Formal, Nonformal, or Informal Education for Ag. Extension?
Coombs
(1973) defines formal education as “the hierarchically structured,
chronologically graded educational system running from primary school through
the university and including, in addition to general academic studies, a
variety of specialized programs and institutions for full-time technical and
professional training”. Formal education is often in the forefront of most
education based discussion.
Nonformal
education is more learner centered than formal education. The learner educator
relationship in nonformal education is less hierarchical and is often set up in
a way that allows learners to leave when material is not relevant or engaging
for them, at no risk of consequence. Teaching content in nonformal educational
settings is often directed to unique needs or interests of the student. This type
of education most often fits under programs such as 4-H, scouts, and extension.
Informal
education is used to define learning from everyday experiences. It is unplanned
and not organized. This learning method has the potential to be extremely
engaging and effective for learning new material. By definition, if learning
from everyday experiences was utilized in a lesson plan, it would then become
non-formal, but no matter the definition, it has proven to be a very effective
method of learning.
Extension education
is usually targeting learners who are not used to sitting in a class room. They
choose to come to workshops and meetings that they think will be useful for
bettering their business. The time that they take away from their business is a
sacrifice. As educators we should do our best to make that sacrifice worth the
while. This should be done by intentionally developing exercises with
demonstration, discussion, and hands-on experiences. While all of these
teaching tools are important for reaching our audience, flexibility is perhaps
the most important tool or attribute to use in extension education. In order to
effectively share information with learners it is important to be observant of
what they are interested in learning and observing to see if your teaching
methods are engaging. This flexibility, observation, and willingness to adapt
is crucial for any educational setting, whether it be formal, nonformal, or
informal.
Etling
A. 1993. What is Nonformal Education? Journal of Agricultural Education. 34:4,
72-76.
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