Education is the process of acquiring new knowledge to be applied in different career settings and in various regions.The definition of the word, according to Merriam Webster dictionary is: The knowledge and development resulting from the process of being educated.
The word is understood from the context of attaining knowledge, and applying what is learned in practical ways. Usually, this is validated by the attainment of degrees in career specialities, but education is more than solidifying social status. Education involves multiple life lessons, which are steps toward achieving dreams and aspirations. Life’s skill-sets are training grounds to grow toward future endeavors, which are sometimes matriculated into degrees at educational institutions.
According to Habitat for Humanity(Broward) education has many benefits from “creating a modern society” to “bridging the borders” to connect people who live globally. Also, they stated that, “Education is the key to turn a weakness into a strength. It offers different tools and ways to understand problems that lay ahead of us and helps resolve them. More importantly, education provides us with considerable mental agility to make the right decisions and spring into action when needed.”
Education is valued, because it increases understanding of the global world and the individual self. In educational settings, individuals can connect a journey of learning to different researches, as well as introduce new theories. Examination of information gives newer reasons to re-examine and replace older ideas and conclusions. Essentially, this provides up-to-date content to creeds, to history, to scientific data, and empowers us to rethink our views.
Education is attainable and is available in every developmental stage of a person’s life. Education received from higher institutions’ creates a higher probability of climbing the economic ladder toward economic prospects. This form of education enhances opportunities, which are not available without a certificate and/or degree.
How are we educated?
There is a saying that depriving another of information is like providing a disservice to the world. To be equipped with the right information provides greater clarity that can change a thought and a behavior.
Information is the driving force toward becoming educated. Factual data provides access to historical activities which are connected to the happenings of the contemporary world. Essentially, audiences can write expositions, engage in constructive dialogue, and create foundations for problem-solving.
How individuals receive information is contingent on how it is presented to them, and who is presenting. Information can never be linear, because of its interconnectedness to people and geo-politicalness. Information should be taught in holistic, non-biased ways to prepare individuals for future communications with the global world.
Everyday in the media, in books, even in institutions, and in geo-political discussions, there is a push to broadcast information. In mainstream media, there is an overabundance of opinions and biased news captions, which are failing to address the trueness of the issues. To become well-informed, one has to reference different sources to construct a story where all the links are connected.
Cognitive dissonance is also a concern as audiences are receiving different perspectives about similar concepts. Many times, what should be presented from an angle of constructiveness is instead cropped to accommodate belief systems. A recent article in Neuroscience News, asked the simple question, “So, if people are willing to deceive themselves or ignore new information, how has human culture evolved?” The article further questioned dissonance by saying, “After all, the foundation of culture is the accumulation of new knowledge-much of which contradicts existing knowledge.”
The issue of slavery is a sensitive subject to Europeans and also people of African descent; yet discussions must continue as history class is continuously being told to many generations. In addition, Afro-people continue to experience disruptions in their everyday lives as the effects of the past are still defining their socio-economic experiences. The institutionalization of racism reduces oppressed people’s economic status in the areas of housing, employment and unemployment, and education. As a result, there are environmental disparities which are confining non-Europeans to lesser social privileges.
Climate change is another hot topic where there are skeptics who use opinions and belief systems to challenge the evidence. Some deny it exists while others accept the facts about climate change. Science continues to present substantial evidence that shows the effects of pollution on the ecosystem. The sheer visual of rising sea levels to the frequency of storms should be enough confirmation to show that climate change is true.
Education serves the purpose of enriching individuals, so they can engage in dialogue that leads to work that is objective. Education is not about competition, but rather, new instructions provide tools to be used to change the world. Collaboration is needed to accomplish this since the issues are saturated in every corner of the world. Individuals become more educated because of older accounts, which are firstly met with curiosity and then with the intent to connect pieces of proof together. To be educated is a resource that removes ignorance to uplift human beings to levels of enlightenment.
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