Education

Education encompasses both the teaching and learning of knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency. It thus focuses on the cultivation of skills, trades or professions, as well as mental, moral & aesthetic development. Education systems are established to provide education and training, in most cases for children and the young. A curriculum defines what students should know, understand and be able to do as the result of education. Education is a broad concept; it refers to all the experiences in which people can learn something.

Formal education consists of systematic instruction, teaching and training by professional teachers. In a liberal education tradition, teachers draw on many different disciplines for their lessons, including psychology, philosophy, information technology, linguistics, biology, and sociology. Teachers in specialized professions such as astrophysics, law or zoology may teach only in a narrow area, usually as professors at institutions of higher learning. Finally, there are a lot of educational opportunities in the informal sphere - for this reason, society creates museums and libraries. Informal education also includes knowledge and skills learned during the course of life, including education that comes from experience in practicing a profession.

Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first years of formal education. In general, primary education consists of six or seven years of schooling starting at the age of 5 or 6, although this varies between countries. The division between primary and secondary education is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age.

In most contemporary educational systems of the world, secondary education is characterised by transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education to the optional, "higher" education (e.g., university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period may be called secondary or high schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, or vocational schools. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education varies from country to country, but is generally around the seventh to the tenth year of schooling. Secondary education occurs mainly during the teenage years. The purpose of secondary education can be to give common knowledge, to prepare for higher education or to train directly in a profession.

Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage or post secondary education, is the non-compulsory educational level following the completion of a school. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as training. Colleges and universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary education. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.

Lifelong, or adult, education has become widespread in many countries. Adult education takes on many forms, from formal class-based learning to self-directed learning.

Alternative education, also known as non-traditional education, is a broad term which may be used to refer to all forms of education outside of traditional education (for all age groups and levels of education). This may include both forms of education designed for students with special needs (ranging from teenage pregnancy to intellectual disability) and forms of education designed for a general audience which employ alternative educational philosophies and/or methods.

Lifelong education

Lifelong education is the concept that "It's never too soon or too late for learning", a philosophy that has taken root in our culture. Lifelong learning means that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviours. Lifelong learning sees citizens provided with learning opportunities at all ages and in numerous contexts: at work, at home and through leisure activities, not just through school and higher education.

Lifelong education is a form of pedagogy often accomplished through distance learning or e-learning, continuing education, homeschooling or correspondence courses. It also includes postgraduate programmes for those who want to improve their qualifications, bring their skills up to date or retrain for a new work. The concept of lifelong learning is used by organisations to help the employees to be better able to react in an agile manner to a rapidly changing situation. In later life, especially in retirement, continued learning takes diverse forms and including recreational activities.

One of the reasons why lifelong education has become so important is the acceleration of scientific and technological progress. Despite the increased duration of primary, secondary and university education (14-18 years depending on the country), the knowledge and skills acquired there are usually not sufficient for a professional career. The European Union adopted a document in October 2006 entitled "It's never too late to learn". This document suggests lifelong learning to be the core of the ambitious process, in which the whole of the European Union should become a learning area.

Task:

1. Read and translate the text. Pay special attention to the selected words and expressions.
2. Speak on the topics “The Definitions of Education”, “Formal and Informal Education”, “Tertiary education”, “Lifelong Education Philosophy” (by choice) using the selected expressions.
3. Write a short essay (1.5 – 2 pages) on the topic you have chosen.