will continue to guide a person through experiences that will ultimately lead the person to developing better than the person otherwise would (Shaw, 1936, p.589).

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 * References**

Kendall, D. (2004). Sociology in our times: The essentials. CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Larson, C. E., Backlund, P. M., Redmond, M. & Barbour, A. (1978). Assessing functional communication. Falls Church: Speech Communication Association and Educational Research Information Center.

Maccia, E. (1968). The concept of education. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 6(1), 42-50.

Morreale, S. P., & Backlund, P. M. (2002). Communication curricula: History, recommendations, resources. Communication Education, 57, 2-18.

Morreale, S. P., & Pearson, J. (2008). Why communication education is important: The centrality of the discipline in the 21st century. Communication Education, 57(2), 224-240.

Shaw, F. (1936). A modern concept of education. American Journal of Public Health, 27, 587-589.

Sorensen, G.A. & Christophel, D.M. (1992). The communication perspective. In V.P. Richmond & J.C. McCroskey (Eds.). Power in the classroom: Communication, control, and concern (35-46). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Sprague, J. (1990). The goals of communication education. In. J. A. Daly, G. W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching communication: Theory, research, and methods (19-38). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Standish, P. (2006). John Wilson's confused perspectives on the philosophy of education, Oxford Review of Education, 32(2), 265-279.

Wilson, J. (2003). The concept of education revisited. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 37(1), 101-108.

Zitlinski, M. (2004). The concept of education. University of Dubrovnik. 81-94.

“education, n.” OED Online. June 2007. Oxford University Press.10 July, 2010. http://dictionary.oed.com.