Identification of the concept of non-formal education in the domestic and foreign scientific literature

Abstract

In the last decade, Russian and foreign science has increased attention to such types of education as non-formal and informal in the framework of the idea of lifelong learning. The article raises the problem of terminological ambiguity of the use of the concept of "non-formal education" in pedagogical research. The content analysis of a wide range of domestic scientific publications devoted to non-formal education was used as research methods, as well as a comparative analysis of the concept of "non-formal education" in domestic and foreign scientific works.

Based on the analysis, the key characteristics of non-formal education, such as: focus on specific needs of consumers, voluntariness, accessibility. Most domestic scientists characterize it as an organized and often systematic type of education. At the end of the article, based on the results of the study, the author's definition of "non-formal education" is given.