Encyclopedia

A discussion of word histories and origins.
portokalos
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Encyclopedia

Postby portokalos » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:25 am

Is education a circle?
"What is hell?" I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love.
Fyodor Dostoevsky-The Brothers Karamazov

skinem
Grand Panjandrum
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Location: Middle Tennessee

Postby skinem » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:55 am

Ah, Portokalos, I didn't know you were a philosopher!

Many would argue that it is, in the sense that for education to take place an individual must be looking for it, or at least, receptive. (After all, much of life's educational lessons are involuntary!)
If that is the case, education starts with the indivudual, there is a source that imparts some sort of lesson, and it returns to the individual, who, then in turn, can impart lessons to others.

Personally, I've viewed it more as a give and take, with much monitoring to ensure understanding...

I'll see if I can dig up some of my old foundations of ed texts--if that's the subject you were asking about!

Palewriter
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Re: Encyclopedia

Postby Palewriter » Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:22 pm

Is education a circle?
From the Online Etymology Dictionary:

Encyclopedia

1531, "course of construction," thought to be a false reading by L. authors of Gk. enkyklios paideia taken as "general education," but lit. "training in a circle," the essentials of a liberal education, from enkyklios "circular," also "general" (from en- "in" + kyklos "circle") + paideia "education, child-rearing," from pais (gen. paidos) "child." Modern sense of "reference work arranged alphabetically" is from 1644, often applied specifically to the Fr. "Encylopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des Sciences, des Artes, et des Métiers" (1751-65).


Seems logical, particularly as such reference works are so popular among folks who move in academic circles.

-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"

Perry
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Re: Encyclopedia

Postby Perry » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:48 pm

Is education a circle?
I often find myself circling back to refresh my memory of things already learned. But I also always seek new knowledge. Perhaps education is a spiral?
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous

Palewriter
Lexiterian
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Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2005 11:59 pm

Re: Encyclopedia

Postby Palewriter » Mon Jan 29, 2007 5:42 pm

Is education a circle?
Perhaps education is a spiral?
Or maybe a double helix. :-)

-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"

skinem
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Location: Middle Tennessee

Postby skinem » Mon Jan 29, 2007 6:52 pm

Or a Venn diagram...

(very popular in education...)

Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:14 am

For me it's a hairpin, I start out to do something and have to double right back to try to figure what it was I was doing or what I just learned. Sigh.

mark back-to-back-Senior-moments Bailey

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb









portokalos
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Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 6:13 am

Postby portokalos » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:53 am

"Ah, Portokalos, I didn't know you were a philosopher!"

Was I? I like that you said
"What is hell?" I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love.
Fyodor Dostoevsky-The Brothers Karamazov

Stargzer
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Location: Crownsville, MD

Postby Stargzer » Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:11 am

Ah, Portokalos, I didn't know you were a philosopher!
...
He should have said punster ... :D

Thanks for prodding PW into a little research. That is a nice pun!
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee


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