Categories of Continuing Education
Continuing education can be broken down into three categories:
Formal education
- Structured and organized education, training or professional development that takes place in a school, in the workplace or through a professional credit-granting organization.
- Learning takes place under the set rules of the school and the education must be completed within specific time lines.
- Results in a formal certification.
Non-formal education
- Education, training or professional development activities that are provided by by education institutions, community organizations and training agencies.
- More flexible about meeting the student's needs.
- Depending on the program, this kind of education does not always result in a formal certification.
Informal education
- The process of gaining knowledge, skills and values from daily experiences at home, in the community or at work.
- Individuals learn in order to enrich themselves.
- May result in a certification, but not always.
To learn out more about continuing education policy, explore these reports and papers:
- Harnessing the power and potential of adult learning and education for a viable future - Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI), UNESCO, December 2009.
- Qualifications Systems: Bridges to Lifelong Learning - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, April 2007.
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