what do you think being educated means essay

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How to Write Georgetown’s “Educated” Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Vinay Bhaskara and Alexander Oddo in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Understanding what this prompt is asking, answering how georgetown can help, taking a philosophical approach.

The Georgetown’s supplemental essay prompt 4a reads as follows: 

What does it mean to you to be educated? How might Georgetown College help you achieve this aim? (Applicants to the Sciences and Mathematics or the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics should address their chosen course of study.) – 1 page single spaced

In this article, we will discuss what exactly the prompt is asking of you and how to approach your response. If you are applying to Georgetown and are looking for guidance on the other prompts, check out this post on how to write the Georgetown supplemental essays .

In this essay, you can be a little more general than your other Georgetown responses. The prompt does, however, point out specific departments, so, if your intended major falls within those, make sure to answer their question with regards to your major. 

Regardless of the general prompt, your answer should be unique to you. Make sure you’re writing about your motivation for getting an education and for wanting to apply to college, and specifically Georgetown. Your answer to the first question, what does it mean to be educated, should also come from your own opinions. 

Talk about your reasons for wanting to be educated in the first place. Talk about why you are applying to college and more specifically why Georgetown. The school knows they are rigorous and that you are planning to spend 4 years in intense studies, so they want to know what’s motivating you and how Georgetown can help get you there. You can do this by highlighting specific resources and opportunities that Georgetown offers, which we will discuss in the next section. 

With this essay, you should discuss the specifics of why you’ve chosen Georgetown and why an education there would help you. Feel free to name specific classes, professors, or research projects that interest you. Now is your time to highlight the academics at Georgetown and how they align with your intellectual and future career goals. 

One academic feature Georgetown has is its core requirements. These are classes which students have to take in their freshman and sophomore years that cover a wide array of fields from STEM to Theology to English. They cover a lot of different things, and they do this because of core personnel. Georgetown wants its students to have a well-rounded education with knowledge from many different areas. You take these courses while taking classes specific to your major, and then the last two years of college are when you focus on your specialty. This is just one example that you can highlight from the many programs that Georgetown offers. 

You should also keep in mind that it is important to dive deep into the main question about education in your response. For many, an education could just be some knowledge you gain to get access to a career, but this essay is asking for a more philosophical approach. Ask yourself what the purpose of education is and why that would help you on a personal level. Talk about your relationship to learning in general and your attitude towards acquiring new skills and knowledge. 

Georgetown does focus on the core personnel, as mentioned earlier, so they are looking for students who are well-rounded with spikes in particular fields. Even if you plan on majoring in one of the programs they mention in the question, you can still highlight interdisciplinary education. It is a tricky balance, but you know your academic aspirations best, so discuss what feels right to your journey. You could choose to write about a variety of different fields or focus on education within your intended major. 

Overall, try to tell Georgetown why you decided to apply to their college. Bring in the philosophical meaning of education, how this relates to your future, and why Georgetown specifically can help you get there. Remember not to talk about the prestigiousness of the college too much because that can often come off as cliche and is often overused in this type of essay.

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What Does It Mean To Be Educated Essay Example

What does it mean to be educated? I constantly hear the word being used by many people around me and never thought to ask myself what does it mean to be educated? We probably all heard “Go to college and get an education” at least once in our lives and we are more than likely just assuming the meaning that college would educate you. But after reading around and collecting different ideas from different authors I define being educated based on your mindset, knowledge and skills . Being able to explain clearly and effectively, argue your points, make your claims with an extreme interest in your education, and to always be willing to learn more. Being educated isn’t about the degrees or awards you have, it's about the knowledge and the freedom of your mind and asking questions that many don’t.being educated is found within a person and is different for everyone.    

To many, being educated means going to school and coming out with a degree there are many words for people like this but I don’t think educated is one. To clarify, I find someone who goes and completes college smart and hardworking. We can't say everyone that comes out of college is educated because many people who finish school go on to live their life working in whatever profession and more than likely their education will end there because in reality we see college as a strong advantage to get jobs in the workforce.  From  “8 reasons why you should go to college” money was at the top of that list stating “College graduates have more earning potential on average than people who only have a high school diploma. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that in 2018, people with a college degree made around $1,198 a week. Someone with a high school diploma earned just $730. That could mean non-college grads are missing out on $1 million in earnings, over a lifetime.” 

Well I do agree when most people think of someone that is educated the first thing that pops to many minds is school. It shouldn't be the main factor of determining if someone is educated or not because everyone has different reasons for going . Coming from “Defining the Educated Person” by Jill Anderson they states” To be considered educated, said the panelists, students should leave school with a deep understanding of themselves and how they fit into the world, and have learned what some call “soft skills” – complex problem-solving, creativity, entrepreneurship, the ability to manage themselves, and the ability to be lifelong learners. As Professor Fernando Reimers, who moderated the panel, summarized, there is a disconnect between how education gets delivered in the classroom and the common desire for students to become good, well-rounded people.”

Well I do agree  an educated person should have soft skills, problem solving, creativity ,entrepreneurship ,abilities to manage themselves  and become lifelong learners but I don’t see why or how you need school to develop these traits because many if not all the skills listed can be learned outside of a classroom. I also agree with the writer's point of an educated person being a student but not in a traditional sense of school being a student means “someone who is learning at a school, or in any teaching environment.”

Being a student isn’t limited to just being in school, instead it’s your learning environment and mindset. Being educated is always being a student in a way, always wanting to learn more and always pursuing more for their own reasons and to better themselves by being well divested in many different subjects.

I do agree nonetheless school is important and is able to give  you a set unique of opportunities that many people without the proper certifications can’t get into but as I mentioned before many of the skills and traits an educated person has can be learned outside of school with a lot of everyday tasks and life experience. Being educated is about the constant pursuit of new knowledge and straying out of the normal paths of many if we go day by day doing the exact same things as we did the day before we would end up nowhere. Being an independent thinker is part of being educated, those who are able to make their own thoughts and ideas without including the thoughts of others to influence their own ideas. From  “An independent thinking mind” it states” Independent thinking means you do not follow others opinion blindly, but analyze and synthesize all sources of input and information to form your own opinion. It doesn't mean that you "reinvent the wheel" every time when you make a decision. But if you uncritically accept whatever values, knowledge or ideas you've been taught, many of them perhaps are out of date or have a bias, you are not a great thinker”. Educated people don’t have bias with their opinions but instead they use their own facts and reasoning that they find to choose what they agree or disagree on. Being an independent thinker allows freer thoughts and in turn allows additional discoveries due to the variety of thought. To be clear just having different thoughts than most others  doesn’t make you an independent thinker but you need to come up with your reasonings behind your thinking.

Being educated also means you know how to treat other people and you’re considerate of their feelings. Even though this may not seem to have anything to do with being educated since you can think and act on your own it doesn’t always mean you will always have the answers. Being able to work with people is a must and being considerate of others feelings is important even if you’re not working with the person. It's important to treat them with respect and kindness since those who know better do better. 

One of if the important aspects of being an educated person is learning how to take  failure and criticism. Everyone in their lives has experienced failure in some shape or form. This doesn’t really help you unless you ask yourself why you failed. This may seem obvious to a majority of people but some people are stubborn and think they’re always right and this doesn’t make anyone educated in fact it makes them “stupid” there is always something to learn and not matter how big or small the constructive criticism is it should always be taken into account and worked on as to an educated person their education never stops.

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What does it Mean to be Educated?

Updated: July 11, 2022

Published: January 24, 2022

January 24 was World Education Day. But what does it mean to be educated in 2022?

The Latin root of the word educate is “exducere”: to lead out of. The idea is that the educational process leads you out of your former self into a new self: more knowledgeable, more skilled, wiser, and more experienced.

While this notion is as old as the hills and incorporates many formal and informal dimensions of learning to this day, the way that learning has been conceptualised through different historical paradigms has changed quite significantly.

Before the onset of compulsory education in the 19th Century, an educated person was someone privileged to be part of a small group of initiates or royalty. Powerful, arcane knowledge was placed in the hands of the few and these few were venerated for this. The structure of the ancient world was fiercely hierarchical and elitist when it came to any sort of formal education: those who could read and write were scribes, priests, and leaders.

Compulsory education brought to the fore the democratisation of education and, with it,  the more standardised model whereby every child would be expected to know a certain number of things: the dates and names of their national history, core elements of literacy and numeracy, and scientific facts. Education was used to forge nation-state identity across millions of people.

The economic boom of the post-World War II era made the previously inaccessible pathway of a university education a more popular and accessible option, at least in the so-called Western world. The vision of the 1950s was one whereby an education would stop after high school or, perhaps university, when young people would be recruited by firms, sometimes literally right after their graduation ceremonies and a long career could be expected to ensue. In this heyday of middle-class growth and rapid economic expansion, education was seen as one part of the conventional pathway that many would follow to a tranquil retirement. Needless to say, this vision was very far from the realities of most people on the planet, mainly in the so-called global south, who were still not accessing schools or universities.

The turn of the 21st Century ushered in the paradigm of the knowledge economy with the widespread impact of the worldwide web making information more easily available and the possibilities of self-education more salient: now education could be totally de-institutionalized and, more radical still, the amount of knowledge that a person would have to store in their minds could be questioned since this information would be ubiquitously and consistently available through the web. The idea of an educated person started to shift from what someone knew to what they could do, how well they could solve problems and interact with others. (Whether it is actually true that people can get by with knowing less in the 21st Century is a problematic idea, of course, one I would question quite strongly).

Today’s world, marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and rise of social justice movements, has morphed the idea of what it means to be educated once more: the emphasis is more squarely on questions of mental health, mindfulness, compassion, empathy, and sustainability. Coaching models are used more and more in teaching while the content of the curriculum is being questioned for the historical and cultural bias it contains. Today, the educated person is expected to be more interpersonally sensitive than ever before. At the same time, the pressures on Generation Z, both economic and social, have made issues of stress and anxiety major factors in schools and universities. To be educated is to be resilient.

So what does World Education Day mean for you? At the University of the People, we are doing what we can to bring down the walls that still prevent too many people from learning, this to take us closer to UN’s sustainable goal 4 : to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

Perhaps the ongoing idea, the one that transcends all of these paradigms, is the idea that true learning is a decision you take, to want to know, to be curious, to be a lifelong learner, no matter the circumstances. With this attitude, learning never stops, everything and everyone becomes a teacher: as Lao-Tzeu said, thousands of years ago, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears”.

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What does it Mean to be Educated? Essay

In this assignment, I would narratively examine an essay by Alfie Kohn on how the formalized education system has paradoxically failed in its intent to create well-rounded individuals and well-informed citizens. The author questions the very credibility of institutionalized education in championing the cause of enlightenment, accusing it of failing to deliver knowledge and values to students in favor of cheaply dispensing with synthetic degrees that only serve to lead them towards the job market, with no opportunity to cherish the knowledge gained so far.

In analyzing this essay, I would weigh both the pros and cons of Kohn’s arguments and pronounce my own views on what changes should be brought in to make the education system more inclusive for people who literally think outside the book.

Kohn proffers the example of his own wife who received a number of advanced degrees in medical sciences and spent at least 29 years of her life in the education system (Kohn, 2004, p.2). Despite her specialized expertise in such a difficult subject stream, Kohn laments his wife’s severe lack of aptitude in other knowledge spheres, such as Math, Grammar and Literature. “She will, however, freeze up if you ask her what 8 times 7 is, because she never learned the multiplication table” (Kohn, 2004, p.2).

What the author suggests here is that formalized education has managed to create lots of zombies out of students who have been instructed since childhood to learn by rote, and thereby, has compromising their ability to hold educated views on a broad spectrum of subjects. The author believes it is impossible to hold an educated discussion with such individuals because years of cramming of facts, figures and irrelevant data has made their minds too obfuscated to form a coherent opinion on a subject apart from what they studied in college.

In the author’s view, the very point of schooling is defeated when one gives up on his questioning mindset (Kohn, 2004, p.3). Kohn is also fiercely critical of standardized test scores and other educational parameters that have been solely designed to fit in line with the expectations of future employers.

Clearly, by exemplifying his wife as the very nadir of what the education system has turned into, Kohn makes the point of justifying his tirade against formalized education, and favors replacing it with a system which focuses on developing qualities such as “social reasoning, empirical reasoning, quantitative reasoning, communication, and personal qualities” (Kohn, 2004, p.6) in students. He believes the most important attribute of civilization lies in its ability to create sharp mindsets which would one day engineer novel ideas, innovations and not remain confined to fixed thoughts.

On one hand, it isn’t very difficult to see the point of view of the author. I personally wouldn’t disagree with an education system which callously ignores the desire and innate ability in a student to excel in life not just for the sake of success, but also by valuing deep knowledge gained out of learning.

The present education system, especially at higher university level, conditions young minds to abandon the lofty principles of acquiring such a knowledge through insights and deep practice. Instead, students are taught to learn short-cuts which would one day help them achieve a plum station in life. It’s almost a global phenomenon without exceptions.

We are all aimlessly drifting in different directions with no sense of purpose or higher goals in life. This is what is deemed as “normal” in a civilized society of today. Left to its own, most aspects of the present day education system have descended into a phase of mediocrity which blocks the flow of innovative ideas.

Since, standardized scores and completion of credits is given extra importance compared to development of real cognitive skills, we are effectively in a phase of no return. Some of the greatest thinkers of present and past centuries thought outside the box that actually led to most outstanding innovations which have shaped human civilization.

By consenting to be a part of this system, we give sanction to mediocrity and create lackluster learning environments. Indeed, if there was an opinion poll conducted among students belonging to any major college today, a majority of them would express dissatisfaction with the education system because of such an outdated bent of mind.

The author’s insistence on “cultural literacy” (Kohn, 2006, p.5) also strikes a cord with me. It is indeed important that one becomes proficient in not only their own subject, but also takes the time and interest to pursue other hobbies. A Biotechnology student who is also well-versed with key historical figures in the Roman times and takes an interest in musical instruments, stands a better chance at being successful in life than a dull PhD student who has only spent away all his time in cramming technical books.

Having a full, enlightened conversation with an individual is the first step towards following through on his intellectual depth, and sustaining meaningful lifelong associations. Education is a life-force which when recreated several times over, sustains civilization in its purest essence. The absence of independent thought in the structured curricula of present-day educational systems do not bode well for the future. Already, innovation is no longer the forte of some of the most reputed colleges in this country which have chosen to dispense mediocre degrees as their main aim over the development of new ideas.

Although, I’m generally supportive of Kohn’s views on what constitutes an ideal educational system, it may simultaneously be discussed that some of these arguments may not hold the entire grain of truth. Kohn gave the example of his wife’s severe lack of grammar and an inability to hold an intellectual conversation. However, the same could be blamed on a severe lack of interest in these subjects because each individual is geared towards different aspects of life.

For example, some intellectually-oriented individuals have been known to lack in an inability to drive a car or handle mechanical devices without fumbling. Should that then mean that they be perceived as less educated than the others who are more gifted in selective trades? There are individuals who have an amazing logical ability but are unable to form a coherent sentence without erring. There are those who have an aptitude for data interpretation, and analyzing facts and figures.

Indeed, each and every individual has his/her core strengths and weaknesses which guide their intelligence radar, and should be promoted as an instrument of well-being. No one size fits all formula can work here.

In conclusion, I can agree with a few points raised by the author concerning the fact that “there can be no one single definition of what an education person should be like” (Kohn, 2006, p.8). Indeed, it’s a highly subjective issue and should be analyzed on its individual merit. While I clearly agree with the author’s views on the need for greater freedom and reform in the education system, there’s no point in creating a single definition of what an education person should be like.

• Muller, G.H. & Wiener, H.S. (2008). To the Point: Reading and Writing Short Arguments . New York, NY: LONGMAN.
• Kohn, A. (2004). What does it mean to be Well-Educated? And more Essays on Standards, Grading and Other Follies . Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, December 28). What does it Mean to be Educated? https://ivypanda.com/essays/what-does-it-mean-to-be-educated/

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What Does it Mean to Be ‘Educated’ in the 21st Century?

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12 years of cursory primary and secondary education that covers a breadth of knowledge spanning history, literature, assorted maths, language, physical education, assorted physical and living sciences and other electives.

Upon successful completion of high school, being “educated” meant a student went to a college of his/her choosing to major in a subject area that would yield a respectable job and potentially go on to higher education to ensure relevancy in his/her career path.

Students in my generation and earlier generations did this dutifully, if being “educated” was a value they or their families’ held.

Peter Greene toils with the question “Are things that every educated person should know?” in his post called An Educated Person, where he discusses what people should know or what has value and even asserts that what has value is different for different people.

After having gamed several systems to become “educated” with a Masters degree in Secondary Education in English and also continuing my professional education to become permanently state certified as well as Nationally Board Certified, I’ve discovered that on-going exploration of the world is more essential. That this is what it means to be truly educated; a continuing curiosity to learn more and use what we know to innovate and grow both individually and as a people.

It’s not necessary for a body of information to be memorized, but rather a skill-set mastered to make infinite learning possible.

After having a conversation with Peter Huerta, a senior at WJPS, it is clear that the system does students a disservice. He is a highly intelligent student who refused to play the game and although his transcript may not be impressive, he is. Something he said that I found particularly apt was that school forces all students to be a certain way and this idea was echoed by another student, Abhishek Singh in this vox.

There simply isn't one way to do anything or there shouldn't be.

Lara Cwass, a senior at WJPS said, “Although the 21st century has an extreme focus on technology, I think that the most essential part of one’s education doesn’t always involve a special background technology directly. An educated person in this century should surround him/herself with cultures that are not limited to his/her own, should have “strong logic” (apply this skill in whatever form is relevant to his/her own life), and should attempt to achieve a “balance” throughout his/her own life and be as well rounded in the number of areas that he/she chooses. An educated person should have strong conversational skills, learn how to be approachable, have a basic understanding of math, science and language, know how to care for others and care for his/her environment, have a well rounded understanding of the arts, and know how to be thankful for whatever he/she has. Although technology shouldn’t be the central focus because it can hinder the most important qualities of an education, it should and inevitably will be used as a tool for learning in many, if not all of these parts of life.”

Kay Kim , a junior at WJPS suggests, “Being educated can be defined in several different ways. The first definition of being educated is to be enlightened. However, being educated under the NYC DOE may mean adjusting to changes to the learning curriculums and adapting to what is seen as the more “college-ready preparation”. Being educated may also be very facile. Teachers in school can only teach so much. I am not criticizing them in any way. I am saying that students need to fulfill their duties as students by going further than what is taught in the classroom. They need to try to apply those learning in everyday life. As students accomplish their roles, they then can become “Renaissance people”, as it is encouraged in today’s society.”

Many of my PLN have defined what it means to be educated when I put out the call on Twitter and here are some of their thoughts:

@ Aricfoster2 :" Proficient in ways to make sense of new experiences: literate, numerate, problem solving, seeing patterns, support a claim, etc.”

@ JennBinis: “ The issue of being “educated” related to “classic” course of study” - In terms of a pod-cast from her Ed History 101

‏ @ pambradley “ Knowing what questions to ask and how to find the answers.”

‏ @ misswerner " being a righteous digital citizen and being a productive agent of change.”

‏ @ amyriley418 “educated” in the 21st century means being a thinker&problem solver, as well as digital&literal learner.”

‏ @ ScienceNerdNiki “You’re an independent, critical thinker who can solve problems & collaborate to create w/ innovative media.”

Perhaps more important that what it means to be educated is the conversation about how we educate , the control we have to change the way learning happens and the ever-evolving spaces that we live in and what it takes to be “successful” in them. (Of course, “success” is another loaded word like “educated” but that’s for another time.”

As many reforms move through and the 21st century matures, more technology and information become readily available and our need to command varying skill-sets shift. Educational systems must be aware of the world they turn graduated students into and must adjust accordingly. We must consider changing the way the school day looks to better suit the needs of our learners instead of forcing all of our learners to fit into the landscape that was created over 100 years ago.

Perhaps a few things to consider are:

• the structure of the school day
• the way we group students inside of classes
• the amount of time we require students to be in school
• the course requirements for graduation
• the way we record learning and communicate it
• the content taught in each class
• the manner in which we deliver information
• the technology we use or don’t use
• the use of social media and other online curation tools
• how involved students are in making all of these decisions

How can we start to change systemic elements of education to better provide opportunities for deeper appropriate learning in our current landscape? Please share

The opinions expressed in Work in Progress are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what does it mean to be educated essay.

Hey guys, I'm working on this essay for my English class about 'What does it mean to be educated?' and I want to relate it to the college admissions process. Do you have any insights or examples from your own experiences that might illustrate the essence of being truly educated?

In the context of the college admissions process, being truly educated goes beyond just having high grades or a strong course load. It's about developing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills, strong communication, and a well-rounded foundation of knowledge, which are traits that can be demonstrated in ways that go beyond the walls of a classroom.

When writing your essay, consider how various aspects of the college admissions process align with the idea of being truly educated. For example, an applicant's extracurricular activities might showcase their involvement in diverse fields, like the arts or animal rights, and a genuine passion for practical learning. This demonstrates that being educated is not just about academic achievements, but also about seeking opportunities to grow and explore different interests in all areas of your life.

You could also touch on the significance of community engagement and its relationship to being educated. Many applicants have experiences volunteering or working on community projects, which fosters a sense of compassion, understanding of social issues, and global perspective - all important facets of being truly educated.

Another element of your essay could be highlighting the importance of strong written and oral communication skills. In the admissions process, applicants are required to write essays and potentially participate in interviews. Being able to articulate one's thoughts and ideas effectively shows that you are truly thoughtful and have real insight to offer, rather than just being able to memorize facts.

As you discuss these aspects of the college admissions process, it's essential to incorporate personal anecdotes or experiences to make your piece engaging and relatable. Even though you haven't gone through the college admissions process yourself yet, you could talk about a passion project you pursued outside of school, and how it helped you refine your thinking about what your goals are for college, and what you plan to do in your application to demonstrate the importance of this experience to your overall education.

Finally, Georgetown University actually had a supplemental essay prompt in the past on exactly this topic. You can read an effective response to this prompt, which was written by a real student who was ultimately accepted, on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/georgetown-essay-examples. This example may help inspire you further.

Remember, being educated isn't just about absorbing information, but engaging with that knowledge and applying it to real-life situations, growing as an individual, and contributing positively to society. By tying these themes to the college admissions process, your essay will bring a unique perspective to the concepts of education and personal growth. Happy writing!

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What does it mean to be educated.

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Obviously there are whole libraries devoted to answering this question. Until recently, no one imagined that it had anything to do with an uncanny knack to give the expected answer on standardized tests.

In recent posts, I have been suggesting that being educated includes (to give a short answer): a demonstrated ability to listen carefully, to think critically, to evaluate facts rigorously, to reason analytically, to imagine creatively, to articulate interesting questions, to explore alternative viewpoints, to maintain intellectual curiosity and to speak and write persuasively. If we add to that a reasonable familiarity with the treasures of history, literature, theater, music, dance and art that previous civilizations have delivered, we are getting to close to the meaning of educated.

If we were to adopt this definition of “educated”, many of the combatants in the ongoing battle in Congress about the debt ceiling would not qualify.

Then I got to wondering about other definitions of “educated”.

What other definitions exist?

If you Google the question, one of the first responses that comes up is an interesting one from Alfie Kohn :

“No one should offer pronouncements about what it means to be well-educated without meeting my wife. … Today she is a practicing physician -- and an excellent one at that, judging by feedback from her patients and colleagues. She will, however, freeze up if you ask her what 8 times 7 is, because she never learned the multiplication table. And forget about grammar (“Me and him went over her house today” is fairly typical) or literature (“Who’s Faulkner?”). After a dozen years, I continue to be impressed on a regular basis by the agility of her mind as well as by how much she doesn’t know.”

Well, I haven't met Mrs. Kohn, but clearly with her lapses in grammar, despite 29 years of schooling, she would not pass Professor X’s courses on English and Literature that he describes so amusingly in his book, In the Basement of the Ivory Tower (Viking, 2011)

Nor would Professor X see any need for her to do so. She is a perfectly successful member of society without an ability to manipulate the English language or carry out even simple arithmetic.

Alfie Kohn continues:

Rather than attempting to define what it means to be well-educated, should we instead be asking about the purposes of education ?

Other definitions of being educated

While dismissing several obvious non-starters like “coming from a good school,” or “having good test scores”, or “memorizing a bunch o’ facts”, or “seat time in class,” Kohn suggests several possible definitions:

• To develop the intellect, presumably including linguistic, mathematical and analytic capabilities.
• To produce competent, caring, loving, and lovable people.
• To create and sustain a democratic society
• To invest in producing future workers for the workforce and, ultimately, corporate profits.

On this basis, Mrs. Kohn might fail on criterion #1, but perhaps get by on all of the other three.

My own quick definition is oriented to #1, i.e. the intellectual aspects, and gives less weight to the “caring, loving and lovable” traits of #2. That is an oversight. I agree that it would be reasonable to add “demonstrate empathy” to my definition.

Producing the future workforce

I am disinclined to add #4 “producing future workers for the workforce”, because we don’t really know what the workforce will need. A large proportion of the jobs of today didn't exist 15 years ago and we can assume that the pace of obsolescence will only increase.

What is also becoming apparent is that producing an army of left-brained compliant, obedient analysts might have worked well enough in the 20 th Century. It is less and less adapted to the needs of successful 21 st Century organizations, which need workers with imagination and creativity and innovativeness as well as analytic capability . Being willing to do what one is told is becoming less relevant than an ability to think for oneself. It's clear that Google [GOOG], Apple [AAPL] or Amazon [AMZN] didn't get where they are just by using obedient, compliant analysts.

One is tempted to predict that future employers will need genuinely educated people, not obedient automatons. If so, it will be good news indeed; there will be strong demand from the marketplace for good education.

Creating a democratic society

I am also disinclined to add #3 (the political dimension: create and sustain a democratic society) not because it isn’t worthwhile, but rather because it risks burdening the education system with a goal that it cannot reasonably perform. If the system sets out to achieve that, it may fail to achieve even the basics of intellectual education. As in other areas, an oblique approach is likely to work better: a democratic society will be the result of having educated people but it should not be the goal .

Disposition as well as ability

But I am taken with Sasha Galbraith’s insightful article, What If Women Were In Charge of the Debt Talks . She argues persuasively that we might do better if there was less testosterone in Congress. “The posturing, strutting and ‘acting out’ being done by the men in Congress,” she says, “is a direct result of testosterone gone wild under stress. You see this most often on Wall Street where stress and big-money decisions are the order of the day. Michael Lewis called those guys 'Big Swinging Dicks' and Tom Wolfe anointed them 'Masters of the Universe.' If you need academic proof, take a look at John Coates’ research on men and testosterone on the trading floor.”

Alfie Kohn concludes in a similar vein:

It’s not only the ability to raise and answer those questions that matters, though, but also the disposition to do so. For that matter, any set of intellectual objectives, any description of what it means to think deeply and critically, should be accompanied by a reference to one’s interest or intrinsic motivation to do such thinking. Dewey reminded us that the goal of education is more education. To be well-educated, then, is to have the desire as well as the means to make sure that learning never ends.

: a desire as well as the means to make sure that learning never ends.

What’s your definition of being educated?

________________

Steve Denning’s most recent book is: The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management: Reinventing the Workplace For the 21st Century (Jossey-Bass, 2010).

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Join the Zurich Gathering For C-Suite Leaders with Steve Denning Zurich Sep 12, 2011

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Essay on the value of education

This essay guide will help you write an essay on the meaning of education.

Define what an education means first

An education by definition is "the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life." This essay will impart upon my readers my opinion of what education means to me. I will extend the value of an education not only within that gained by a "formal education" but also the value of an "informal education" and explain how life in itself if a vehicle for education.

Offer your personal insights - what education means to you

How do you research for an education? Well this depends on the type of education you are perusing. For many formal education or educations obtained by a formal institution such as secondary school or university, you compare schools. Generally you determine what you primary topic of study would be and compare schools based on topics that are important to you. In my own life and my focus on Information Systems and computers when I was comparing universities, I compared programs, and knowing my own skills and my own areas of deficiency I took that into account when preparing for university. My education given to me by secondary school was one which provided me with ample skill in technical areas however I lacked in Mathematics. Since grade school, math was something was a topic which was difficult for me to grasp, however I excelled in technical areas. Knowing my own areas of interest and weakness I selected the university that was most to my liking and offered me one of the best chances at finding a job after graduation.

Education is a life-long learning

Life itself offers an education. This one in my opinion I think is more important than a formal education. Many times I've heard "it's not what you know, but who you know." That statement referencing its not your own knowledge that is important, but also the network of individuals you surround yourself with and the opportunities they could potentially afford to you. The trials and tribulations you go through in life provide you with a great education, from the elementary things such as don't touch fire because it burns, or ice is cold. The education provided by life is one which involves educations on socialization, interaction, and survival. The informal education of life is the one that teaches you trust, love, compassion and understanding. Many of the things in life you will not learn in a school but through your own experiences as an individual.

So to conclude, education to me is a way to allow me to better enjoy life. Through my informal and formal educations I've not only advanced my own knowledge but I've learned to be a better son, coworker, lover and person. Through my formal educations I've learned many things and advanced my skill to very technical and am now able to work in highly paid technical areas of expertise. My informal social skills have allowed me to come in contacts with individuals who can aid in me achieving such a technical job. Through my trials and tribulations in life I've learned to be a more understanding person, a more patient individual and a better friend and family member for those I surround myself with. I've learned that my education and my life are far from over, but that life and education are a journey. Education is a journey we all endure. You cannot go through life and learn nothing, for to even make the realization that you know nothing, you've also realized that there is so much else in life.

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What Does It Mean to Be an Educated Person?

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Naomi Hodgson, What Does It Mean to Be an Educated Person?, Journal of Philosophy of Education , Volume 44, Issue 1, February 2010, Pages 109–123, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9752.2010.00744.x

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Winner of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain Student Essay Competition 2009 1

The competition question ‘What Does It Mean To Be An Educated Person?’ is associated with a powerful and influential line of thought in the philosophy of R. S. Peters. It is a question that needs always to be asked again. I respond by asking what it means, now, to be an educated person—that is, how the value of being an educated person is currently understood, and, further, how it might be understood differently. The starting point of this paper then is not exactly the question of how we should best conceive of education, or of the educated person, in terms, for example, of initiation or of moral development. Instead I am concerned with who the supposedly educated person is today, according to the particular discourses and practices to which we are subject. I begin, then, by outlining the notion of the entrepreneurial self from the perspective of governmentality, with particular reference to questions of economy and the way in which the economic imperative is present in current policy. I then reconsider the idea of the educated person with reference to notions of economy and visibility as these relate to ideas of education and the self in Plato’s The Republic. Discussion of readings of The Republic and of other texts of Plato by Stanley Cavell and Michel Foucault indicates how prevailing constructions of knowledge, practice, and subjectivity might be resisted. The question of what it means to be an educated person is thereby released from a particular mode of accounting for the self.

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What Does It Mean To Be Educated Essay

What Does it Mean to Be Educated?

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UCL School of Management

University college london, grace gaywood | 24 january 2021, what does education mean to you.

Since it was founded in 1826, UCL has been disrupting the status quo and providing quality education and producing leading research. UCL was the first English university to admit students regardless of race, class or religion, and the first to admit women students on equal terms with men. 

At UCL School of Management, our focus is on creating disruptive research and preparing the next generation of creative managers and influential leaders who are able to apply the latest technological developments as a strategic asset for businesses in the complex, interconnected world of the future. 

What does education mean to you?

On International Day of Education, we asked UCL School of Management staff, students and alumni what ‘education’ means to them and why they believe it is so important. 

“Education is the only defense we have against demagogues, fake news, and echo-chambers gradually pushing us into a dystopian reality” Davide Ravasi, Director of the PhD Programme

“Education, while being enjoyable, helps us broaden our horizons by equipping us with the knowledge necessary to better understand our surroundings as well as succeed in today’s world.” Nada Abi, 3rd Year BSc Management Science student 

“Education plays a critical role in modern times. At the micro level, some scholars believe that the education of an individual, different from schooling, is the understanding, appreciation and fulfilment of his or her own pursuit, which is of intrinsic value to the individual. At the macro level, education takes an essential part in the formation of community, culture, country, and country unions. One question that has arisen from the pandemic, is how to include each voice during the process of social development. Perhaps as educators, we must first listen to students’ voices. Then teachers can progressively reduce their role with the increase of students’ ability for independent research, curriculum development and learning and lastly yet most importantly, to believe in students and in ourselves.” Xinlu (Luna) Zheng Administrative Receptionist

“Education is a crucial stepping stone in life, allowing motivated students to explore an area of interest to help better guide them in the right direction in the world of work. It equips them not only with knowledge of a subject, but also with a variety of communication and professional skills that they can carry with themselves throughout the rest of their lives.” Patryk Sobczak Final Year BSc Infromation Management for Business student

“Education is a window of opportunity for a more fulling life.” Magda David Hercheui Programme Director for MSc Management

“A big part of education is about expanding the human mind - both thinking more creatively and being open to the ideas of others. The concept of ‘no-platforming’ speakers with views that challenge our own worries me greatly. It is alien to the very heart of both education and democracy. The day we stop thinking differently is the day we stop evolving.” Simon Hulme Director of MSc Entrepreneurship

“Education is life - you begin at birth and it never actually stops until you die. And it is how you use everything that you learn that shapes you and your pathways and determines whatever you want from life along the way.” Richard Pettinger Professor of Operations and Technology

Education is the only investment with guaranteed results. Without any risks involved, it’s buying your entrance ticket to the future. Mario Vanhoucke Visiting Senior Teaching Fellow and Honorary Senior Research Associate

Grace Gaywood

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Why Isn’t My Personal Opinion Good Enough? How to Establish an Educated Opinion in Academic Writing

by Purdue Global Academic Success Center and Writing Center · Published August 6, 2014 · Updated August 5, 2014

Terresa Fontana

Kaplan University Faculty, Department of Educational Studies

I’ve served as a professor in the online college environment, teacher in the high school English and literature classroom, and student through various degree programs. In most academic arenas, what you “feel” might be limited to personal narratives, essays, or discussions within the physical classroom, depending on the course content and the individual professor. But, one thing I’ve learned in all my time in the classroom is that professors do, indeed, want to know what you think.  T hey just want your thoughts to become more focused on what you’ve learned – your education – rather than on your own personal feelings or beliefs.

©2014clipart.com

According to Dictionary.com, a personal opinion is: “a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty” (Dictionary.com, 2014). The key words in this definition are insufficient grounds . One of the goals of higher education is that you begin to establish your understanding of the world (or at least the concepts within each course) based on information that has been researched by experts in the field – information that will support your newly formed and developing opinions on the subject under discussion. An educated opinion , then, might be described as “a belief or judgment that rests on grounds  sufficient enough  to produce  some degree of  certainty” on a particular topic. These “sufficient grounds” would be the research you’ve conducted or the learning you’ve experienced during your studies.

Within each course of study at the college level, you’ll be required to do some sort of research of your own – reading the course textbook or other required materials, doing research in the library or online, or even conducting experiments or doing activities that conclude with some sort of measurable results. Whatever the process may be, the product is that you become more familiar with the topics and concepts that you study and research – that you develop a more educated opinion that either expands, supports, or even changes your own personal opinion on those concepts.

So how do you establish your personal opinion versus an educated opinion in an academic paper written to meet course or school requirements? The most straightforward way of doing so is to simply cite the research that exists to support your statements.

As you do your readings, research, or experiments, keep notes of specific statements or results that stick out to you, those that challenge your thinking or make you say, “Hmmm.” Whenever you have one of these “a-ha” moments, make note of what ignited the spark inside your mind.

Then, when you write your paper(s), go back to those notes and remind yourself what triggered such a personal reaction – simply cite the source of that spark within the text of your paper. Whenever possible, include a summary of the information in your own words or, if necessary, quote the information directly from the author of the source of your inspiration. And always remember – whether you paraphrase using your own words or quote the words of another – cite your sources.

In just a few short steps, you’ve gone from relating your personal opinion to establishing and reporting an educated opinion “that rests on grounds sufficient enough  to produce  some degree of  certainty,” a skill that will serve you well in all your academic pursuits.

For more information on personal writing in the online classroom and writing at the college level, check out these other KUWC Blog posts:

Personal Writing in the Classroom

Learning to Write at the College Level

Dictionary.com. (2014). Define Opinion . Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/opinion

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3 Responses

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This was very informative. When I’m conversating, debating, or writing about a topic I will now “cite the source that sparks the text” as mentioned in the article by Teressa Fontana to provide an educated opinion backed with facts rather than giving a personal input that doesn’t really send much certainty to the opposition.

Quite frankly… this is an awesome blog post and should be inserted into every course room announcement area! My opinion 🙂

On Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 3:57 AM, Kaplan University Writing Center Faculty

Thank you! And I completely agree, Dr. Doyle. 😉

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Defining the Educated Person

• Posted April 26, 2012
• By Jill Anderson

The question of what defines an educated person is not necessarily easy to answer, but it's important to try. However, the panelists at an Askwith Forum last week agreed that educators often don't consider that question and, when they do, the answers aren't what one might expect.

"I find the question to be simultaneously heartening and disheartening," said Deborah Delisle, nominee for assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, U.S. Department of Education and former Ohio State Superintendent. "Disheartening in that it is a rare conversation at the local, state, or federal level. We don't craft our schools around [that question]."

Delisle was one of five panelists — also including Tufts University President-Emeritus and HGSE President in Residence Lawrence S. Bacow, Harvard Kennedy School Professor and Director of the Center for Public Leadership David Gergen, Harvard University Professor Emeritus Henry Rosovsky, and Vermont Department of Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca— who discussed the goals and means to educating students in our times at the forum, "Defining the Educated Person." The forum was cosponsored by the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard (ALI), which is designed to enhance and leverage the skills of highly accomplished, experienced leaders dedicated to solving significant social problems.

To be considered educated, said the panelists, students should leave school with a deep understanding of themselves and how they fit into the world, and have learned what some call "soft skills" — complex problem-solving, creativity, entrepreneurship, the ability to manage themselves, and the ability to be lifelong learners. As Professor Fernando Reimers, who moderated the panel, summarized, there is a disconnect between how education gets delivered in the classroom and the common desire for students to become good, well-rounded people.

Delisle pointed out that educators often lose sight of creating well-rounded students because they are busy fighting over accountability and who is at fault in the classroom. Then, educators tend to focus more on "silver bullets" and "best practices" as a means to solving educations problems, she said.

Over the years, Bacow noted that part of the problem could be how education's goal had somehow become more instrumental. Gone are the days where going to college was more about expanding your mind versus landing you a job.

While there are many things in education that could be changed, Rosovsky said he likes to ask people what doesn't need to change. While Rosovsky said many people cannot answer that question, he once received a memorable response: meaningful human contact.

Rosovsky also wondered whether the creation of technology added to the disconnect between what makes an educated person and how that education is being delivered. Panelists had mixed views on this. Vilaseca, for one, views technology as a tool that won't replace people. "I dont 'think relationships are going away relationships are the most important thing," he said.

However, some argued that technology hinders our contemplative nature. According to Bacow, technology has significantly decreased the amount of time people actually think about things. "We need to find more time for reflection and contemplation," he said.

Despite the immediate gratification of technology, Gergen added that students really do understand the need for solitude and reflection.

"What do we want an educated person to be?" Bacow said. "We want them to be wise, creative, empathetic, engaged. There are many processes by which we can to bring students to that state of being and there is a role for family, a role for teachers, and a role for contemplation and reflection to get there."

The latest research, perspectives, and highlights from the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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An afternoon with u.s. senator elizabeth warren, elizabeth warren visits the askwith forum.

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Regions & Countries

What public k-12 teachers want americans to know about teaching.

Illustrations by Hokyoung Kim

At a time when most teachers are feeling stressed and overwhelmed in their jobs, we asked 2,531 public K-12 teachers this open-ended question:

If there’s one thing you’d want the public to know about teachers, what would it be?

We also asked Americans what they think about teachers to compare with teachers’ perceptions of how the public views them.

Related: What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today?

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand what public K-12 teachers would like Americans to know about their profession. We also wanted to learn how the public thinks about teachers.

For the open-end question, we surveyed 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14, 2023. The teachers surveyed are members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative panel of public K-12 school teachers recruited through MDR Education. Survey data is weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response to ensure they are representative of the target population.

Overall, 96% of surveyed teachers provided an answer to the open-ended question. Center researchers developed a coding scheme categorizing the responses, coded all responses, and then grouped them into the six themes explored in the data essay.

For the questions for the general public, we surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023. The adults surveyed are members of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a nationally representative online survey panel. Panel members are randomly recruited through probability-based sampling, and households are provided with access to the Internet and hardware if needed. To ensure that the results of this survey reflect a balanced cross section of the nation, the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender, age, education, race and ethnicity and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, the teacher survey methodology and the general public survey methodology .

Most of the responses to the open-ended question fell into one of these six themes:

Teaching is a hard job

About half of teachers (51%) said they want the public to know that teaching is a difficult job and that teachers are hardworking. Within this share, many mentioned that they have roles and responsibilities in the classroom besides teaching, which makes the job stressful. Many also talked about working long hours, beyond those they’re contracted for.

“Teachers serve multiple roles other than being responsible for teaching curriculum. We are counselors, behavioral specialists and parents for students who need us to fill those roles. We sacrifice a lot to give all of ourselves to the role as teacher.”

– Elementary school teacher

“The amount of extra hours that teachers have to put in beyond the contractual time is ridiculous. Arriving 30 minutes before and leaving an hour after is just the tip of the iceberg. … And as far as ‘having summers off,’ most of August is taken up with preparing materials for the upcoming school year or attending three, four, seven days’ worth of unpaid development training.”

– High school teacher

Teachers care about their students

The next most common theme: 22% of teachers brought up how fulfilling teaching is and how much teachers care about their students. Many gave examples of the hardships of teaching but reaffirmed that they do their job because they love the kids and helping them succeed. 

“We are passionate about what we do. Every child we teach is important to us and we look out for them like they are our own.”

– Middle school teacher

“We are in it for the kids, and the most incredible moments are when children make connections with learning.”

Teachers are undervalued and disrespected

Some 17% of teachers want the public to know that they feel undervalued and disrespected, and that they need more public support. Some mentioned that they are well-educated professionals but are not treated as such. And many teachers in this category responded with a general plea for support from the public, which they don’t feel they’re getting now.

“We feel undervalued. The public and many parents of my students treat me and my peers as if we do not know as much as they do, as if we are uneducated.”

“The public attitudes toward teachers have been degrading, and it is making it impossible for well-qualified teachers to be found. People are simply not wanting to go into the profession because of public sentiments.”

Teachers are underpaid

A similar share of teachers (15%) want the public to know that teachers are underpaid. Many teachers said their salary doesn’t account for the effort and care they put into their students’ education and believe that their pay should reflect this.

“We are sorely underpaid for the amount of hours we work and the education level we have attained.”

Teachers need support and resources from government and administrators

About one-in-ten teachers (9%) said they need more support from the government, their administrators and other key stakeholders. Many mentioned working in understaffed schools, not having enough funding and paying for supplies out of pocket. Some teachers also expressed that they have little control over the curriculum that they teach.

“The world-class education we used to be proud of does not exist because of all the red tape we are constantly navigating. If you want to see real change in the classroom, advocate for smaller class sizes for your child, push your district to cap class sizes at a reasonable level and have real, authentic conversations with your child’s teacher about what is going on in the classroom if you’re curious.”

Teachers need more support from parents

Roughly the same share of teachers (8%) want the public to know that teachers need more support from parents, emphasizing that the parent-teacher relationship is strained. Many view parents as partners in their child’s education and believe that a strong relationship improves kids’ overall social and emotional development.

“Teachers help students to reach their potential. However, that job is near impossible if parents/guardians do not take an active part in their student’s education.”

How the U.S. public views teachers

While the top response from teachers in the open-ended question is that they want the public to know that teaching is a hard job, most Americans already see it that way. Two-thirds of U.S. adults say being a public K-12 teacher is harder than most other jobs, with 33% saying it’s a lot harder.

And about three-quarters of Americans (74%) say teachers should be paid more than they are now, including 39% who say teachers should be paid a lot more.

Americans are about evenly divided on whether the public generally looks up to (32%) or down on (30%) public K-12 teachers. Some 37% say Americans neither look up to or down on public K-12 teachers.

In addition to the open-ended question about what they want the public to know about them, we asked teachers how much they think most Americans trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well. We also asked the public how much they trust teachers. Answers differ considerably.

Nearly half of public K-12 teachers (47%) say most Americans don’t trust teachers much or at all. A third say most Americans trust teachers some, and 18% say the public trusts teachers a great deal or a fair amount.

In contrast, a majority of Americans (57%) say they do trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount. About a quarter (26%) say they trust teachers some, and 17% say they don’t trust teachers much or at all.

Related: About half of Americans say public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction

How the public’s views differ by party

There are sizable party differences in Americans’ views of teachers. In particular, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say:

• They trust teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount (70% vs. 44%)
• Teaching is a lot or somewhat harder when compared with most other jobs (77% vs. 59%)
• Teachers should be paid a lot or somewhat more than they are now (86% vs. 63%)

In their own words

Below, we have a selection of quotes that describe what teachers want the public to know about them and their profession.

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .