Education Styles: Knowledge vs Information
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Fact: India’s independence occurred on 15 August 1947. An important date to know, undoubtedly, but there’s little meaning in the date itself. It’s only when one understands the day in the context of history, politics, culture, and religion, that the date gains significance – and a spot in the memory and heart. It’s the difference between knowing the what’s and the why’s – or, the difference between information- and knowledge-based education.
Information-based education is an approach that holds up facts as the objective of learning. On the other hand, knowledge-based education aims at processing and applying data. For children, a learning environment that prioritizes knowledge over information is best. While information-based learning can provide them with a solid foundation, most information gets forgotten over time. But because knowledge-based education requires children to practically apply information, the learning process is less easily forgotten.
The differences between the approaches are summarized in the table below:
| Information | Knowledge |
| Quantitative | Qualitative |
| Imparted primarily in lecture-form, which quickly bores children | Imparted experientially or through examples in order to engage and entertain the child |
| Superficial, promotes memorization without understanding | Lasting, promotes understanding and analysis through exploration and experience |
| Stagnant. Facts do not change. | Adaptive/maturing. Facts do not change, but the child’s understanding and interpretations of them do as he or she ages. |
| Generic, doesn’t encourage the development of an individual understanding, perspective, and personality. | Individual, gives children the freedom to predict, reason, understand cause and effect, and develop preferences for how to do things |
| Closed, with no scope to make mistakes and learn from them | Open-ended, with room to make mistakes and learn from them |
| Limits imagination | Allows children to observe, analyse, understand, and create |
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Written By Prriety Gosalia
Prriety Gosalia has over two decades of experience in education. In her current role as CEO & Chief of Academics of Leapbridge Schools, she has led Leapbridge Early Childhood Learning Centre to become a preferred pre-school in Pune and Mumbai. Ms. Gosalia is changing pre-primary education by introducing new learning strategies and engaging, age-appropriate, and structured curricula. Ms. Gosalia serves as a regular contributor to various education forums, and has authored content which the Government of Kenya has approved and follows in most of its schools.
This is a very interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing.
Very helpful content ma’am..thank you for sharing..