Education
     Though dictionaries define education as “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life” there is no definition of education that is agreed upon by all, or even most, educators (Yero, 2002).

     Many theorists make a distinction between the purpose of education and the functions of education. A purpose is the fundamental goal of the process—an end to be achieved. Functions are other outcomes that may occur as a natural result of the process— byproducts or consequences of schooling. For example, some teachers believe that the transmission of knowledge is the primary purpose of education, while the transfer of knowledge from school to the real world is something that happens naturally as a consequence of possessing that knowledge—a function of education. (Calloway, 1979).

The best definitions of education, those provided by histories greatest writers, are far more pragmatic and inspiring:

“In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.” - Mark Twain

“Education, n.: That which discloses the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.” - Ambrose Bierce

“Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” - Will Durant

“There is nothing so stupid as the educated man if you get him off the thing he was educated in.” - Will Rogers

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” - Aristotle

Training
     When attempting to define training, one is reminded of perhaps the most famous quote in the history of the Supreme Court. In the case of Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964) Associate Justice Potter Stewart wrote “I shall not today attempt to define (pornography), but I know it when I see it.”

     Training is a process of employing a formal program of instructional methods and techniques for the purpose of developing competencies that enrich or enhance performance. Training is the act, process or art of imparting knowledge or skill to develop or maintain skill.

     Training goes beyond objective understanding and involves a conceptual understanding and ability to perform a task or demonstrate a skill. For example, an individual can be taught about dangerous chemicals, but only training can impart a complete understanding of the interrelated cognitive and psychomotor aspects of their safe handling, use, and disposal.

Learning
     Learning is the acquisition and development of memories and behaviors, including skills, knowledge, understanding, values, and wisdom. Learning is an attempt to build or create memories that last and can be recalled when necessary.

Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time.”; says Eric R. Kandel, M.D., vice chairman of The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine for his work on the molecular basis of memory. “There is no memory without learning, but there is learning without memory” (Bloom, 2006).

Adult Education
     Sometimes called “Training and Education,” adult education is often referred to as andragogy to distinguish it from pedagogy.

One of the original theories of adult education, proposed by American Educator Malcolm Knowles provides four postulates that distinguish it from adolescent education (Knowles, 1975):

• Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.
• Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities.
• Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life.
• Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.

     It is interesting to note that the adult learner’s knowledge and experience can be either a benefit or a liability to learning. An adult with some experience on a topic may find the accumulation of additional knowledge a relatively easy task. However, that very same adult with no experience on a topic may have a much more difficult time learning new behaviors that are either contrary to accumulated experience or for which there is no basis of experience. In the later, the adult learner may require a more pedagogical approach.

References

Yero, J. (2002). The Meaning of Education. Retrieved April 14, 2007, from The Teacher’s Mind Web site: http://www.teachersmind.com/education.htm

Callaway, R. (1979) Teachers’ Beliefs Concerning Values and the Functions and Purposes of Schooling, Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 177 110

Bloom, F. (2006). The Dana Guide to Brain Health: A Practical Family Reference from Medical Experts . New York, NY: Dana Press.

Knowles, M. (1975). Self-Directed Learning: A Guide for Learners and Teachers. Chicago: Follet
.