S. Samuel Ravi - A Comprehensive Study of Education

S.SAMUEL RAVI Assistant Professor N.M.Christian College, Marthandam Tamil Nadu

-S. Samuel Ravi

I, with great pleasure, greet the readers who are interested in understanding the comprehensive idea of education. This book would take you to the world of new education. In fact A Comprehensive Study of Education is an earnest attempt to provide the readers with a thorough understanding of the various concepts of education. As it is an outcome of two decades of work of the author as an academician in different educational and research institutions, its contents are qualitatively as well as quantitatively different from other books on education available in the market. In fact, this book has been prepared in such a way that its leaves may be turned to change your thoughts and its words may be perused to mould and shape yourself to become a model pedagogue and better future citizen of the world. Therefore, this book can be used as a powerful tool to bring about the desirable changes in the society. Moreover, concepts such as education, philosophy, educational philosophy, educational sociology, social change, social mobility, social stratification, economics, national integration and international understanding have been interpreted and explained according to the present situation. Hence, this book will be of great use to the lecturers, teachers, students, researchers and social activists at the B.Ed., M.Ed., and M.Phil. levels.

Further, this book has been written according to the syllabus prescribed by the Indian universities for undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in education. It provides an exhaustive treatment of the subject in a very lucid and cogent manner, so that the educators and educands can grasp the subject completely and clearly. I hope that this book can be used as a reference book also as it would meet the requirements of people who are interested in entering the world of education.

S.Samuel Ravi

I am very much grateful to Dr. James Premkumar, Chairman and Managing Director, and Mr. G.Friedrick Raja Sekhar, General Manager, James Groups of Educational and Medical Institutions, Colachel, Tamil Nadu for being a constant source of inspiration in this earnest endeavour.

I thank Mr. M.Jayahar Joseph, Correspondent and Secretary, Dr. S.Dawn Dharma Roy, Principal, P.Jegan Babu, Assistant Professor and Mr. K.Francis, N.M.Christian College, Tamil Nadu for providing all facilities to enhance my academic skills, and a conducive working environment and constant support which introduce me to the world of writing.

I convey my heartfelt thanks to the esteemed Professor B.William Dharma Raja and Professor G.Rexlin Jose, Department of Education, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tamil Nadu, whose encouragements and suggestions have made this book a distinguished one in the field of education.

I express my profound thanks to Dr. G.Samuel George, Founder and Chairman and Dr. A.J.Bensam, Principal, Immanuel Arasar College of Education, Nattalam, Tamil Nadu who have turned my thoughts into a book for graduate and postgraduate degree courses in education.

I am highly indebted to Professor (Mrs) Adline Selvaraj, Professor (Mrs) Daisy David, Professor (Late) R.Wilson, Mr. S.Johnson, Mr. A.Arul Dhas, Mr. C.Augustin, Dr. V.Selvam, Mr. M.Satheesh Jeyasingh and Mr. H.Starwin, who have been kind enough in going through the manuscript and shaping it according to the needs and style of the students and teachers.

I am very much thankful to Dr. N.Joseph John, Professor of Physics, Noorul Islam University, Kumaracoil, Mr. R.K.Ratheesh Lynd, Lecturer, Department of Computer Applications, James College of Engineering and Technology, Nagercoil, Mr. A.Selvin Singh, Proprietor, Zion Computer Centre, Palappallam and Mr. S.Robinson Cruz, Stella Infotech Computer Education, Karungal, who helped me in typesetting the manuscript.

I specially thank Mr. Asoke K.Ghosh, Chairman and Managing Director, Mrs. Babita Misra, Mrs. Shivani Garg, and Mr. Pankaj Manohar of PHI Learning, New Delhi, who have turned my vision into reality by publishing this book superbly for the development of education and society.

S.Samuel Ravi

INTRODUCTION

Education is the most important and powerful instrument invented by mankind to shape and mould himself in a desirable manner. Any modification brought about in the behaviour of an individual, as a result of his interaction with the environment, constitutes learning. The history of the world proves that education has been the root cause for any change which takes place in the social, cultural, spiritual, political and economic aspects of human life. It is education, which not only transforms the human animal into a rational human being, but also prepares and develops him to survive and adjust with surroundings so as to lead his personal as well as social life successfully. Therefore, we may say that education is anything which the individual acquires through formal or non-formal organizations in the form of certificates or training by which his personality is prepared and developed to undertake any sort of task and adjust himself with the varying environments in order to fulfil his basic necessities and objectives of life. It is discerned from this statement that education has become one of the basic necessities of human life, like food, clothing and shelter. Today, life is education and education is life. Hence, no distinction can be made between life and education under any circumstances.