EDUCATION

Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, research, or simply through autodidacticism.[1] Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts.

The above was copied from the Wikipedia web site free encyclopedia. My favorite word in this definition is autodidacticism, which means, loosely translated, self motivated research and study of a subject of interest.

Often when we think about education, it’s about school and a classroom. This is just one very important part of an individuals education, it may not be the most important. I think of my great grandson, age one, whose mother reads him her college history books. He will forever remember his mother talking to him while holding a book. At some point in his life he will wonder what was in that book. But first he must have a foundation for learning, he must learn to read, listen and than evaluate what he read or heard. He must be able to analyze what he has heard or read. He must have a foundation education of reading and mathematics. He must also develop skill sets that add value or perform services people are in need off.

The best investment any one makes is their education, but education requires maintenance. Change make skill sets obsolete. Therefore autodidacticism is a very important part of intellectual sustainability. From research of a subject we may decide to go to a lecture, or take a course at the local college. Or we maybe decide to we need to do more research and earn a PHD.

That’s what Joan did!