08/13/2019

Daily Buzz: The Difference Between Learning and Education

Organizations need to place more emphasis on real learning

They say knowledge is power, and, in this case, it’s never too late to get in the know on the difference between “learning” and “education.”

Jeff Cobb from Mission to Learn defines learning as “the lifelong process of transforming information and experience into knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes.” Education, on the other hand, is just one structured option within this process.

Why does it matter?

“When we equate learning with education, we’re more likely to focus on generating answers. On providing structure; on optimizing for performance and achievement,” Cobb says. “Real learning, on the other hand, is about questions, about navigating ambiguity. To reference my definition again, it is as much about attitude and behavior as it is about knowledge and skills. Arguably it is more about these things in our current environment.”

Other than getting smart on the way we communicate on these topics, Cobb says organizations—and people as a whole—need to place more emphasis on real learning.

“Learning is not confined within the walls of an institution or the structure of a class. It happens in the flow of life. It is rooted in physicality and emotion as much as in cognition,” he says. “When we shift to seeing learning in this way, it becomes much easier to recognize and take advantage of the myriad opportunities for learning that we encounter daily.”

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.