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EDUCATINONAL IDEAS

Contemporary Educational Ideas

Ousman X.A Ousman

Islamic University of Africa

This Paper was presented at an International Conference on Contemporary Education

held at Amoud University, Borama

12th -16th January 2022

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TABLE OF CONTENT
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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ABSTRACT
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CHAPTER ONE

DEFINING CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION

1.1 Contemporary Education-Conceptualization

The contemporary education mission is to transform education to empower students to

make meaningful decisions in their lives. Education will prepare individuals for successful living in

the future. According to Cheng (2011), the vision is to transform schools into centers of

meaningful reflection on how we respond to our human needs practically and theoretically, in the

pursuit of healthier lives. As Horell (2016) points out that Contemporary education is all about

connecting school learning to the lives we lead and changing how we do school consciously,

deliberatively and intentionally. Educational theory has been closely related to major movements in

the socio-economic, speculating about the nature of the advancing society will provide a basis for new

conceptualizations in education (Mercer, 2016).  Education will need to consider the concepts of

change, conscious in the context of a concern for the survival of mankind, by employing new basics

and new conceptualizations congruent with the changing nature of society.

1.2 Forms of Education

Education can mean different things to different people around the world. Some people

see the education system as a life-changing experience. As Grinenko (2005) argues, education

refers to the development of the learning and thinking process. According to Hong (2015),

education is the basic right of every individual all around the world because this is a trait that

encourages them to distinguish between right and wrong and helps them to achieve their goal.
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To facilitate the kind of cultural shift that it needed to move us towards a sustainable and

ecologically sound future that is underpinned by cooperation and equality, we need to

evaluate and re-learn different ways of how we work within the world and how we interact

and relate to it and each other (Ally, 2019). Education, in a very general sense can be

summed up at a basic as referring to an experience or act that has a formative effect on the

mind and mentality.

1.2.1 Formal Education

Formal education is defined as sequential progression of academic schooling in three

levels elementary, secondary and tertiary. As Boyung (2021) points out that it’s

the hierarchically structured, chronologically graded education system, running from primary

school through the university in addition to general academic studies. Making smart and

effective investments in people’s education is critical for developing the human capital that will

end extreme poverty this strategy is the need to tackle the learning crisis (Kaplick & Skinner,

2007). Countries and the international development community must invest better in education

systems and strengthen the link between learning and other human capital outcomes (uçan,

2020). Education originated as transmission of cultural heritage from one generation to the next.

Today, educational goals increasingly encompass new ideas such as the liberation of learners and

critical thinking. 1.2.2 Non-formal Education

Non-formal learning has experiential learning activities that foster the development of

skills and knowledge. As Mercer (2016) note, non-formal education is all organized education

activities that are outside the formally established system. According to Grinenko (2005), non-

formal learning has experiential learning activities that foster the development of skills and

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knowledge. Non-formal education does not merely fill a gap. It also enables countries to consider

their educational needs in a more holistic manner as they progress toward the goal of education

for all. Moreover, non-formal education is better placed to meet the needs of disadvantaged

groups and offers the advantage of being grounded in the workplace and the grassroots level. It

can thus help to revitalize education in Africa by forging closer links between education and the

realities of everyday life (uçan, 2020). Education will never be enjoyed by all without a wide

variety of non-formal or non-school forms of second chance schools for children having passed

the legal enrollment age community schools for in areas lacking formal provision and literacy

programs.

1.3 African Indigenous Education

Traditional African indigenous education was community oriented, geared to solving the

problems of the community. As Kaplick and Skinner (2007) note, African indigenous education

is community oriented, solving the problems of the community an instructional activities towards

the social life. Kaplick and Skinner (2007, p.36) highlighted that “African indigenous education

did no develop in a vacuum, it had its own philosophical bases on which it was built”. Lack of

skills from an inadequate education can lower the capacity of firms to transform knowledge into

innovation and of workers from informal to formal economy (Ally, 2019).Basically African

indigenous education managed to provide education to all members of the community, it

differed from tribe to tribe (Boyung,2021). Indigenous education was a lifelong process of

learning where by a person progressed through predetermined stages of life of graduation from

cradle to grave.
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CHAPTER TWO

EDUCATION SYSTEMS

2.1 Contemporary Education Methods

Contemporary learning environments inspire students to be leaders of their own learning

and there is no one single effective teaching method. According to Grinenko (2005), the student-

centered approach is a way of teaching which sees a teacher as a facilitator of the students

learning processes, whereas the teacher-centered approach is a way of teaching in which

students are more or less the passive recipients of the information. Furthermore Hong (2015),

note that Significant advances have been made in educational sciences and new approaches have

been developed which boost the productivity of education, enable students to learn better. The

Teaching and Learning International Survey shows that only around half of teachers adopt the

practices that involve student cognitive activation (Mercer, 2016).Regardless of the need for

changes in education, would enhance better learning, teachers adhere to traditional approaches to

teaching. 2.1.1 Open Method

Open education is a belief, an attitude, a practice, and a method of teaching that inspires

inquiry, and equal access to course materials. As Horell (2016) note, openness in education is an

idea that encompasses facets of the educational experience including admissions, access, and

practices. Open education values sharing lessons and materials with community under the belief

that education is strengthened when knowledge is shared openly (Noll, 2006). Proponents of
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open education believe everyone in the world should have access to high-quality educational

experiences and resources (Cheng, 2011). Openness also offers them the opportunity to

investigate with strategies in the manner they feel confident, and allows the possibility of greater

elaboration.

2.1.2 Academic Method

Rapid changes of modern world have caused the higher education system to face a great

variety of challenges. As Kaplick and Skinner (2007) note, a university is a place where new

ideas germinate; roots strike and grow tall and sturdy. According to Uçan (2020), established

notions of truth are challenged in the pursuit of knowledge and to be able to do all this, getting

help from experienced teachers can be very useful. Research and exploration are useful effective

teaching and learning methods are one of the most important necessities of educational systems

attention to higher education is considered as a major one (Boyung, 2021). Academic teaching

method entails,

Students often learn about what it means to be academic by looking at how their

supervisors, lecturers and tutors interact with the student group and other academics. A

key feature of being academic is taking a critical approach to engaging with knowledge

this disciplined rigorous thinking and questioning approach to research, problems, issues,

and ideas is the basis on which deep knowledge is gained and high achievement is

fostered. The academic approach to learning uses a range of higher thinking skills,

processes and habits of mind and shows persistence and rigout  and how you do this in

class significantly impacts on the students’ approach to and engagement with learning

(Boyung,2021.p.102).
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Make the academic approach to thinking, learning and knowledge an everyday part of your

interactions with students, and in this way, students will see how to think, behave and react in

academically sound and best ways your modelling, mentoring and encouragement develop

learners who truly engage with knowledge, problems, and questions in an academic way. The

academic approach to knowledge, problems, issues, and questions is demonstrated to students

and forms a natural part of your interactions and expectations will raise the level of depth of

engagement.

2.1.3 Social Reconstruction Method

Social-reconstructionist education was based on the theory that society can be

reconstructed through the complete control of education. As Ally (2019) points out that an

educational philosophy views schools as tools to solve social problems and the reason is that,

because all leaders are the product of schools provide a curriculum that fosters their

development. Reconstructionist not only aim to educate a generation of problem solvers, but also

try to correct many social problems that face nations, like homelessness, and poverty (Grinenko,

2005).Number of experimental or laboratory schools were set up during the Progressive era in

education and from these schools that examples of what social reconstruction would look like in

education can be drawn (Hong, 2015).A philosophy of education, reconstruction may be referred

to as more of a remedy for a society that seeks to build a more objective social order Outraged at

the inequity in educational opportunities between the rich and the poor and are build a new

Social order.
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2.2 Salient Issues in Contemporary Education

It's not possible to predict all future educational issues, but in the process of applying for

the training some research will go a long way in demonstrating your enthusiasm and impressing

potential employers. As Horell (2016) note, recruiters are looking to see how much you're

engaging with current issues and are aware of the challenges that these place on a school. Your

answers can reveal if you are interested in education. Mercer (2016) points out that you don't

need to know everything, as there are far too many issues to discuss at length in such a short

space of time. The aim to be knowledgeable in the areas, particularly those relate to your

curriculum area or age range is important to address (Cheng, 2011). When you're researching

facts to back up your answers make sure you go to reliable sources. Not everything printed

online is true and reliable.

REFERENCES
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APPENDIX A

EDUCATIONAL SYMBOLS
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APPENDIX B

CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION MATERIALS