Tuition-based learning

Tuition is the most common type of formal education. It is synonymous with primary, secondary and tertiary education. This form of education is essential in the initial stages of a person's education. It is based on a direct relationship between the instructor and student.

Throughout the first stages of education, the learning process concerns the modelling of a child's behaviour. At this stage, subjects such as Mathematics, English, Maltese and Science are essential. However, it is also crucial to encourage discipline, basic constructs, socialisation, how to study and other aspects which form an essential part of education. Education at this level is not solely knowledge-based but also life-based where the experiences learnt are crucial.

After the age of ten, the focus becomes more knowledge-based, though other life skills are important and essential and children continue to develop those basic life skills that were learnt earlier on. If a child learnt self-discipline at a younger age, this continues to develop while knowledge becomes the focus of education.

At a tertiary level, the focus becomes much more knowledge-based and education becomes more academic. Work experience can enhance the life skills and knowledge learnt earlier on, but knowledge is essential to understand the world around us.

It seems that some form of tuition-based learning is essential. At primary and secondary level it is indispensable. Instructions are needed, as are the skills of learning how to study and carry out research, which are essential abilities to start studying on one's own. In fact, children at primary level need to be attended to and taught how to discipline themselves. Research has also shown that the attention span grows as one gets older, and the ability to complete a task which is considered boring comes along with maturity.

Therefore while tuition-based learning may primarily be for children at primary and secondary levels, tuition is less important at a tertiary level. However, experiences during childhood may vary resulting in different educational developments.

In contrast to distance learning, tuition-based learning is based on practical guidance at all levels. On the other hand, distance learning requires the individual to be able to assimilate concepts on his/her own, be self-disciplined and associate theoretical knowledge to work experience.

While from a knowledge perspective tuition-based learning may not differ from distance learning, it does have its advantages and limitations. Tuition-based courses are bound by time and the student has to attend lectures - this helps the student to be self-disciplined because of the requirement to complete tasks in a definite time. Missing lectures would mean losing on important information which is only recuperated through research. Tuition-based courses give time for socialisation and sharing of knowledge among students, which is an enriching aspect of education. Furthermore they are often case-based courses or else require practice in certain fields such as courses in psychology, medicine which distance-learning cannot offer.

Finally, tuition-based courses offer a direct experience with the tutors who are usually experienced and involved in ongoing research. Tuition-based learning is an essential tool for our basic education. In most cases this can be balanced by other forms of education, including distance learning, book learning and online learning. Tuition keeps the dialectic tradition alive whereby dialogue learning automatically occurs and proliferates among the audience through question and answer and different arguments. Such interplay of ideas and opinions cannot be imitated through technology and the message is not only transmitted by the "word" but also in full by body language.

Mr Cappitta, MBA, MIA, CPA, is managing director, European Institute of Education (EIE), a higher and tertiary education institute licensed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment. info@eieonline.com - www.eieonline.com