Change is inevitable, and we humans must learn how to grow and change regardless of any situation.
We often have heard about how people change. This is because the particular person has learned something about oneself and can apply the same changes to grow.
The two similar words often used are Knowledge and Education. In fact, most people believe they are synonyms of each other. But it is not so.
There is a thin difference between the two, and here we will look at the Education vs Knowledge concept and how they are different from each other. Although, there is not much of a difference as they are co-related to each other.
Both are necessary for human lives. Education as well as Knowledge leads the human progress path. If both are present, it would be easier for humans to accept and adapt to change.
“The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.”
― William Ralph Inge
Education vs Knowledge – Understanding the Difference
As said earlier, both are related to each other but do have a difference in a broader aspect.
To put it in simple words, Education is how you learn things, while Knowledge is gaining information.
Education is widely acquired through study books, schools, colleges or universities. People learn new things from that, whereas Knowledge is gained from all the real-life instances and is mostly an everyday experience.
Education is to embrace the change process from the facts and theories, while Knowledge depends on the application of those facts and theories. It is optional that Knowledge is applied everywhere.
“Education is liberation, knowledge is power.”
― Henry Johnson, Jr.
Do Education and Knowledge Go Hand in Hand?
To understand it better, Knowledge is simply knowing the facts about something, but Education is understanding those facts and working on them.
You need both to master your learned skills. Education and Knowledge may not have a clear differentiator as sometimes it also depends on a person’s perspective.
Example 1:
Suppose you own a new laptop. You must be able to know how to use certain software and apps. This is because you have Knowledge about it. But you must be better aware of navigating it or using them in depth for your work. If you want to excel, you have to educate yourself and learn about them.
Example 2:
You might have Knowledge about dance and various forms of dancing. But the Knowledge is restricted there. Once you get learning sessions and are educated about different forms or particular forms, you can master the skill required in the dance form. It provides an in-depth understanding of the form allowing you to groove in it.
Importance of Education
Education is not only limited to the theoretical part of it. It is how well you understand and communicate it further. It does teach you new skills and abilities, but beyond that, it broadens your horizons and embraces a better perspective.
This will, in turn, make society more progressive and accepting. Education lets you think out of the box and experience with new ideas and thoughts.
Some of the reasons why educating yourself is more important are:
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- Sharpening of the learning skills
- Providing more opportunities
- Giving back to the society
- Empowering others
- Be independent and courageous
- Adapt to dynamic changes
Learn How to Grow and Change
Nelson Mandela rightly said, “Education is the most powerful weapon in the world.”
Sure it is! It can change you as a human being and the world as a whole. We need to embrace the change and accordingly learn to grow.
Imagine in the 90s if digitalisation and liberation had not come, would you be comfortable with the technology you are using today?
Mobile phones are a part of our lives now. Had we not accepted the change and learned from it, we would still have been in the times of landlines or trunk calling concepts.
In the same way, if a certain employee in the company is not up to date with today’s changing times, he would not be able to brush up on learning skills, thus lacking in greater job opportunities.
But the same employee, if educated with the updated process, would be promoted owning to his skill base.
Bottom-line
Humans learn new things every day. Whether personal or professional, learning has always been good for growth. Education vs Knowledge has been a debatable topic for a long. None of them has the upper hand, and sometimes they overlap.
Education does include imparting Knowledge, while Knowledge is majorly learned through life experiences. Education is learning from own thoughts, while Knowledge is based on people’s experiences most of the time.
The distinction at times maybe not clear-cut. So it is always good to learn to grow and change to better your own lives.
Oliver DeMille rightly said,
“Education means the ability to think independently and creatively, and development of the skill of applying one’s knowledge in dealing with people and situations in the real world.”
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Hi Hetal,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this valuable topic. I personally do believe that Knowledge is more important than education. One can be un-educated through out his entire life but may have immense of knowledge.
Hello Megha, Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Hi Megha!
Thank you sharing your views and opinions on the matter. Yes knowledge definitely has a upper hand than education at many instances. So good to know that you believe in the same.