Why Study Education

The famous philosopher John Dewey once wrote "education is growth." Broadly conceived, education is a process of human development as expansive and multi-faceted as life itself. Construed more narrowly, it concerns the acquisition of the skills and knowledge that allow people to achieve their desired ends. As the world has grown more complex and demanding in recent history, education has become correspondingly more important, both for individual success and continuing social development. Indeed, in an age of technological wonder and seemingly wanton capacity for violence, some would say that education is our only hope.
This is an exciting time to undertake the study of education. Never have more people been interested in the topic, and its significance has by no means been greater. At the same time, the state of knowledge about education, and such related issues as human development and cognition, is advancing rapidly. The field of education, consequently, is filled with interesting possibilities, perhaps more today than ever before. Education offers the prospect of making a difference, helping people, and improving the prospects of a better world. It is a growing area of research and development. And it is a global concern, reaching out across the old boundaries of time and space. As Dewey noted in a somewhat different context, education is the only profession concerned primarily with the future.
Most people associate education with schools, and it certainly is true that students typically study education in preparing to teach. But there are many other careers that call upon the same set of skills, helping people prepare for the future in one form or another. These include everything from corporate training to therapy and counseling. Many students also find that studying education is part of a broad generalist preparation for life, regardless of one's occupational goals. As education grows in importance, it is a topic everyone needs to know something about. Studying education at the university level is a good way to begin.
As most people know, education is a field faced with many difficult questions today. How should schools be organized? Can schools help to mitigate social and economic inequality? Should the education system be driven by market forces? What is the role of democracy in education? Is there a place for ethics, values and religion in the schools? What knowledge should be taught? Should standardized tests determine who succeeds in today's society? What is the best way to teach reading or mathematics? Do all people learn the same way, or value the same types of learning? These are just a few of the issues that animate educators as they struggle to make the education system stronger and more effective. They are questions of critical importance to the entire society.
And then there is teaching. Some people suggest that little formal preparation is necessary to become a teacher. "Just know your subject," they proclaim, "and everything else will take care of itself." Most of the individuals who say this, however, have spent little time in classrooms with children and youth. To teach effectively, one must know the subject matter and a great deal more. To be a professional educator in the twenty-first century, knowledge of children, culture, education systems and the larger global context of social development is necessary. It only improves the prospects of making a difference. Another old saying tells us that "knowledge is power."
Understanding education contributes to your capacity to change the world, and contribute to a better future. What more could a teacher ask for?