We’re all familiar with formal education. In fact, a formal education is often required for every good paying job in Nigeria and beyond. But another interesting aspect of education that is mostly underestimated is informal education. Here, we’ll look at the characteristics of informal education, the advantages, and the difference between an informal education and a formal education.
Meaning of Informal Education
Informal education occurs when we are learning something without even realizing it. It can happen when we are conversing with friends, relatives, or even strangers. For example, when purchasing a home, you may learn what the term ‘escrow’ means when the estate agent explains it to you. It is unintentional and occurs during ordinary tasks that we may engage in. It requires no planning or intention on the part of the learner to gain new knowledge.
Inquiry, guidance, problem-solving, watching films, and social media surfing are all forms of informal education. So, every time you contacted a family for cooking guidance or a colleague for assistance in completing a task, you were engaging in informal education.
Examples Of Informal Education
- Listening to a podcast
- Attending a workshop
- Participating in a new interest club
- Discussing one’s hobbies with a buddy
- Posing inquiries
- Reading about new ideas
- Keeping an eye on someone or something
- Online research for new activities
- Taking an online course in an area of interest to you
Your interest may be piqued unintentionally by participating in one of the activities listed above, and then the majority of informal learning is self-directed. This can have a number of advantages for you and your job.
Informal learning, for example, has no charges or deadlines, so you can continue to focus on your career while gaining new knowledge. Furthermore, it improves your ability to encourage yourself, which can help you in your profession by overcoming procrastination and working toward your goals.
Characteristics of Informal Education
The characteristics of informal education are as follows:
#1. Unstructured Learning
There will be no rules or regulations to adhere to. Informal education includes teaching your child how to wash their teeth or the alphabet. It does not have a set study schedule. Unstructured learning shapes children’s personalities and behaviors. It is used in personality education since it affects a person’s behavior.
#2. Learning environment
Informal education fosters an environment in which people can learn and grow. Environmental influences have an impact on this type of education. This type of learning is influenced by society, family, and the environment. Informal education is demonstrated by someone speaking in their native language.
#3. Practical Experience
It is one of the most important aspects of an informal education system. Informal learners are very interested in their studies. Unlike classroom students, they are eager and attentive to learn. Informal education provides pupils with practical knowledge, which makes it more appealing. This type of knowledge lasts longer in the brains of students. Informal education emphasizes the social aspects of learning. It facilitates children’s development.
#4. Informative
Informal education is not a lecture in which the teacher continues to teach while the pupils listen. It begins with a cordial dialogue between the teachers and students about their life experiences. They can discuss and learn from one another’s experiences. This learning process is successful because of the process of connecting.
#5. Emphasizes Experiences
It is one of the most beneficial aspects of an informal education system. Informal education fosters an environment in which everyone can learn from one another’s experiences. Though the action is dependent on any learning, teaching might be implicit here. It is not about teaching complex concepts and skills. It entails providing tools to do materials.
#6. There is no classroom.
In information education, the world is your classroom. It is a fallacy that learning takes place in the classroom or at school. This can happen anywhere in informal schooling, such as your home, park, street, or neighborhood. Informal learning is difficult to assess because there are no specific tests for gauging it. Conversation and connection are the lifeblood of informal education.
#7. Learning that is easily accessible
Informal education allows people to learn from anywhere and from anything. It might happen at any time. The desire to study leads to the acquisition of knowledge. This type of education is available to everyone. Observation is the investment that learners must make in order to gain a skill or find work.
#8. There is no curriculum.
In informal learning, there will be no official education structure or curriculum. There will be no set study schedules or techniques. Only teachers understand how to present something based on their own experiences. There will be no curriculum or timeline in this type of learning. As informal learning revolves around the surrounding environment and people, one can study at their own pace and without paying a price. Students in informal education have the freedom to select how they wish to learn and progress.
#9. There Are No Limits
Another big advantage of informal education is that there are no learning boundaries. There is no need for organizational institutions such as schools or colleges. Anyone, though, may learn from anything. As a result, interstate and international education are now possible. There are no exams in which you must cover a specific subject or thing.
#10. Never-ending
Informal education continues to be a part of our lives. Informal education does not end when a child enters school. Even when they are not in school, children can learn. Schools will not teach you everything, but you can learn about them through information education. Growing up, we learn various things from our parents and elders. We also find out when we start working from our coworkers. We become young and imaginative as a result of informal schooling. Though we cannot add it to our names like formal schooling, it is as important for an individual’s whole growth.
The Advantages of Informal Education
#1 Anyone can teach you something.
You do not need to learn from a teacher or an expert in a specific field. Informal learning permits information to be passed on in any way from anybody to anyone. You could be talking to a marketing acquaintance who can offer you a great technique for establishing a business, or you could be watching a social media video where you can learn some interesting data. The knowledge you gain can then be applied to your work.
#2. There is less chance of boredom.
We can all recall that one college class where we would be counting down the minutes till it was over. This does not happen in informal learning. There is no time for procrastination or boredom. You are the driving force, which means that your interest, curiosity, and excitement drive your learning. You can ask questions, explore, and investigate to gain knowledge rather than being forced to by a teacher who bombards you with homework.
#3. Reduced resistance to learning
Nobody is forcing you to learn, as mentioned previously. As a result, you are less inclined to reject learning new stuff. We are considerably more likely to finish tasks that we set for ourselves than those set for us by others since we are motivated by our interest and enthusiasm in this case.
#4. Does not necessitate prior knowledge.
Unlike many school or college courses, informal learning does not require prior knowledge or experience with the subject. You are free to begin learning regardless of your situation, whether you are starting from zero or have a great deal of skill. Informal learning makes no distinctions.
#5. Generate attention that would not have occurred otherwise.
Informal education frequently sparks an interest that might not have been kindled otherwise. For example, if you knew nothing about a subject and had no aspirations to learn about it, it is doubtful that you would choose to study it during your time at school. However, while speaking with a buddy or watching a movie about the same subject, something may pique your curiosity and urge you to conduct further study. In this approach, informal learning rewards curiosity, as you grow enthusiastic and satisfied with the new information you discover.
#6. There are no expenses.
When it comes to higher education, we’ve all heard about college tuition, housing prices, and living expenses. We’ve all heard about school budget cuts that leave them unable to provide all of the materials that pupils may require. The benefit of informal education is that it is free. You can learn without being concerned about your financial situation.
#7. Immediate
Informal learning happens at once, rather than after a long period of studying and investigating. Of course, following the initial stages, studying and researching can be used to further improve the knowledge learned through informal learning. We all have hectic schedules and want to learn as rapidly as possible (while also learning properly). Informal education allows you to focus on your profession and work projects while still learning new things.
#8. Learning can take place at any time.
The learner can absorb content and learning resources at his or her own pace. This ensures that you are never rushed or overwhelmed by information. You can learn at your own pace, review any parts that were tough for you, conduct more research on topics that interest you, and easily digest the material. This can even help you learn more about the study methods that work best for you. This implies that you can prioritize your work deadlines while also learning new skills that you can apply in your professional life.
#9. Learning is self-directed and self-motivated.
One person is in charge of this form of learning. Yourself. Nobody is there to motivate you, keep track of your progress, or check on your attendance. You have complete control over your learning experience. If your interest is piqued, you can choose whether to continue investigating and learning more about the subject. You are responsible for scheduling, acquiring materials, and making future learning plans. Self-motivation is a valuable talent to develop and utilize in your professional career as you learn to maximize your potential, achieve your goals, and become the best that you can be.
Informal Education Sources
Outside of the conventional classroom, there are numerous venues where an individual might receive knowledge. Family, religious organizations, and peer groups are the first to spring to mind. However, for professional development, it is best to examine the following options:
- Webinars, seminars, conferences, and other events that allow experts and amateurs to discuss real-world ideas.
- Mentoring and coaching: These strategies have been around since the beginning of time, and they continue to function.
- Courses and tutorials: This can be done both online and offline. The benefit of tutorials is that they focus on those specific areas at any given moment. People who take courses and tutorials, even if they are free, quickly become experts. YouTube channels are currently one of the best ways to learn something rapidly. It has brought informal classes to the doorsteps of everyone.
- Blog posts, newsletters, and magazine articles. Even if some of these pieces are based on the writers’ personal experiences and viewpoints, they are still relevant. At the very least, by reading them on occasion, you will gain access to other people’s experiences, discoveries, approaches, mistakes, and victories.
- Books: Books of all kinds, regardless of topic or genre, can impart knowledge. There are numerous free e-books available today that have been contributed by their authors in order to disseminate knowledge and wisdom. Those who realized this early on have ruled the world.
What Is the Difference Between Formal and Informal Education?
The primary difference between formal and informal education is that formal education is planned and structured and occurs in a typical learning setting, whereas informal education is unplanned and does not occur in a standard learning setting.
Humans continue to learn throughout their lives. Learning can be broadly classified into two sorts based on how we learn: formal and informal learning. In general, we gain a great deal of knowledge through both of these strategies of learning.
Difference Between Formal and Informal Education
Definition
Informal education is unplanned and unstructured learning that occurs in an informal context, whereas formal education occurs in a formal and ordered environment such as a classroom.
Goals
Although formal education is goal-oriented, informal education is not.
Background in Education
Formal education is planned and structured, and it takes place in a typical learning environment, whereas informal education is unplanned and unstructured, and it does not normally take place in a traditional learning setting.
Guidance
Informal education is delivered without the assistance of an instructor, whereas formal education is delivered with the guidance of an instructor.
Method
The approaches we use for formal education are vastly different from those used for informal education. Informal education employs methods such as forums, fun activities, chats, and online communities, whereas formal education uses methods such as face-to-face setting seminars, coaching sessions, and training sessions.
What are The Five Skills Acquired Through Informal Education?
Informal/social education is frequently used to acquire soft skills such as writing, interpersonal communication, and time management. (Additional soft skills include reading comprehension, professionalism, organizational abilities, and active listening.)
In Conclusion,
Informal education gives solutions to specific challenges that are visible in formal education. Boredom, resistance to learning, and exorbitant costs are not issues with informal learning because it is centered on the student’s interests and does not necessitate expenditures.
In addition, there are various advantages to informal education. You may improve your self-motivation skills and learn more about which learning methods work best for you. Both of these abilities can be used in your professional life.
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