UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Education
⋄
EDS3701 ASSIGNMENT 02
Education Studies — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: EDS3701
Module Name: Education Studies
Student Name: [Student Name]
Student Surname: [Student Surname]
Assignment No.: Assignment 02
Due Date: 08 May 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: 185541
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for EDS3701
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | EDS3701 Assignment 02 — Types of Learning
2.1 What is Learning?
Learning is one of the most fundamental processes in human development, yet arriving at a
single, universally agreed definition remains a challenge for education scholars. At its broad-
est, learning can be described as a relatively enduring change in behaviour, knowledge, atti-
tudes, or skills that results from experience or practice (Coombs, Prosser and Ahmed, 1973).
This understanding cuts across every formal and informal setting in which human beings
grow and develop, from the earliest years of childhood through to advanced adulthood.
The complexity of learning lies in the fact that it does not occur only in classrooms or lecture
halls. It takes place in families, workplaces, communities, and through everyday encoun-
ters. Johnson and Majewska (2023) argue that interest in distinguishing different modes of
learning gained momentum in the 1960s, when there was a growing realisation that formal
schooling alone could not meet the full range of human learning needs in rapidly changing
societies. This concern has only deepened in the decades since.
From a South African perspective, this broader understanding of learning carries particular
weight. South Africa’s diverse social contexts mean that millions of citizens acquire critical
knowledge and skills outside any formal institution. A learner navigating township life, com-
munity networks, or indigenous knowledge systems is engaged in genuine learning, even
when no certificate marks the outcome.
Key Distinction
Learning vs. Education: Learning is the internal process of acquiring knowledge, skills,
or values. Education is the broader social institution designed to facilitate that process.
All education involves learning, but learning extends far beyond education’s formal
structures (Coombs et al., 1973).
Page 1 of 14
, UNISA | EDS3701 Assignment 02 — Types of Learning
2.2 Five Types of Learning
The literature identifies several distinct types of learning, each shaped by different settings,
purposes, and degrees of structure. The seminal tripartite classification introduced by Coombs
and Ahmed (1974) distinguished formal, non-formal, and informal learning. To this, the field
has added two further categories that have gained prominence in contemporary education
discourse: self-directed learning and lifelong learning. Together, these five types offer a com-
prehensive picture of how human beings acquire knowledge throughout their lives (Johnson
and Majewska, 2023).
Formal
Learning
Non-formal Lifelong
Learning Learning
Five
Types of
Learning
Informal Self-directed
Learning Learning
Figure 1: The Five Types of Learning as discussed in this assignment.
Table 1: Comparative Overview of the Five Types of Learning
Type Setting Structure Outcome
Formal Schools, universities Highly structured, Recognised qualifica-
syllabus-driven tions
Non-formal Community groups, Organised but flexible Skills; rarely certified
NGOs
Informal Home, work, daily life Unstructured, inciden- Values, tacit knowl-
tal edge
Self-directed Any; learner-initiated Self-designed; variable Learner-defined goals
structure
Lifelong All settings across Spans all types of Ongoing personal
lifespan learning growth
Page 2 of 14
College of Education
⋄
EDS3701 ASSIGNMENT 02
Education Studies — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: EDS3701
Module Name: Education Studies
Student Name: [Student Name]
Student Surname: [Student Surname]
Assignment No.: Assignment 02
Due Date: 08 May 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: 185541
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for EDS3701
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | EDS3701 Assignment 02 — Types of Learning
2.1 What is Learning?
Learning is one of the most fundamental processes in human development, yet arriving at a
single, universally agreed definition remains a challenge for education scholars. At its broad-
est, learning can be described as a relatively enduring change in behaviour, knowledge, atti-
tudes, or skills that results from experience or practice (Coombs, Prosser and Ahmed, 1973).
This understanding cuts across every formal and informal setting in which human beings
grow and develop, from the earliest years of childhood through to advanced adulthood.
The complexity of learning lies in the fact that it does not occur only in classrooms or lecture
halls. It takes place in families, workplaces, communities, and through everyday encoun-
ters. Johnson and Majewska (2023) argue that interest in distinguishing different modes of
learning gained momentum in the 1960s, when there was a growing realisation that formal
schooling alone could not meet the full range of human learning needs in rapidly changing
societies. This concern has only deepened in the decades since.
From a South African perspective, this broader understanding of learning carries particular
weight. South Africa’s diverse social contexts mean that millions of citizens acquire critical
knowledge and skills outside any formal institution. A learner navigating township life, com-
munity networks, or indigenous knowledge systems is engaged in genuine learning, even
when no certificate marks the outcome.
Key Distinction
Learning vs. Education: Learning is the internal process of acquiring knowledge, skills,
or values. Education is the broader social institution designed to facilitate that process.
All education involves learning, but learning extends far beyond education’s formal
structures (Coombs et al., 1973).
Page 1 of 14
, UNISA | EDS3701 Assignment 02 — Types of Learning
2.2 Five Types of Learning
The literature identifies several distinct types of learning, each shaped by different settings,
purposes, and degrees of structure. The seminal tripartite classification introduced by Coombs
and Ahmed (1974) distinguished formal, non-formal, and informal learning. To this, the field
has added two further categories that have gained prominence in contemporary education
discourse: self-directed learning and lifelong learning. Together, these five types offer a com-
prehensive picture of how human beings acquire knowledge throughout their lives (Johnson
and Majewska, 2023).
Formal
Learning
Non-formal Lifelong
Learning Learning
Five
Types of
Learning
Informal Self-directed
Learning Learning
Figure 1: The Five Types of Learning as discussed in this assignment.
Table 1: Comparative Overview of the Five Types of Learning
Type Setting Structure Outcome
Formal Schools, universities Highly structured, Recognised qualifica-
syllabus-driven tions
Non-formal Community groups, Organised but flexible Skills; rarely certified
NGOs
Informal Home, work, daily life Unstructured, inciden- Values, tacit knowl-
tal edge
Self-directed Any; learner-initiated Self-designed; variable Learner-defined goals
structure
Lifelong All settings across Spans all types of Ongoing personal
lifespan learning growth
Page 2 of 14
