Education comes not from books but from practical experience

Some of the most successful people in the world have had little amount of formal education. Nevertheless, young people are encouraged to go to school, get to college and get their degrees so that they can make something of themselves. However, in this new age there are arguments being raised concerning the most efficient education practices. This essay discusses whether education comes more from practical experience or from books. I will first tackle what education is. Following that, Ill look at how education can be obtained. Thirdly, Ill discuss learning as a process and the steps in that process. In conclusion, I will show if it really is true that education comes not from books but from practical experience.

To begin with, according to www.businessdictionary.com, education is The wealth of knowledge acquired by an individual after studying particular subject matter or experiencing life lessons that provide an understanding of something. There are different methods of obtaining an education. Most common one is from years of schooling, usually with strict, standard literature for specific subjects for different levels of study. This is also the traditional method, scholars are examined on the knowledge they have gotten from their teachers and are graded according to how much of it they retained. Another way people get an education is from literature they take upon themselves to read without attending formal classroom education. Some do this because they are interested in working in the field, some merely do it to have a vast knowledge of diverse topics or to sharpen their minds. Whereas some, learn by simply having good skills of observation and are such quick studies to the point that they will master complicated skills by carefully observing experts of the field. An example of such a person is Vivien Thomas, who without any education beyond high school, rose above poverty to become a pioneer of cardiac surgery. He worked as an assistant to Dr Alfred Blalock. He worked with Dr Blalock in his surgeries and within a few weeks he was starting surgey on his own ( McCabe 1989).

Learning is a process. There are several steps in the process. The first step in learning is reading and studying subject matters through books. Books greatly assist scholars in knowing more and understanding about the field they are in. they inform of the rules and principles of the field, for instance students studying Accounting have text books about the principles of accounting. Some books, however, are not strictly academic, like biographies, but can also be sources of information to scholars in the process of learning or just increase their knowledge pool. The second step is practical experience. It has been said: Tell me and Ill forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and Ill understand (Chinese proverb). This vital step in learning is important especially when one is learning skills that will require ones physical ability. Most institutions require that their employees be able to apply the knowledge they gained from formal education to the workplace. Professions like Engineering and Information Technology, require that the scholar be able to have a deep knowledge of the techniques employed and be able to apply this in the field and not just know the

theory of it. The final step in the learning process is observation. As children, we learn a lot by observing our elders. Learn to hunt, to fish, to cook just by watching elders do such things. In this same way, some who are unable to go to school can learn a skill from watching others do it.

To summarise, in the words of Albert Einstein, Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. Education in the 21st century has moved from just being about just attending class, reading required text books and passing examinations, to being innovative and interactive. This has been easier with the advent of technology. It has also been made more accessible and affordable. Scholars are now taught practical skills, encouraged to be curious and to be involved in their own education. So we can not strictly say education is just from practical experience, or just from books. Education is what you get when you marry the two. This is because one still needs to know the principles of a subject as much as one needs practical experience in it. One is possible without the other, but more efficient when done together.

Bibliography 1. McCabe, K. (1989). Like Something the Lord Made; The Vivien Thomas Story. The Washingtonian. August 1989. 2. Nielsen, L.K. (2013). Children of the Core. CreatSpace Independent Publishing. 3. Richardson, W. (2012). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere. TED conferences: eBook. 4. Education comes not from books alone. Available from www.earplug.blogspot.com/2011/07/education-comes-not-from-books-alone.html . (Accessed on 23rd April 2013). 5. Albert Einstein Quotes. Available from: www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/98104.Albert.Einstein. (Accessed on 25th April 2013). 6. Chinese Proverbs. Available from: www.thinkexist.com/quotes/chinese_proverbs/. (Accessed on 25th April 2013). 7. Education. Business Dictionary. 2013. Available from: www.businessdictionary.com. (Accessed on 25th April 2013).

References
McCabe, K. (1989). Like Something the Lord Made; The Vivien Thomas Story. The Washingtonian. August 1989. Nielsen, L.K. (2013). Children of the Core. CreatSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Richardson, W. (2012). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere. TED Conferences: eBook. Education comes not from books alone. Available from www.earplug.blogspot.com/2011/07/education-comes-not-frombooks-alone.html . (Accessed on 23rd April 2013). Albert Einsten Quotes. Available from: www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/98104.Albert.Einstein. Chinese Proverbs. Available from: www.thinkexist.com/quotes/chinese_proverbs/ Education. Business Dictionary. 2013. Available from: www.businessdictionary.com. (Accessed on 25th April 2013).