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Knowledge and skills are two distinct terms that are associated with learning. They are interconnected elements contributing to an individual’s performance and to society's performance.
Learning is an acquisition of information, knowledge and skills through study and experiences. In simple words, it means to retain the knowledge that we have gained. Learning and development are priorities.
In the words of Maya Watson, “Learning is a gift,” and all of us must cherish it.
Learning is an ongoing process, that continues throughout life and isn’t confined to a classroom.
“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere." - A Chinese proverb.
According to this proverb, learning is the only treasure that we have. If we have the yearning to learn new things, we will always succeed.
Maya Angelou, a renowned poet, says, “Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better.”
Therefore, we must be a student throughout life, for, the learning process never ends. Moreover, life is a dedicated teacher, it keeps teaching lessons, every single day. So, it counts.
“Knowing is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.”
- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
We must do things in order to achieve our goals. It’s a long-term goal when we move from knowledge to skills.
Let us move forward and take a grasp of knowledge and skills.
The Essence of Knowledge-Based Learning
Knowledge is the study of theories and facts. We can study the concepts and theories through different books and learn different approaches of the theories. We can either read, watch, or listen to gain knowledge.
“Knowledge is power." - Francis Becon
However, knowledge is not a power exactly. It’s a potential power and it becomes power only when it is organized into definite plans of actions and all of it are directed to a definite goal.
Knowledge relies on the tendency of the learner, that is, how effectively they absorb or learn the concepts taught to them. It is required to develop a deep understanding of the subjects to build a strong foundation for the future.
Knowledge empowers individuals so that they can understand the complexities of their field and they can stay ahead of the crowd. Improvising oneself can open doors to new opportunities. For example, if you’re perfect at sketching, learning the art of painting won’t harm. You might get a chance to train people in painting, or you might get newer opportunities on both the skills of sketching or painting.
When we have relevant knowledge, we can adapt to the changes easily and we can navigate through challenges effectively. Knowledge based learning encourages critical thinking and help developing analytical skills. Opportunity to apply the knowledge and hands-on activities blend perfectly with knowledge based learning.
When we talk about knowledge, there are two basic types of knowledge: General and Specialized knowledge.
General knowledge is anything that we read about. Until the knowledge is organized, and we have a plan to put it into use, we cannot make money.
Specialized knowledge is one of the most cheapest form of service. When we have a plan to use our knowledge into skills, when we know that where our needs will be fulfilled, that is specialized knowledge.
A person is called educated when they know how to use their knowledge in plans of actions and is able to make money.
It’s a strange fact that humans value only those things that have pace. For example, if knowledge is not doing any good for them, they will discard it, but that is not the case, really. We must know how to make money from the knowledge that we possess. That will transform money into a real power.
Everything that has benefits, has some drawbacks too. Knowledge based learning has the following drawbacks:
Memorising the theories or facts can be boring.
Knowledge-based learning might neglect the importance of practical application of the learnings.
Once knowledge becomes the superpower, we can monetize it by organizing it intelligently and direct it through practical plans of actions.
Elevate Your Expertise: Skill-Based Mastery
Skills are the abilities to apply the knowledge to real-world situations. We can develop skills with constant practice. Skill is the second name for practical knowledge.
As knowledge is all things factual, that we must know. We will need to apply our knowledge to attain perfection in the tasks that we perform.
Skills need to be updated with time. The people will need to update their skills so that, they can meet with the demands in the market. There are several options that they could opt for, like, online courses, workshops, bootcamps, and could refine their skills. These workshops are affordable and cost-effective and it can keep us one step ahead of time.
Skill-based learning is also known as competency-based learning. It is an approach that emphasizes the development of practical skills that can be immediately applied in a work setting.
Sometimes, the knowledge might not help us to secure our dream jobs, but skills can. When hiring is based on skills, it allows people to demonstrate their skills and capabilities to bag the job and grow in their chosen fields.
Sometimes, the passion clicks late, and in such conditions, developing skills are the final resort and can help a person get their dream job. However, we could study about the specific things later, but learning about how to do the skill is important. When people possess more than one skills, they become versatile and can work with the flow, putting hands on two things and getting work done.
Basically, there are two types of skills:
Hard skills: attained through learning and job experience.
Soft skills: they are the personal characteristics that inform about how the person works and how to interact with peers.
Skill-based learning provides the opportunity to practice their skills and strategies on real-world scenarios. It is measured by the ability to execute the knowledge effectively and efficiently.
Skills are cost-effective and one can enter the job market more efficiently, if they have the desired skills. As it has its beautiful benefits, skills have some drawbacks too:
Skills are a challenge if we don’t have proper knowledge.
Skills gaps are a big disadvantage, as the market demand keeps changing.
Knowledge can be neglected and it’s not good in the long run.
Knowledge Meets Skills: Achieving the Ideal Balance
To succeed in life, we need to process both knowledge and skills. In the professional world, we will be judged on the basis of the knowledge and skills that we possess. Moreover, we will also be judged on the basis of how well we carry both.
Knowledge is all about “knowing” while skills are all about “doing”. If we know a lot but can't use it, we're not really using our superpower of learning. Acquiring knowledge is important but refining the skills through practice is equally important. We can use online courses, workshops to advance our skills and make a place in the job market. Along with skills, technical knowledge is also important. When we have good technical skills, they can help us save time as we will be able to solve small issues by ourselves. Once we fit into the shell, we can use the knowledge and skills in sync and get work done.
We must also establish SMART goals. These are Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. When we put our goals through this SMART meter, we will understand the depth of our goals. Once our goals pass through the SMART meter, it can help us acquire new knowledge and skills within a specified time.
Final Reflections: The Value of Knowledge and Skills
In the current scenario, if we have knowledge but don’t have the required skills, we will be disqualified for the job. When we have both knowledge and skills, we can face any challenge that comes our way and we can easily apply the knowledge in practical scenarios. With both knowledge and skills, moving in sync, we will attain success in no time.
Knowledge serves as the theoretical foundation on which the skills are based. When we have ample knowledge about a specific topic, we can easily learn the skills to monetize our knowledge. We won’t be able to succeed if we give importance to any one of the two. Lack of knowledge won’t put our skills to good use, at the same time, we can’t attain success with just knowledge, we will need to have the skills to get the work done.
In general, we must keep learning and refining our skills.
However, I disagree with the given topic; I can’t chose any one from skills and knowledge, for, they both are important in current scenario. One can’t exist without the other. As they say, both knowledge and skills are complement to each other. Taking both dimensions into consideration, we will acquire some good experience that will help us grow in your life.
Both the concepts have their own importance and both the dimensions are important for the development of individuals and society. Therefore, we must keep skills and knowledge at hand, so that it paves a way for the bright future ahead.
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