Education vs Learning: Difference and Comparison

One of the key development sources in any society is the educated people of that society; education directly or indirectly plays an important role in uplifting society as it gives radical thinking to the people, which varnishes the distinction between the upper and the lower class.

Distinctions based on wealth, caste, creed, etc., are very fundamental in any society, but they are also considered toxic for development. Thus, educating people of the society becomes even more important for the people.

Several institutions are established, like schools and colleges, which provide sources for learning and education for people. Although there are several confusions between education and learning, they both are different from each other.

Key Takeaways

1. Education is a formal, structured process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values through instruction, training, and assessment; learning is a broader, ongoing process of acquiring knowledge and skills through various sources and experiences.
2. Education is provided by institutions, such as schools or universities, and follows a predefined curriculum; learning can occur in various settings and may involve self-directed exploration or informal instruction.
3. Education aims to prepare individuals for specific careers or goals; learning can be personal and self-motivated without a specific end.

Education vs. Learning

Education is the acquisition of knowledge through different organizations by following the syllabus to get certified. Getting an education can be characterized by any field of study. Learning can be acquired through any method, as it does not require a degree. Most of it comes from life experiences.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Education	Learning
Definition	Process of learning skills for gaining knowledge.	Process of gaining new understanding, skills, etc..
Type of process	Formal	Informal
Source	Classroom learning	Personal experiences
Barriers	Age barriers	No barriers
Possession	Acquired specially	Present in all individuals

What is Education?

The easiest definition of education is learning a skill or gaining knowledge. Education is not confined to gaining knowledge or learning skills but also includes making other people learn to do things or helping them acquire knowledge.

Education is extremely important because it helps improve people’s personal lives and smooth the working of society, which for the more helps in development as a whole. Education can be defined as a social institution for gaining and providing other people with knowledge, Including basic skills, facts, and cultural norms.

Education is acquired through an outside source, And it is somewhere related to classroom learning for which getting admission to school or college is necessary. As education is a more technical term, it requires several details of the person acquiring education in an institution.

Education must be provided by someone else, for example, teachers or tutors; one cannot call himself educated if they have acquired it on their own because for education, getting officially admitted to an institution or getting proper lessons from teachers is important.

Getting educated is extremely formal and cannot be taken for granted. The higher the education, the better the job will be provided in the future, sometimes, the level of education is also dependent on the level of the institution, for example, a school or college, which provides classroom learning.

Education is not confined to books. Rather, it includes practical knowledge as well. For example, there are practical Labs in schools and colleges where students can perform chemical reactions, and schools have proper playgrounds to practice and bookish knowledge as part of physical education.

What is Learning?

Learning is a process of acquiring or gaining new understanding, knowledge, skills, etc., by studying or involving the inner self. 

Learning is not confined to humans; animals also tend to learn things. Even a few species of plants are evident to learn things.

In humans learning can come from a person’s personal experiences as well.

There is no necessity for learning like getting admitted to school or college because learning is an informal procedure, and there is no age bar for acquiring knowledge or skills at an informal level.  Learning is a different process in classroom learning.

Learning is not dependent on books, a person or animal can learn things from their surroundings, and it is a never-ending process; learning can be done at any age, time, and anywhere. For example, if a person wants to learn to cook, then he/she can learn it anytime through various sources, which do not necessarily include books.

Learning is a Basic Instinct that is present in all individuals regardless of age or gender, for example, for a two-year-old toddler learning to speak or walk.

Learning is part of education, and without learning, education is not possible.

Learning is related to individuals’ perceptions. Although it is affected by people or books, it is completely dependent on the individual. Through learning, an individual evolves their inner self and improves. It might not provide a  white-collar job directly, but as basic education, it indirectly helps get a job. 

Main Differences Between Education and Learning

1. Education is a wider term that includes learning and acquiring other skills and knowledge. On the other hand, learning is a process of gaining new understanding, skills, etc.
2. Education is a formal process. On the other hand, learning can be informal.
3. Getting classroom learning is important to gain an education, whereas there is no such requirement for learning. Rather, learning comes from the personal experience of an individual.
4. Education has some age barriers, but learning is an ongoing process that does not possess any age barrier for any individual.
5. Learning is an instant possessed by all individuals, but education is acquired especially through several processes by an individual.
6. Education is confined to human beings only, but animals or even plants can possess learning. 

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9O6lyhjQIw8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=what+is+education&ots=3zVwEm0FEq&sig=Gi75a3LKDS8opC5C9YJQtJ4_GKE
2. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1967-02179-000