Aims and Values of Education in Life

Q: Elaborate the aims and values of Education in life.

Ans: According to Dewey, education is a life long process through a continuous reconstruction of experiences. It implies that education is not something static but it is an uninterrupted and lasting process. The aims of educational are usually influenced by the political, economical, social and religious conditions prevailing in the society. However, these aims are of different nature, some of which stay valid for a longer span of time; such as utilitarian aim of education, whereas, some aims of education are specific and differ from person to person.

A brief discussion on some of the ultimate aims of education is as follows,

i) The Cultural aim of Education:

Past experiences are useful in learning new ones. Therefore, transmission of culture is an important aim of education. Culture includes arts, sciences, religion and the social norms and values which the human race has developed over a long period of time. Since every nation has a different culture, therefore these values are different for every nation and culture. For example, the ancient Chinese and even Greek cultures valued the perpetuation of static social order. In Sparta. Social survival largely depended on military ability, thus chief aim of education was similar to the Military virtues; courage, patriotism, loyalty to the state and respect and obedience for superiors.

ii) Progressive aim of Education:

Evolution and progression are the two ultimate realities of life. Man has been progressing since the beginning of the world. A child is born with his/her unique natural endowments and education aims at developing those endowments in confirmity with the demands of the society. Therefore, education not only aims at the transmission of culture but also deems necessary that new ideas and values are also introduced which helps in improving the capabilities and skills of the child, paving the way for a better and happier world.

iii) Social Efficiency as an aim of Education:

Social efficiency as an aim of education targets the sociological as well as psychological aspects of education. Efficiency in social adjustment is the most sought after quality in the modern times because it affects an individual's whole life. Education must enable a child to participate constructively in the democratic group life, and play different roles effectively and efficiently.

According to the famous American pragmatist, educational aims were the outgrowth of the problamatic situations arising in ongoing activities, and the child has to develop social efficiency to learn the skills for the proper adjustment in his/her every-day life.

iv) Vocational aim of Education:

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