Some people take a stance that the ultimate function of education is to create socially responsible humans. These people want education to function as socially useful, and work to promote techniques and knowledge for purpose of addressing some type of societal need. For example, if the purpose of education is to provide competent workers, voters, or innovations in marketplaces and policies that create some well-being to the human condition, then working together, these individuals need the practical abilities to create some social good – they are working as a group or team.
Some people take a stance that the ultimate purpose of or function of education should be to allow people to accomplish their own goals and ambitions. This theory of education suggests that education is about self-fulfillment and providing time to find oneself, through exploration of interests, skills, and passions. Supporters of education for self advancement focus on developing creativity, their critical thinking, or self ambition – not really a social function to education.
I accept education should support one’s own self, but I think education has to accomplish one function, has to do both functions. Education is useful to give someone knowledge and skills to carry out a function and assist one’s society and well-being, but also equally, it should talk to the social professional development of the individuals peer group and create the space and opportunities for people to create and follow their own goal ambitions. When universities create processes that value obvious collective responsibility and the individual ambitions of persons, students are then able to emerge as persons that have an an obligation to society and find meaning in their lives.