Learning and Co-Creativity
Non-formal education: Building knowledge, developing skills
The rapid development of technology and science in every aspect of life affects education. Need and goal of today’s world is the society of Knowledge. No doubt, knowledge is the power that defines the international, economic and social development. The interest on knowledge management is increasing. Education as a lifelong procedure, is the essential building block to the development of future human resource. Society’s needs impose that the education system educates responsible, democratic and thinking citizens, capture economic dynamism, response to the economic and social changes and make appropriate use of them, so that a healthy future for the young generation is guaranteed.
Referred to the education system, we mean the, the typical education all the programs and trainings of non-formal and informal education. Non-formal education, is not the opposite of formal education. Non-formal learning takes place outside formal learning environments but within organisational framework, it has specific trainees, specific goals and it is a part of lifelong learning. Informal education is every lifelong process of each person with whom he learns, acquires attitudes, values, skills and knowledge and comes from the daily experience, the influences he receives from the environment and the activities of everyday life. Informal learning does not lead to certification, while formal and non-formal learning is validated and certified.[1]
Education activities of formal and non-formal education include all the efforts of a government to educate citizens and can have a positive effect on people, especially young people. Young people who have formal and non-formal education develop their skills (communication, digital, linguistic, numeric skills), built knowledge and skills relevant to the active citizen, initiative, critical thinking, responsibility, empathy and creativity. Recognising the importance of the combination between formal and non-formal education, school education uses principles, methods of non-formal learning, for example cooperative learning, experimental learning, personal research and projects.
As children spend 85% of their active time outside of school, the impact of non-formal education on their development can be huge and affect children in various ways. Non-formal education activities can’t be specific, they differ from country to country. All the non-formal education programmes have in common that they cover many objects of knowledge and science, many skills, volunteer work, sports etc.
Education is in the center of every personal and social progress. Its’ mission is to activate and develop skills and talents so they saw able to think and choose responsibly and critically. Formal education can contribute to this but non-formal education can provide the possibilities to the trainees to be educated outside the pressure and the exam centered character of the traditional school.
Recognising today’s challenges the package B2ECloC aims at developing a «Learning and Co-Creativity Product Package» (L2CP), in order the personal and social skills of children should be better valued and developed, and the possibilities of using knowledge and innovation in everyday life as a citizen, a student and as a worker. The Learning and Co-Creativity Product Package» (L2CP) is made in the context of Non-formal Lifelong Learning. Based on creative and innovative methodology, L2CP aims at achieving: Learning to Create.
Marina Charitonos, Vasilis Drakonakis (FILOKALIA)
[1] [1] Tony Jeffs and Mark Smith (eds.) Using Informal Education, Buckingham: Open University Press.