Contemporary Issues & Trends in Education

Introduction to contemporary issues and trends in education

Assignment Submitted to
Dr. Aashiq Hussain Dogar

Bachelors of Education (Secondary)

Evening program

By
Mariam Rasheed Bef2100072
Session: 2021-2023

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, LAHORE

1. Introduction to contemporary issues and trends in education

1.1. Meaning, Definition and concept of trend and issues.
Trend: A general direction of change: a way of behaving, proceeding etc. That is
developing and becoming more common. Trends are things that are changing in
frequency. Strictly speaking, a trend is a historical change over time. A trend describes
history.
A trend simply reflects what seems to be going around at any given time. A trend can be
in any area and doesn’t only reflect fashion, pop culture, and entertainment. There can
also be a trend in education, stock market to be bullish or bearish, depending on
economic indicators, or a political trend reflecting a nation’s current mood. Some trends
are fun some fabulous, some appalling, but however they last, you can be sure there will
always be a new trend coming along to replace the old.
Issues: are topics people are discussing/ debating. An issue can be complicated, but a
problem cannot be complicated. It has the potential to cause harm, unlike a problem.
Issues if not solved can grow in their impact. If a trend is a historical change up until the
present, then an emerging issue is a possible new technology, a potential public policy
issue, or a new concept or idea that, while perhaps fringe thinking today, could mature
and develop into a critical mainstream issue in the future or become a major trend in its
own right.
1.2. Difference between trends and issues
A trend is a general course in which something tends to stimulate, and a pattern
of behavior demonstrated by a big number of people within a particular period. For
example, in the Philippines, there is a trend that restaurants, coffee shops, and other
businesses no longer use plastic straws and replaced them with eco-conscious straw
less lids for drinks. Meanwhile, an issue is defined as an important subject that people
are arguing about; it is a topic that is worth discussing since it affects our lives or the
lives of other people. For example, the mass vaccination program of the government
against coronavirus.
However, trends do become an issue. A trend becomes an issue when a change
is going to affect the lives of many people. For example, in Japan, the trend among
Japanese married couples who decided not to have a baby due to the high cost of living
backfires as many elementary schools are closing down. Companies also have to hire
people from other countries for an insufficient number of employees. The trend then
becomes an issue because the country is greatly affected by the change and is
something to be discussed.
Furthermore, an issue becomes a trend when that certain issue demonstrates a
change of a pattern of behavior of the lives of the people. The issue of the coronavirus
becomes a trend after several lives perished which led to the new normal life of the
people. Wearing a face mask and shield, social distancing is a trend due to the
coronavirus issue.
Though some consider the term trend equivalent to fad, a fad is generally considered a
quick and short behavior whereas a trend is one that evolves into a long term or even
permanent change. Trends are general changes and issues are problems.
Submitted to: Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar
Submitted by: Sabrina Javed
Roll no: Bef2100103
Semester: III
Program: B. Ed(Secondary) 1.5
Shift: Evening
Session: 2021-2023

hp
 Meaning and Definition of Trends and Issues:
Trends are new, up-and-coming, and popular educational practices.
Issues are ideas, thoughts, and debates centered on educational policy and
practices.

 Difference between Trend and Issue:

 Trend
A trend is a general course in which something tends to stimulate, and a
pattern of behavior is demonstrated by a big number of people within a
particular period. For example, in the Philippines, there is a trend that
restaurants, coffee shops, and other businesses no longer use plastic straws and
replaced them with eco-conscious strawless lids for drinks.
 Elements of trends:
There are three fundamental elements of a trend:
o basic human needs
o change (both longer-term shifts and short-term triggers)
o innovation

 Issue
An issue is an important subject that people are arguing about; it is a topic
worth discussing since it affects our lives or the lives of other people. For
example, the mass vaccination program of the government against coronavirus.

 Trends in education:
Keeping an eye on these trends can be helpful in addition to completing your
professional development requirements.
 Mastery-Based Grading
Many teachers are looking for alternatives to letter grading. Some worry that
traditional grading methods do not accurately measure student progress.
Mastery-based grading measures how well students have developed the skills
they learned in class and allows opportunities for resubmission. Ultimately,
students are graded as either having mastered or not mastered a concept rather
than on an A to F scale. In this way, students can continue to practice skills
they have
 Personalized Learning
Over the past few years, the buzz around personalized learning has been on the
rise. When a school curriculum is adaptive to a student’s unique needs, it’s
more likely to promote student progress because each child can move at the
right pace. Plus, adaptive software programs allow teachers to use the same
program for all students in their classroom—including those with learning
disabilities. Not yet mastered and avoid becoming discouraged.

 Trauma-Informed Practices
Trauma-informed practices refer to any intervention designed to respond to the
unique needs of children who have experienced trauma. Because more than
half of all children will experience a traumatic event before adulthood, it is
essential to conduct training and implement strategies that support these
children. Teachers and students have all experienced the traumatic effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic, which has raised this particular trend to even higher
levels of discussion than before. For a more in-depth discussion on trauma-
informed practices, check out this Today.com article where Waterford SVP of
Curriculum and Instruction Jenni Torres describes how she emotionally
supported her students in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
 Genius Hour
Genius Hour is a fairly new educational technique that allows students to work
on self-paced and self-chosen projects for an hour each day. This encourages
students to practice their creativity and independent thinking skills, and they
can also develop a genuine love of learning. If you’re looking for ways to
improve student engagement in your classroom, genius spaces may be a trend
to keep tabs on.
 Digital Citizenship
For students, digital citizenship is defined as the ability to use technology and
the Internet both effectively and appropriately. Good digital citizenship is
increasingly necessary, but as assignments and lessons traditionally done in
person move online, it’s even more vital for students to build the skills they
need to develop a healthy relationship with digital media.
 Bite-Sized Learning
Bite-sized learning teaches children specific academic skills with brief, focused
activities. It “takes into account the contemporary demands of learner lifestyles
that might hinder longer periods of focused study and time spent in the
classroom.” In other words, it allows students to learn real skills that build on
each other in convenient, shorter bursts over time instead of all at once in long
classroom lessons or lectures. If classes continue to be primarily (or even
partially) online next year, bite-sized learning activities may be especially
useful. Strategically using brief activities to teach new skills allows teachers to
take into account a student’s capacity for long and focused lessons from home.
Or, if students return to your classroom, this technique can be useful for
making the most of time spent in class.
 Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness involves being aware of, and accepting, both the
external world and our internal experiences. By teaching mindfulness in the
classroom, you can help improve students’ response to stress and reduce their
overall stress levels. This can make it useful for social-emotional and mindset
skill lessons, as well as for helping students who are feeling overwhelmed.
 Brain Break
Brain breaks are short, five- to ten-minute activities—like dancing or standing
up to stretch— that allow students to stay refreshed after focusing in class for a
long period of time. These are most effective when scheduled throughout the
school day. By taking these breaks, students are less likely to feel stressed or
anxious, and they will be better able to focus on their next lesson or task.
 Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is a strategy that, according to Western Governors
University, allows students to learn and develop skills in a setting outside of
the classroom. For elementary students, options for experiential learning may
be limited. But you can still make the most of this strategy by taking students
on field trips (virtual or otherwise) and providing students with assignments
that encourage them to learn outside of school.

 STEAM Curriculum
You may be familiar with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)
curriculum and how it prepares students to enter the workforce with practical,
high-demand skills. But adding the arts alongside these subjects (thus creating
STEAM: STEM plus arts) can improve your students’ academic performance.
For example, adding art assignments to science and math lessons can help all
learners understand STEM subjects better. And it improves creativity—a
useful skill for any academic subject. Plus, STEAM curriculum is shown to
provide students with a more well-rounded and practical education than STEM
alone.

 Issues in Education:
 Lack of uniformity
The system of education in Pakistan according to Iqbal (1981) is not based on
uniform principles. Different systems of education are simultaneously working
in the country. The curriculum is also not uniform which has given birth to
different schools of thought. For example, there is a world of difference
between the attitudes of students coming out from the public educational
institutions, Deeni Madaris, and the few private elite institutions. This trend
has accelerated the pace of polarization in the society. According to Zaki
(1989) this is the result of divisive Pakistani education system. This system has
created a huge gap among the nation and even has deeply penetrated into the
cultural veins of the nation. The recent wave of terrorism and the increasing
sectarian division are the logical consequences of this divided system of
education. As a result of this current polarized system of education there has
occurred a great social division in the society on political, social and economic
grounds rather than unity among the people which is cutting knee deep the
ideological and social foundation of the nation leading towards further
divisions on linguistic and regional grounds which can poetentailly damage the
social cohesion and fabric of the society.
 Education without direction:
A sound education system is essential for every nation of the world. Every
nation develops its generation on the basis of vigorous training and education
on social, political, economic and ideological grounds. Pakistani education
system due being directionless and weak has not been able to develop and
guide its people on sound political and social grounds. There is lack of
cohesion in the system and it is more prone towards general education which
does not bring any skilled manpower to the market. Resulting there is
increasing unemployment. This situation may promote sense of deprivation
among the masses. Due to this there is cultural and political unrest in the
society. Besides, there is lack of educational opportunities for science and
technology. In this way the development of thinking, reasoning and creativity
of students is not being polished
 Outdated curricula
Curriculum is the tool through which the goals of education are achieved. The
curriculum of education in Pakistan does not meet the demands of the current
times. It is an old and traditional curriculum which compels the learners to
memorize certain facts and figures without taking into consideration the reality
that education is the holistic development of an individual. It places much
emphasis on the psychology of the learner as well which cannot be negated in
the process of teaching and learning. The objectives of education must be
developed the psychological, philosophical and sociological foundations of
education. The present educational curriculum of Pakistan does not meet these
modern standards of education and research. Hence this curriculum is not
promoting the interest of the learner for practical work, research, scientific
knowledge and reflective observation, rather, it emphasizes on memory and
theory.
 Lack of professional development of teachers
Training is essential for quality performance. Teaching is a challenging job.
There is lack of training opportunities for teachers in Pakistan. Although there
various teacher training institutes in the country. These institutes are either not
well resourced or being poor run due to lack of fund and trained human
resource such trainers and administrators. There are no proper training
standards in the available training institutes around the country. Most of the
training institutes have been closed down due to lack of funds. The courses
being run in the teacher education intuitions are outdated and very traditional
which does not enhance the skills, motivation and quality of teachers.
 Lack of quality teachers
Teacher is the backbone of education system. The quality of teachers in
Pakistani schools is deplorable. According to a UNESCO report, the quality of
the teachers and instruction in schools is of low quality. This situation is
grimmer in remote parts of Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan where even there
are no teachers available in schools. Research has found that teachers do not
use new methods and strategies of teaching and learning. Majority of the
teachers do not know about lesson planning which renders them incapable of
dealing with various problems in the process of teaching and learning.
Teachers encourage cramming of the materials by students. Students do not
know the use of libraries in educational institutions. Thus the reading habits are
decreasing among the students. Teachers are highly responsible for all this
mess. It is their professional responsibility to guide the students towards book
reading. Teachers rely on lecture methods which do provide an opportunity to
students to participate in the process of education as active member. They only
note does the information and memorize this just to pass the examination. Thus
students are evaluated on the basis of memorization of facts and information
rather than performance.
 Alarming dropouts
Due to lack of effective management of schools there is lack of discipline in
schools and other educational institutions which leads to high scale dropouts of
students. This trend has increased to such an extent that there are now 40 lac
students out of school due to drop out in Pakistan. This trend according to
Hayes (1989) is due to partly the punishment in schools, poor motivating or
unattractive school environment and partly due to weak parenting on the part
of parents. Child labour and poverty is also one of the reasons for dropouts
form schools. An estimated 30 percent of children enrolled in primary
education reach to the matric level. This trend in Pakistan has added to the low
literacy rate as well.
 System of examination
Examination is the evaluation of student’s learning. It should be based on
qualitative and quantitative techniques to comprehensively evaluate the
performance of students. The standards must ensure validity and reliability of
the procedures used in the assessment process. The basic aim of assessment is
to evaluate the performance of students. The examination system of Pakistan is
not only outdated but it also does not have the quality to evaluate the
performance of learners comprehensively. The examination system of Pakistan
tests only the memory of students. It does not evaluate them in all aspects of
learning. Moreover, the examinations are influenced by external and internal
forces which have encouraged the trend of illegal practices such as unfair
means. As a result of this the examination system promotes rote learning and
cramming which negates the role of high intellectual power of learners in the
education process such as critical thinking, reflection, analytical skills and so
on. It does not measure the actual achievements and performance of students.
 Poor supervisory standards
The role of supervision is to explore weaknesses or faults of teachers and
showing a harsh treatment in form of transfers to remote areas or even
termination from services. Supervision is the monitoring of teaching and
learning. Through effective supervision techniques the process of teaching and
learning could be improved. The system of school supervision is aimless.
There is not only lack of supervisory activities in schools but the process of
supervision itself does not bring any positive results for teachers and students.
Supervision system is concerned with controlling and harassing the teachers
rather than providing help and guidance for improvement of performance
 Internal and external influences
Education system in Pakistan is not free from external and internal influences.
Externally the system has been made hostage to political interference and
internally it is plagued by the bureaucratic manipulations. There is a greater
favoritism and nepotism in matters of transfers, appointments and promotions.
Due to this the basic infrastructure of the education system in Pakistan has
affected
 Lack of resources
Education resources such as books, libraries and physical facilities are
important for smooth running of educational process. There are despairingly no
facilities of books, libraries and reading materials in all educational institutions
of the country. Besides, there are overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teachers
and ill-equipped laboratories. This entire grim situation has resulted in a
despair and low standard education system
 Policy implementation
Since the inception of Pakistan a number of education policies were created.
There has been lack of political will on the part of successive government to
implement the policies vigorously. The policies were highly ambitious but
could not be implemented in true letter and spirit. There has been problem of
corruption, lack of funds and gross inconsistency in successive planning on the
part of various political regimes in Pakistan. Moreover, in the overall policy
formulation teachers have been ignored. They are regarded as unimportant
element which has led to alienation between the teachers and the system of
education
 Low budgetary allocation for education
Finance is considered the engine of any system. The education system of
Pakistan has been crippled mainly due to scarce finance. The successive
governments have been giving less than 2.5 percent budget to the education
sector which is not sufficient for the growing educational needs of the nation in
the present changing times. In many of the developing regional countries such
as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh the budgetary allocation for education has
increased. But in Pakistan it is declining day by day. According to International
Crisis group, Pakistan is amongst the 12 countries in the world that spent less
than 2 percent of their GDP on education sector. With this insufficient budgetary
allocation, the country is hardly going to meet the targets of universalization of
primary education as a signatory to the Dakar Conference’s MDG goals by
2015 and onward.
 Corruption
Among other causes, corruption is the main contributing factor which has
deeply affected the education system of Pakistan. There is a weak system of
 check and balances and accountability which has encouraged many criminal
elements to misappropriate funds, use of authority illegally and give
unnecessary favors in the allocation of funds, transfers, promotions, and
decision-making. According to Transparency International, Pakistan is
included in the list of the most corrupt countries in the world. Due to low
salaries, teachers in search of decent living standards and to keep their body
and soul together attempt to unfair means in the examination and matters
relating to certificates, degrees, and so on.

Afifa Waqar
Bef2100084
B.Ed (sec) III semester __ Eve
Contemporary trends and issues.

Issues:
something that people are talking about, thinking about, etc. : an important
subject or topic

What is a trend?
A trend is a general direction into which something is changing, developing, or
veering toward. The term may also mean a fashion or craze, i.e., a fad. The verb ‘to trend’
means to develop or change in a general direction. In the world of social media, if
something trends it is the topic of many posts.

It came from the Middle English word ‘Trenden,’ which meant “to revolve, turn, roll
about.” ‘Trenden’ came from the Old English word ‘Trendan,’ which meant “roll,
revolve, turn around.”

Trend or Issue?
 Trends create opportunities - you seize opportunities.
 Issues create problems - you solve problems.

What are Issues in Education?

When it comes to education, lots of concerns come up, like where will the money
come from, where will the teachers come from, what curriculum should be used, or
even problems with what books should and should not be allowed. People care
about education, and everyone cares about it in different ways; they also care
about the different aspects of education. Below are some of the common issues in
education. They are issues with standardized testing, inequality in the
education system, and adaptive learning, and what they look like.

Trends
One of the great things about education is that it's reflective. We like our data and
use it to drive smart decisions. What have you heard about as the newest focus and
slant in education? See if your ideas match these.
One of the top trends in postsecondary education is change in the higher
education system. Contributing factors to this trend include the rising cost of
college, increased debt-to-income ratio held by graduates due to college loans, and
the decreased weight of a typical four-year degree. The fact is that a bachelor's
degree is far more expensive to earn and does far less for the graduate in the 'real
world' than in decades past. Now, the latest trend in higher education is NOT to go
to college. New models of post K-12 education are emerging that question the
number of credits needed to graduate and the amount of non-essential classes
necessary. With the rise of online education and students attending junior colleges
and transferring credits, a new form of higher education is on the rise.
 University of education

Program: B.Ed secondary 1.5 Evening Semester III

Session 2021- 2023 Submitted By:

Name: Aqsa Umer

Roll No: 2100054

Submitted to:

Prof Ashiq Hussain Dogar

Meaning definition and concept of trend and issues

Meaning of trend and issues:

Popularity of methods, materials, theories etc. that used in distance learning at a certain period
of time.

When it comes to education, lots of concerns come up, like where will the money come from,
where will the teachers come from, what curriculum should be used, or even problems with
what books should and should not be allowed. People care about education, and everyone
cares about it in different ways; they also care about the different aspects of education. Below
are some of the common issues in education. They are issues with standardized testing,
inequality in the education system, and adaptive learning, and what they look like.

Definition of trend and issues:

A trend is a general direction into which something is changing, developing, or veering toward.
The term may also mean a fashion or craze, i.e., a fad. The verb ‘to trend’ means to develop or
change in a general direction. In the world of social media, if something trends it is the topic of
many posts.

In the world of business, a trend is a pattern of gradual change in a process, output, or

condition. It is an average or general tendency. If I say: “There has been a trend towards
shorter-term mortgages,” it means more people are now taking shorter-term mortgages. In
other words, there has been a tendency towards shorter-term mortgages.

The original meaning of the word issue was to put something out. If a celebrity issues a
statement or the post office issues new stamps, they put them out for the public. Likewise, an
issue is a current topic, sometimes controversial, that is being discussed. Politicians often say
they want to talk about the issues (and not their personal lives!). You might hear someone say,
"He's got issues" about a person who has some problems, usually emotional ones, but this is a
very new use for the word. In education when we talk about issues we discuss the problems we
face in our education system.

Concept of trend and issues:

Right from the start of the world, mankind has been teaching the next generation ways of life
and techniques to make it better which consisted of hunting and growing food, making
weapons for protection against wild animals, finding shelter. As the human race modernized
the need to educate upcoming generation is there but the form and type of education has
changed. With the changing trends of the world the educational trends are also changing. The
changing trends are giving rise to many issues which are not only faced by the students but also
the teaching staff and parents.

Education brings about positive changes not only in the society but also the personal lives of
people. It is generally thought that a well-educated person has a clear mind with good
judgement and logical thinking. An educated person is skilled and can analytically put good use
of the knowledge. But where there are many gains of the education there are several issues to
it as well. Dissatisfaction is just to name one out of all, it has been observed that more educated
a person more complex he becomes, not taking life in its real form but asking a lot more than
what it really is.

In our country there are institutes big and small in almost every corner and on every road. But
unfortunately education has merely become a business, a way of earning alone, it is not
imparting the real essence of education into the young generation as it is required. Lectures
and notes are sold for high amount of money in the name of fees. There was a time when
teachers were the real soul makers, they used to worry about the future of their pupil
disregarding the amount they could earn in the number of hours they worked. Perhaps that is
why the generation before us was actually educated. The trending ways have turned the
teachers into sellers and students as buyers.

The world is advancing, technology is moving at a faster pace, each day a new invention takes
place bringing us closer to the technological worlds and away from the natural lives. The
splendor of computers has taken over us; so much that our new born babies sleep to the sound
of music on cell-phone and food is cooked on fireless stove. This is all the wonder of education.
Had the mankind not educated, we would have been the same stone-age people hunting and
living near nature.

I in no way am against latest education and technology, and do not even intend to preach
against it, but the fast track education system with its many flaws and on top of that leaving
behind a large number of worthy humans behind just because they cannot afford pains me.

Let’s just talk about a few of the many trends and issues in education in our country.
Trends:

Online Learning

To begin with, kicking off the popular trends in education list today is online learning. Due to Covid-19
effects, over 1.2 billion children are out of school, globally. The lockdown status occurred and extended
in nearly almost the entire map. During the tough time, it is not possible for teachers and learners to
attend face-to-face classes. Many traditional classes transform into online classes. And online learning
seems to be the most productive way to remain and ensure educational quality.

Distance Learning

Among many global educational trends, distance learning cannot be missed out. At first glance, some
people may think that distance learning is similar to online learning. However, these modern trends are
not exactly the same. Each trend has its own specialist. With remote learning, learners can get a course
in the absence of in-person interactions. This proves that education can be carried on from distances, no
matter where we are. Blended Learning

Since the growth of technology, blended learning is never out of the popular educational trends list.
With this method, you can make use of both face-to-face and eLearning training methods. Thanks to
that, learners become the center of learning. Meanwhile, teachers play the role of mentors to orient
learners. This modern trend not only boosts learners’ learning experiences but also wakes their learning
motivation up.

Social-emotional Learning (SEL)

Happy schools, happy teachers, happy learners… That’s all things we achieve now! The more learners
are happy, the more prosperous society becomes. However, the fact indicates many mental health
issues that learners have to deal with in modern life. So, what can we do to improve this situation? Now,
give SEL a go. Then, you will see learners’ social interaction, healthy relationships, and well-informed
decisions promoted.

Homeschooling

Have you ever heard about homeschooling? Yes, it tends to become one of the popular trends in recent
years. Generally, homeschooling means home education. In other words, parents educate their children
at home rather than sending them to a public or private school. In this education style, parents now also
become teachers. They can create unique curricula as well as suitable methods for their children.

Mobile Learning (m-Learning)

Mobile devices now are essential parts of our day-to-day lives, obviously. We could not agree more that
mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc, benefit us a lot. In many ways, m-learning can
simplify our lives. Hence, m-learning is an ideal way to help people keep up with the ever-changing
world. That’s why it always has a good position at the top trends in education.

Personalized Learning
In fact, personalized learning is not new but it’s always been a notable trend in education. As the name
suggests, this is a student-centered education. Personalized learning gives learners chances to raise their
voices and choices. That is, they can enjoy learning at their own pace. If you pay attention to the popular
trends in education periods, you’ll see the name of it surely. People love this learning style since it
respects individual differences.

Project-based Learning (PBL)

When discussing trends in education, it will be a gap if we don’t refer to PBL. This is also known as
experiential learning. “Knowledge is a consequence of experience”. People cannot grow up if they just
follow the grasp in textbooks, indeed. Global citizens have to experience the real things in real life.
Thanks to that process, they sharpen their skills better in integrating with society.

Gamification

If you are looking for ways to engage learners, why don’t you apply gamification? Some confuse the
current trend with playing games. But they’re not the same! Basically, gamification refers to applying
the mechanics and theory of games to non-game contexts. When combining gamification in teaching
and learning, learners will be inspired and motivated to complete their tasks. This is not a new
educational trend. But it always gets a spotlight in education

Bite-sized Learning (Micro learning):

Last but not least, bite-sized learning becomes a nice ending for the list of popular trends in education
today. This learning style answers the concern of short-term attention. It is said that the average
student’s attention span is between 10 and 15 minutes. But it seems to shorten for small children. So,
bite-sized learning was born to offer clear and concise content to learners. Thanks to that, learners
may remain 100% attentive during every learning session.

Issues:
Lack of uniformity:

The system of education in Pakistan according to Iqbal (1981) is not based on uniform principles.
Different systems of education are simultaneously working in the country. The curriculum is also not
uniformed which has given birth to different schools of thoughts. For example, there is a world of
difference between the attitudes of students coming out from the public educational institutions. This
trend has accelerated the pace of polarization in the society. According to Zaki (1989) this is the result of
divisive Pakistani education system. This system has created a huge gap among the nation and even has
deeply penetrated into the cultural veins of the nation. The recent wave of terrorism and the increasing
sectarian division are the logical consequences of this divided system of education. As a result of this
current polarized system of education there has occurred a great social division in the society on
political, social and economic grounds rather than unity among the people which is cutting knee deep
the ideological and social foundation of the nation leading towards further divisions on linguistic and
regional grounds which can potentially damage the social cohesion and fabric of the society.

Education without direction

A sound education system is essential for every nation of the world. Every nation develops its
generation on the basis of vigorous training and education on social, political, economic and ideological
grounds. Pakistani education system due being directionless and weak has not been able to develop and
guide its people on sound political and social grounds. There is lack of cohesion in the system and it is
more prone towards general education which does not bring any skilled manpower to the market.
Resulting there is increasing unemployment. This situation may promote sense of deprivation among
the masses. Due to this there is cultural and political unrest in the society. Besides, there is lack of
educational opportunities for science and technology. In this way the development of thinking,
reasoning and creativity of students is not being polished.

Outdated curricula

Curriculum is the tool through which the goals of education are achieved. The curriculum of education in
Pakistan does not meet the demands of the current times. It is an old and traditional curriculum which
compels the learners to memorize certain facts and figures without taking into consideration the reality
that education is the holistic development of an individual. It places much emphasis on the psychology
of the learner as well which cannot be negated in the process of teaching and learning. The objectives of
education must be developed the psychological, philosophical and sociological foundations of
education. The present educational curriculum of Pakistan does not meet these modern standards of
education and research. Hence this curriculum is not promoting the interest of the learner for practical
work, research, scientific knowledge and reflective observation, rather, it emphasizes on memory and
theory.

Lack of professional development of teachers

Training is essential for quality performance. Teaching is a challenging job. There is lack of training
opportunities for teachers in Pakistan. Although their various teacher training institutes in the country.
These institutes are either not well resourced or being poor run due to lack of fund and trained human
resource such trainers and administrators. There are no proper training standards in the available
training institutes around the country. Most of the training institutes have been closed down due to lack
of funds. The courses being run in the teacher education intuitions are outdated and very traditional
which does not enhance the skills, motivation and quality of teachers.

Lack of quality teachers:

Teacher is the backbone of education system. The quality of teachers in Pakistani schools is deplorable.
According to a UNESCO report, the quality of the teachers and instruction in schools is of low quality.
This situation is grimmer in remote parts of Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan where even there are no
teachers available in schools. Research has found that teachers do not use new methods and strategies
of teaching and learning . Majority of the teachers do not know about lesson planning which renders
them incapable of dealing with various problems in the process of teaching and learning. Teachers
encourage cramming of the materials by students. Students do not know the use of libraries in
educational institutions. Thus, the reading habits are decreasing among the students. Teachers are
highly responsible for all this mess. It is their professional responsibility to guide the students towards
book reading. Teachers rely on lecture methods which do provide an opportunity to students to
participate in the process of education as active member. They only note does the information and
memorize this just to pass the examination. Thus, students are evaluated on the basis of memorization
of facts and information rather than performance.

Alarming dropouts:

Due to lack of effective management of schools there is lack of discipline in schools and other
educational institutions which leads to high scale dropouts of students. This trend has increased to such
an extent that there are now 40 lac students out of school due to drop out in Pakistan. This trend
according to Hayes (1989) is due to partly the punishment in schools, poor motivating or unattractive
school environment and partly due to weak parenting on the part of parents. Child labor and poverty is
also one of the reasons for dropout’s form schools. An estimated 30 percent of children enrolled in
primary education reach to the matric level. This trend in Pakistan has added to the low literacy rate as
well.

System of examination:

Examination is the evaluation of student’s learning. It should be based on qualitative and quantitative
techniques to comprehensively evaluate the performance of students. The standards must ensure
validity and reliability of the procedures used in the assessment process. The basic aim of assessment is
to evaluate the performance of students. The examination system of Pakistan is not only outdated but it
also does not have the quality to evaluate the performance of learners comprehensively. The
examination system of Pakistan tests only the memory of students. It does not evaluate them in all
aspects of learning. Moreover, the examinations are influenced by external and internal forces which
have encouraged the trend of illegal practices such as unfair means. As a result of this the examination
system promotes rote learning and cramming which negates the role of high intellectual power of
learners in the education process such as critical thinking, reflection, analytical skills and so on. It does
not measure the actual achievements and performance of students.

Poor supervisory standards:

The role of supervision is to explore weaknesses or faults of teachers and showing a harsh treatment in
form of transfers to remote areas or even termination from services. Supervision is the monitoring of
teaching and learning. Through effective supervision techniques the process of teaching and learning
could be improved. The system of school supervision is aimless. There is not only lack of supervisory
activities in schools but the process of supervision itself does not bring any positive results for teachers
and students. Supervision system is concerned with controlling and harassing the teachers rather than
providing help and guidance for improvement of performance.

Internal and external influences:

Education system in Pakistan is not free from external and internal influences. Externally the system has
been made hostage to political interference and internally it is plagued by the bureaucratic
manipulations. There is a greater favoritism and nepotism in matters of transfers, appointments and
promotions. Due to this the basic infrastructure of the education system in Pakistan has affected.

Lack of resources:

Education resources such as books, libraries and physical facilities are important for smooth running of
educational process. There are despairingly no facilities of books, libraries and reading materials in all
educational institutions of the country. Besides, there are overcrowded classrooms, inadequate
teachers and ill-equipped laboratories. This entire grim situation has resulted in a despair and low
standard education system.

Policy implementation:

Since the inception of Pakistan, a number of education policies were created. There has been lack of
political will on the part of successive government to implement the policies vigorously. The policies
were highly ambitious but could not be implemented in true letter and spirit. There has been problem of
corruption, lack of funds and gross inconsistency in successive planning on the part of various political
regimes in Pakistan. Moreover, in the overall policy formulation teachers have been ignored. They are
regarded as unimportant element which has led to alienation between the teachers and the system of
education.

Low budgetary allocation for education:

Finance is considered the engine of any system. The education system of Pakistan has been crippled
mainly due to scarce finance. The successive governments have been giving less than 2.5 percent budget
to the education sector which is not sufficient for the growing educational needs of the nation in the
present changing times. In many of the developing regional countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
the budgetary allocation for education has increased. But in Pakistan it is declining day by day.
According to International Crisis group, Pakistan is amongst the 12 countries in the world that spent less
than 2 percent of their GDP on education sector [3]. With this insufficient budgetary allocation, the
country is hardly going to meet the targets of universalization of primary education as a signatory to the
Dakar Conference’s MDG goals by 2015 and onward.

Corruption:

Among other causes, corruption is the main contributing factor which has deeply affected the education
system of Pakistan. There is a weak system of check and balances and accountability which has
encouraged many criminal elements to misappropriate funds, use of authority illegally and giving
unnecessary favors in allocation of funds, transfers, promotions and decision making. According to
Transparency International, Pakistan is included in the list of the most corrupt countries of the world.
Due to low salaries, teachers in search of decent life standards and to keep their body and soul together
attempt to unfair means in the examination and matters relating to certificates, degrees and so on.

Assignment # 1
 Submitted to: Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar
Submitted by: Adeela Arif
Student Number: bef2100027
Course: Contemporary Issues & Trends in Education
Program: B.ed Secondary 1.5 years (Evening)
3rd Smester

Introduction to contemporary issues and trends in education

1.1. Meaning, Definition and concept of trend and issues.

 Trends:
 Trend means to do something that
becomes accepted or fashionable, and that a lot of other people copy.
Trends are things that are changing in frequency. Issues are topics
people are discussing/ debating.

The term trends in education

refer to “the general direction in
which our present educational
systems, policies, theories and
practices are developing or
changing”. For any professional
educator it is paramount that
he/she is intimately aware of the
current trends with reference to
educational theory and practice
within the broad context of
social, political, economical,
industrial, scientific and
technological changes.
Issue
An issue can be defined as a
contentious, controversial,
important, key, major, pressing,
sensitive, thorny, unresolved
matter. There are many issues in
education that needs to be
addressed
The term trends in education
refer to “the general direction in
which our present educational
systems, policies, theories and
practices are developing or
changing”. For any professional
educator it is paramount that
he/she is intimately aware of the
current trends with reference to
educational theory and practice
within the broad context of
social, political, economical,
industrial, scientific and
technological changes.
Issue
An issue can be defined as a
contentious, controversial,
important, key, major, pressing,
sensitive, thorny, unresolved
matter. There are many issues in
education that needs to be
addressed
he term trends in education
refer to “the general direction in
which our present educational
systems, policies, theories and
practices are developing or
changing”. For any professional
educator it is paramount that
he/she is intimately aware of the
current trends with reference to
educational theory and practice
within the broad context of
social, political, economical,
industrial, scientific and
technological changes.
Issue
An issue can be defined as a
contentious, controversial,
important, key, major, pressing,
sensitive, thorny, unresolved
matter. There are many issues in
education that needs to be
addressed.
2. The Importance of Studying
History of E
he term trends in education
refer to “the general direction in
which our present educational
systems, policies, theories and
practices are developing or
changing”. For any professional
educator it is paramount that
he/she is intimately aware of the
current trends with reference to
educational theory and practice
within the broad context of
social, political, economical,
industrial, scientific and
technological changes.
Issue
An issue can be defined as a
contentious, controversial,
important, key, major, pressing,
sensitive, thorny, unresolved
matter. There are many issues in
education that needs to be
addressed.
2. The Importance of Studying
History of E
The term trends in Education refers to the “the general direction in
which our present educational system, policies, theories and practice
are developing or changing”. For any professional educator it is
paramount that he/she is intimately aware of the current trends with
reference to educational theory and practice within the broad context
of social, political, economical, industrial, scientific and
technological changes.

Issues:
An issue usually refers to a topic on which different people have
different views or opinions, in other words we can say it as Issues
are topics people are discussing/ debating.
We can also say that an issue is a topic that needs to be considered,
discussed or debated.
An issue can be defined as a contentious, controversial, important,
key, major, pressing, sensitive, theory, unresolved matter.
 Difference between Trends and issues:
A trend is something that is currently popular or at a certain point in time.
A trend is a general course in which something tends to stimulate, and a pattern
of behavior demonstrated by a big number of people within a particular period.
For example in the Philippines, there is a trend that restaurants , coffee shops ,
and other businesses no longer use plastic straws and replace them with eco-
conscious straw less lids for drinks.
An issue can have the potential to cause harm unlike a problem.
An issue is defines as an important subject that people are arguing about; it is
topic that is worth discussing since it affects our lives or the lives of other
people. For example the mass vaccination program of the government against
corona virus.

Trends:

#1. Online Learning

To begin with, kicking off the popular trends in education list today is online learning. Due to Covid-
19 effects, over 1.2 billion children are out of school, globally. The lockdown status occurred and
extended in nearly almost the entire map. During the tough time, it is not possible for teachers and
learners to attend face-to-face classes. Many traditional classes transform into online classes. And
online learning seems to be the most productive way to remain and ensure educational quality. 

2. Distance Learning

Among many global educational trends, distance learning cannot be missed out. At first glance,
some people may think that distance learning is similar to online learning. However, these modern
trends are not exactly the same. Each trend has its own specialist. With remote learning, learners
can get a course in the absence of in-person interactions. This proves that education can be carried
on from distances, no matter where we are. 

3. Blended Learning

Since the growth of technology, blended learning is never out of the popular educational trends
list. With this method, you can make use of both face-to-face and eLearning training methods.
Thanks to that, learners become the center of learning. Meanwhile, teachers play the role of
mentors to orient learners. This modern trend not only boosts learners’ learning experiences but
also wakes their learning motivation up. 

4. Social-emotional Learning (SEL)

Happy schools, happy teachers, happy learners… That’s all things we achieve now! The more
learners are happy, the more prosperous society becomes. However, the fact indicates many
mental health issues that learners have to deal with in modern life. So, what can we do to improve
this situation? Now, give SEL a go. Then, you will see learners’ social interaction, healthy
relationships, and well-informed decisions promoted.

#5. Homeschooling

Have you ever heard about homeschooling? Yes, it tends to become one of the popular trends in
recent years. Generally, homeschooling means home education. In other words, parents educate
their children at home rather than sending them to a public or private school. In this education
style, parents now also become teachers. They can create unique curricula as well as suitable
methods for their children.

#6. Mobile Learning (m-Learning)

Mobile devices now are essential parts of our day-to-day lives, obviously. We could not agree more
that mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc, benefit us a lot. In many ways, m-
learning can simplify our lives. Hence, m-learning is an ideal way to help people keep up with the
ever-changing world. That’s why it always has a good position at the top trends in education. 

7. Personalized Learning

In fact, personalized learning is not new but it’s always been a notable trend in education. As the
name suggests, this is a student-centered education. Personalized learning gives learners chances
to raise their voices and choices. That is, they can enjoy learning at their own pace. If you pay
attention to the popular trends in education periods, you’ll see the name of it surely. People love
this learning style since it respects individual differences.

8. Project-based Learning (PBL)

When discussing trends in education, it will be a gap if we don’t refer to PBL. This is also known as
experiential learning. “Knowledge is a consequence of experience”. People cannot grow up if they
just follow the grasp in textbooks, indeed. Global citizens have to experience the real things in real
life. Thanks to that process, they sharpen their skills better in integrating with society. 

#9. Gamification

If you are looking for ways to engage learners, why don’t you apply gamification? Some confuse the
current trend with playing games. But they’re not the same! Basically, gamification refers to
applying the mechanics and theory of games to non-game contexts. When combining gamification
in teaching and learning, learners will be inspired and motivated to complete their tasks. This is not
a new educational trend. But it always gets a spotlight in education

10. Bite-sized Learning (Microlearning)

Last but not least, bite-sized learning becomes a nice ending for the list of popular trends in
education today. This learning style answers the concern of short-term attention. It is said that the
average student’s attention span is between 10 and 15 minutes. But it seems to shorten for small
children. So, bite-sized learning was born to offer clear and concise content to learners. Thanks to
that, learners may remain 100% attentive during every learning session.

Issues:
 Name: Maha Shakeel

Roll No. Bef2100026

Subject: Contemporary Trends and Issues in Education

Topic: 1- Meaning, Definition and concept of trend and issues

2- Difference between Trends and Issues

Submitted to: Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar

Program: B.Ed Secondary (1.5)

Semester: 3rd Evening

Meaning, Definition and Concept of Trend and Issues:

"Issues are ideas, thoughts, and debates centered on educational policy and
practices."

"Trends refer to new, up-and-coming, and popular educational practices."

The term trends in education refer to “the general direction in which

our present educational systems, policies, theories and practices are developing
or changing”.

For any professional educator it is paramount that he/she is intimately aware of

the current trends with reference to educational theory and practice within the
broad context of social, political, economical, industrial, scientific and
technological changes.
 An issue can be defined as "a contentious, controversial, important,
key, major, pressing, sensitive, thorny, unresolved matter." There are many
issues in education that needs to be addressed.

Difference between Trends and Issues:

Trends are things that are changing in frequency. Issues are topics people
are discussing/ debating.

A trend is a historical change over time. A trend describes history. If a

trend is a historical change up until the present, then an emerging issue is a
possible new technology, a potential public policy issue, or a new concept or
idea that, while perhaps fringe thinking today, could mature and develop into a
critical mainstream issue in the future or become a major trend in its own right.

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND TRENDS IN

EDUCATION

Submitted TO: DR. ASHIQ HUSSAIN

Submitted By: Fiza Ayoub

 Semester: 3rd

Roll No : Bef2100087

Session: (2021-2023)

Department of Education

University of Education Lahore

MEANING, DEFINATION AND CONCEPT OF TRENDS AND ISSUES

A trend simply reflects what seems to be going around at any given time. A trend can be in
any area and doesn't only reflect fashion, pop culture and entertainment. There can also be
a trend in the stock market to be bullish or bearish, depending on economic indicators, or a
political trend reflecting a nation’s current mood. Some trends are fun, some fabulous, some
appalling, but however long they last, you can be sure there will always be a
new trend coming along to replace the old. trend began in the 1990s with an educational
reform movement that stressed teacher accountability.

The term trends in education refer to “the general direction in which our present educational
systems, policies, theories and practices are developing or changing”. For any professional
educator it is paramount that he/she is intimately aware of the current trends with reference
to educational theory and practice within the broad context of social, political, economical,
industrial, scientific and technological changes.
1. A trend is what's hip or popular at a certain point in time. While a trend usually refers to a
certain style in fashion or entertainment, there could be a trend toward warmer temperatures (if
people are following trends associated with global warming).
2. Current trends means growth calculated only in accordance with changes in every country's
economic and demographic fundamental data.

3. A trend is a  general development or change in a situation or in the way

that people are behaving:
4. A trend is the overall direction of a market or an asset's price. In technical analysis, trends
are identified by trendlines or price action that highlight when the price is making higher swing
highs and higher swing lows for an uptrend, or lower swing lows and lower swing highs for a
downtrend.Many traders opt to trade in the same direction as a trend, while contrarians seek to
identify reversals or trade against the trend. Uptrends and downtrends occur in all markets, such
as stocks, bonds, and futures. Trends also occur in data, such as when monthly economic data
rises or falls from month to month.

Difference between the trends and Issue

An issue can be defined as a contentious, controversial, important, key, major, pressing,
sensitive, thorny, unresolved matter. There are many issues in education that needs to
be addressed.Current issues in education have to do with differing views about
standardized tests, socioeconomics and educational equity, and adaptive learning. Learn
how these issues differ with the current trends in education, changes in the higher
education system made in response, the advent of online education, and standards-
based learning.

When we're talking about issues and trends, we're going to define issues as ideas, thoughts,
and debates centered on educational policy and practices. Trends will refer to new, up-and-
coming, and popular educational practices. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the
educational scenario has changed unpredictably. To remain and adapt to the crisis, there are
new things that take place to the world educational trends. While some global trends keep
their value, some are new trends and future trends. So, today’s post will give you an
overview of popular educational trends from 2022 to 2025, based on reliable resources.
Understanding them benefits both teachers and learners. Since they can create suitable
learning environments to convey and absorb knowledge along with skills in the most
effective way.

Name Mishal palous

Class B.Ed. secondary (evening )
Course Trends and issues in Education
Submitted to Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar

When we’re talking about issues and trends,

we’re going to define issues as ideas, thoughts,
and debates centered on educational policy and
practices. Trends will refer to new, up-and-
coming, and popular educational practices.

Trend:
A trend is what’s hip or popular at a certain
point in time. While a trend usually refers to a
certain style in fashion or entertainment, there
could be a trend toward warmer temperatures
The term trends in education refer to “the
general direction in which our present
educational systems, policies, theories and
practices are developing or changing”. For any
professional educator it is paramount that
he/she is intimately aware of the current trends
with reference to educational theory and
practice within the broad context of social,
political, economical, industrial, scientific and
technological changes.
. Issue :
An issue can be defined as a contentious,
controversial, important, key, major, pressing,
sensitive, thorny, unresolved matter. There are
many issues in education that needs to be
addressed
2. Issues and trends of Education:

In Pakistan the issue of improvement in the education system is of

great significance. The system needs proper attention and the
collaboration of both private and public institutions to collectively
lead the nation towards prosperity. The impeccable
improvements made by the private sector that is now leading the
education in Pakistan to a much brighter direction, the public
sector needs to support these improvements by offering the
complete support and partnership. The inculcation of positivity
among the youth is very much crucial in this regard. The students
should have a positive attitude and a confidence in their
educational system to be able to study with the zeal that is
required of them. The quality assurance and the effectiveness of
the teaching and learning system must also become a priority in
our schools to ensure that every child must attain a minimum of
primary level of education without hindrance. It is a responsibility
of all of us to work together to contribute towards the change in
the education system of the country and to become a better and a
literate nation. The change starts with each and every individual
that vows to be productive and to participate in the pursuit of
knowledge. Pakistan is in the need to become an educationally
empowered nation at all levels. It is with the collective efforts
done by the nation that this country can hope to achieve the
desired status of developed Pakistan on international level.
THE engraving of Lord Macaulay’s ‘controlled education’ on the
Face of the subcontinent could never literally be undone when it
comes to Pakistan.
In fact, our neighboring countries of India and Bangladesh have
uplifted their educational standards to a healthy extent from the
strands of the Macaulay Doctrine. However, Pakistan could not
prove lucky enough throughout its history to redeem its people.
The structure of education in the present history of Pakistan
raises some
Serious questions. Both public and private sectors’ past
performance
Need to be critiqued in order to determine healthy as well as
unhealthy trends in the system. Regarding the question of the
imposition of English as the only medium
Of learning for Pakistanis, it is related to the raison deter of Urdu
in the
Wake of the anglicized experiment of our education. Do we really
need
Urdu’s presence in our education or is it mere dust in t
He public eye? The private sector had already ignored Urdu in
order to reap the commercial prospects of English as, allegedly,
the best medium of learning. Now even the public sector has
found the solution of our educational problem in replacing the
Urdu medium with that of English. The false impression of rapid
success in life by dint of English has, toour depravity, developed
into a devoutly-held belief. If English were the only channel of
development and modernization, China, Japan and Russia would
not have been blessed with modern riches through the use of
their own languages. The foremost thing that falls prey to a
negative approach is the uniformity of student-stratum. For
instance, syllabus is not identical across the board. The noble
profession of teaching is abused as it seems people who are good
for nothing else apply as teachers to teach in schools. Teachers
aren’t well-paid in the private sector, while the situation of the
public-sector is far worse. We assume in our illusive perception
that by increasing the study hour sand providing tutoring, we are
educating our children on western lines. However, this erroneous
perception is immediately out when we take even a cursory
glance into the western education model. Schools and colleges
have five working days a week in the west; and students are
relieved with two holidays on the weekend. Furthermore, study
hours at primary and secondary education levels hardly match our
work routine.
We far surpass them in our study labor, but with extremely poor
results. We are doing a great disservice to our children by
overburdening them with education of a 10 to 14-hour study a
day. The ordeal of a Pakistani student is manifold. The problems
our students face are as follows: (i) non-native medium of
learning, (ii) unskilled teaching, and (iii) mind-racking study
burden of time and labor. Is there solution to these problems?
Indeed there is a solution to every
Problem; one must not forget in this current scenario that ‘where
there is will, there is a way’.
 Name: Shaheen
Roll No:Bef2100060
B.ed(sec) 3rd smester eve.
Contemporary issues and trends
in education.

Issues:
something that people are talking about, thinking about, etc. : an important
subject or topic

What is a trend?
A trend is a general direction into which something is changing, developing, or
veering toward. The term may also mean a fashion or craze, i.e., a fad. The verb ‘to trend’
means to develop or change in a general direction. In the world of social media, if
something trends it is the topic of many posts.

It came from the Middle English word ‘Trenden,’ which meant “to revolve, turn, roll
about.” ‘Trenden’ came from the Old English word ‘Trendan,’ which meant “roll,
revolve, turn around.”

Issues and Trends?

Issues are ideas, thoughts, and debates centered on
educational policy and practices. Trends are new, up-and-
coming, and popular educational practices.

What are Issues in Education?

When it comes to education, lots of concerns come up, like where will the money
come from, where will the teachers come from, what curriculum should be used, or
even problems with what books should and should not be allowed. People care
about education, and everyone cares about it in different ways; they also care
about the different aspects of education. Below are some of the common issues in
education. They are issues with standardized testing, inequality in the
education system, and adaptive learning, and what they look like.

Trends
One of the great things about education is that it's reflective. We like our data and
use it to drive smart decisions. What have you heard about as the newest focus and
slant in education? See if your ideas match these.
One of the top trends in postsecondary education is change in the higher
education system. Contributing factors to this trend include the rising cost of
college, increased debt-to-income ratio held by graduates due to college loans, and
the decreased weight of a typical four-year degree. The fact is that a bachelor's
degree is far more expensive to earn and does far less for the graduate in the 'real
world' than in decades past. Now, the latest trend in higher education is NOT to go
to college. New models of post K-12 education are emerging that question the
number of credits needed to graduate and the amount of non-essential classes
necessary. With the rise of online education and students attending junior colleges
and transferring credits, a new form of higher education is on the rise.

Submitted To:
DR. Ashiq Hussain Dogar
Submitted By:
Tamazar Ashiq
Program:
b.Ed (1.5) Evening
Roll #:
bef2100038
Subject:
contemporary Issues & Trends in
Education

Introduction to Trends and Issues

Introduction To Contemporary Issues and
Trends In Education
Definition of Terms Education:
Educationists define education as “an entire process of developing human
abilities, potentials and behavior. It is an organized and sustained instruction
meant to transmit a variety of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for
the daily activities of life”. Education is also a social process in which an
individual attains competence and growth within a selected, chosen and
institutionalized setting. In the broadest sense therefore we shall attempt a
definition of education as “the art that awakens and cultivates cultural
refinement of each individual member of the society according to his/her gifts
and opportunities”. In addition, we can add that education comprises “the
skills that help transmit, preserve and further cultivate the skills in the
experiences of those who inherit them”.
Education trends :
Trends are positive kinds of things that are happening in other words the
patterns that we like to see and continue. The term trends in education refer
to “the general direction in which our present educational systems, policies,
theories and practices are developing or changing”. For any professional
educator it is paramount that he/she is intimately aware of the current trends
with reference to educational theory and practice within the broad context of
social, political, economical, industrial, scientific and technological changes.
Issue:
An issue can be defined as a contentious, controversial, important, key, major,
pressing, sensitive, thorny, unresolved matter. There are many issues in
education that needs to be addressed.

Difference Between Issues & Trends

Trend:
 Providing students with the time and the opportunity to think and be
creative, rather than simply memorizing and repeating information.
 Standardized testing is increasing and inhibiting students from learning
about subjects they are interested in as well as learning about all aspects of
a subject, not just what is being tested.
 TV production at a high school program allows students to advance into
different levels of the course. Many students are very interested in the
subjects and are able to obtain college credit or vocational certification
which places them ahead of other peers. Additionally, they enjoy the
course and do not feel it is an added stress, rather a relief from school
stresses.
 Improving literacy skills via reading and writing email, blogs, and other
telecommunications.
 Students today relate better to the Internet than they do to a textbook. By
allowing students to learn reading and writing skills by reading quality
meaningful content online may help students retain information and be
more interested in learning.
 Many students are use to using ‘texting language’ and not proper English. A
student that uses cell phone language could benefit greatly by learning how
to format and write a proper email. A student can learn a great deal by
reading and writing thank you emails, college application essays etc.
Issue:
 Concern that an increased focus on assessments in English classes is
causing a reduction in the use of assigned reading of full-length novels.
 Much more focus is being placed on reading comprehension and passing
State assessments so students are losing the opportunity to read novels
that help provide vocabulary to students.
 A student that is given the opportunity to read full length novels may learn
to enjoy reading for leisure and read other novels in their free time instead
of playing video games or watching TV.
 Economically and educationally productive ways of bringing blogging,
podcasting, online video, and social networking into the classroom.
 The Internet is the future of our world and more and more web based jobs
are being created. By educating our future leaders in high school it teaches
students practical skills for future careers. More schools should be
equipped with technology equipment and courses for students to learn
about social media.

IFFAT AMTUL
B.Ed 1.5 (Eve)
Bef 2100008

Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar

Topic : Introduction to contemporary issues and trends in education.

Trends

A general direction in which something ids developing or changing an upward trend in sales
and profit margins.
Something that is currently popular or fashionable.
 The increasing use of technology in the classroom in educational institutions.
 The increasing focus on the student-centered approaches in the teaching learning process.
 Parents in Pakistan to admit their children to private schools rather than to public schools.
 New focus on collaboration rather than individualistic learning models.
 The changing role of teachers as facilitators or learning rather than as more disseminates
of knowledge and information.
 Competition among educational institutions.
 English medium institutions.
 Higher academic / professional qualifications for teachers.
 Trend of Higher education (M.phil/Ph.D)
 Changing in evaluation / examination system.
 Changes in syllabi.
 Degree connected to practically.
 Teacher training, E- commerce.
1.Online Learning
To begin with, kicking off the popular trends in education list today is online learning. Due
to Covid-19 effects, over 1.2 billion children are out of school, globally. The lockdown
status occurred and extended in nearly almost the entire map. During the tough time, it is not
possible for teachers and learners to attend face-to-face classes. Many traditional classes
transform into online classes. And online learning seems to be the most productive way to
remain and ensure educational quality. 
2. Distance Learning
Among many global educational trends, distance learning cannot be missed out. At first
glance, some people may think that distance learning is similar to online learning. However,
these modern trends are not exactly the same. Each trend has its own specialist. With remote
learning, learners can get a course in the absence of in-person interactions. This proves that
education can be carried on from distances, no matter where we are. 
3. Blended Learning
Since the growth of technology, blended learning is never out of the popular educational
trends list. With this method, you can make use of both face-to-face and eLearning training
methods. Thanks to that, learners become the center of learning. Meanwhile, teachers play
the role of mentors to orient learners. This modern trend not only boosts learners’ learning
experiences but also wakes their learning motivation up. 
4. Social-emotional Learning (SEL)
Happy schools, happy teachers, happy learners… That’s all things we achieve now! The
more learners are happy, the more prosperous society becomes. However, the fact indicates
many mental health issues that learners have to deal with in modern life. So, what can we do
to improve this situation? Now, give SEL a go. Then, you will see learners’ social
interaction, healthy relationships, and well-informed decisions promoted.
5. Homeschooling
Have you ever heard about homeschooling? Yes, it tends to become one of the popular
trends in recent years. Generally, homeschooling means home education. In other words,
parents educate their children at home rather than sending them to a public or private school.
In this education style, parents now also become teachers. They can create unique curricula
as well as suitable methods for their children.
6. Mobile Learning (m-Learning)
Mobile devices now are essential parts of our day-to-day lives, obviously. We could not
agree more that mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc, benefit us a lot. In
many ways, m-learning can simplify our lives. Hence, m-learning is an ideal way to help
people keep up with the ever-changing world. That’s why it always has a good position at
the top trends in education. 
7. Personalized Learning
In fact, personalized learning is not new but it’s always been a notable trend in education.
As the name suggests, this is a student-centered education. Personalized learning gives
learners chances to raise their voices and choices. That is, they can enjoy learning at their
own pace. If you pay attention to the popular trends in education periods, you’ll see the
name of it surely. People love this learning style since it respects individual differences.

8. Project-based Learning (PBL)

When discussing trends in education, it will be a gap if we don’t refer to PBL. This is also
known as experiential learning. “Knowledge is a consequence of experience”. People cannot
grow up if they just follow the grasp in textbooks, indeed. Global citizens have to
experience the real things in real life. Thanks to that process, they sharpen their skills better
in integrating with society. 
9. Gamification

If you are looking for ways to engage learners, why don’t you apply gamification? Some
confuse the current trend with playing games. But they’re not the same! Basically,
gamification refers to applying the mechanics and theory of games to non-game contexts.
When combining gamification in teaching and learning, learners will be inspired and
motivated to complete their tasks. This is not a new educational trend. But it always gets a
spotlight in education
10. Bite-sized Learning (Microlearning)

Last but not least, bite-sized learning becomes a nice ending for the list of popular trends in
education today. This learning style answers the concern of short-term attention. It is said
that the average student’s attention span is between 10 and 15 minutes. But it seems to
shorten for small children. So, bite-sized learning was born to offer clear and concise
content to learners. Thanks to that, learners may remain 100% attentive during every
learning session.

Issues:
An issue mean a problem , something that is under dispute, something that has arghment
around it.
Something that is impacting something else negatively.
An issue could be something that is impacting the quality of the process or product of
education.
Quality of education
Perceived lack of professionalism of the education stakeholders.
 Government funding for education
 Disciplinary policy
 School safety
 Charter, school and voucher programs
 Technology in education
 Common core
 Standardized testing
 Teaching salaries
 The teaching of evolution
 Teaching tenure
 Bullying
 Poverty
 Class size
 Cultural issues
 Population issues
 Vocational issues
 Parents start compromising with their children.

Difference between Trends and issues:

A trend is something that is currently popular or at a certain point in time.

A trend is a general course in which something tends to stimulate, and a pattern of behavior
demonstrated by a big number of people within a particular period.
For example in the Philippines, there is a trend that restaurants , coffee shops , and other
businesses no longer use plastic straws and replace them with eco-conscious straw less lids
for drinks.

An issue can have the potential to cause harm unlike a problem.

An issue is defines as an important subject that people are arguing about; it is topic that is
worth discussing since it affects our lives or the lives of other people. For example the mass
vaccination program of the government against corona virus.
 Assignment # 1

University of education
Program: B.Ed secondary 1.5 Evening
Semester 3
Session 2021- 2023
Course Code: EDUC 4111
Course: Contemporary Issues and Trends in
Education
Submitted to: Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar
Submitted by: Sheeba Noreen
Roll No. BEF2100078
 Chapter: Introduction to contemporary Issues and Trends in Education

Topic: Meaning, Definition and concept of trend and issues.

Trend and Issues:

Definition:

“Issues are ideas, thoughts, and debates-centred on educational policy and practices.”

 An issue is concerned with one or a few persons of an organization or an institution.

 It can be lengthened or made serious.
 An issue can be complicated but a problem cannot be complicated.
 It does not remain same in the course of time. It can either grow serious or can get light.
 An issue is organizational in character. Issues can be handled privately.
 It can have potential to cause harm, unlike a problem.
 Issues can be recognizable solved. If not solved these can grow in their impact.

“Trends are new, up-and-coming, and popular educational practices.”

 A general direction in which something is changing.

 Something that is currently popular or fashionable.
 A new development in education policies.
 A trend is the latest style of a popular.
With the advancement of technology, the field of education has encountered many
advancements in trends. Modern day education is all about innovation, accessibility and
suitability. From kindergarten to university level, students are encouraged to learn
through interactive and practical tools.

Difference between Trends and Issues

Trends: Trends are the modification, innovation changes and development towards
something ne and different for the betterment of society.

Issues: An issue is concerned with one or a few persons of an organization or an

institution. It can be lengthened or made serious.
University of Education
Division of Education, Lahore
Introduction to Contemporary issues and trends

Submitted to:
Dr. Ashiq Hussain Dogar Division of Education
Submitted by:

Samra Qadeer Roll.no (Bef2100045)

3rd Semester Session (2021.2023)
Division of Education, Lahore
1.1 Meaning, Definition and concept of issues and trends:
1.2Difference between issues and trends:

Meaning, Definition
Issues are ideas, thoughts, and debates centered on educational policy and practices. Trends are new,
up-andcoming, and popular educational practice, Some of the issues receiving the most attention
include the use of standardized testing, equity in education, and the use of adaptive learning in the
class room.

Trends:

Online Learning
To begin with, kicking off the popular trends in education list today is online learning. Due to Covid-19
effects, over 1.2 billion children are out of school, globally. The lockdown status occurred and
extended in nearly almost the entire map. During the tough time, it is not possible for teachers and
learners to attend faceto-face classes. Many traditional classes transform into online classes. And
online learning seems to be the most productive way to remain and ensure educational quality.

Distance Learning
Among many global educational trends, distance learning cannot be missed out. At first glance, some
people may think that distance learning is similar to online learning. However, these modern trends
are not exactly the same. Each trend has its own specialist. With remote learning, learners can get a
course in the absence of in-person interactions. This proves that education can be carried on from
distances, no matter where we are.

Blended Learning
Since the growth of technology, blended learning is never out of the popular educational trends list.
With this method, you can make use of both face-to-face and eLearning training methods. Thanks to
that, learners become the center of learning. Meanwhile, teachers play the role of mentors to orient
learners. This modern trend not only boosts learners’ learning experiences but also wakes their
learning motivation up.

Social-emotional Learning (SEL)

Happy schools, happy teachers, happy learners… That’s all things we achieve now! The more learners
are happy, the more prosperous society becomes. However, the fact indicates many mental health
issues that learners have to deal with in modern life. So, what can we do to improve this situation?
Now, give SEL a go. Then, you will see learners’ social interaction, healthy relationships, and well-
informed decisions promoted.

Homeschooling
Have you ever heard about homeschooling? Yes, it tends to become one of the popular trends in
recent years. Generally, homeschooling means home education. In other words, parents educate their
children at home rather than sending them to a public or private school. In this education style,
parents now also become teachers. They can create unique curricula as well as suitable methods for
their children.

Mobile Learning (m-Learning)

Mobile devices now are essential parts of our day-to-day lives, obviously. We could not agree more
that mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc., benefit us a lot. In many ways, m-
learning can simplify our lives. Hence, m-learning is an ideal way to help people keep up with the ever-
changing world. That’s why it always has a good position at the top trends in education.

Personalized Learning
In fact, personalized learning is not new but it’s always been a notable trend in education. As the name
suggests, this is a student-centered education. Personalized learning gives learners chances to raise
their voices and choices. That is, they can enjoy learning at their own pace. If you pay attention to the
popular trends in education periods, you’ll see the name of it surely. People love this learning style
since it respects individual differences.

Project-based Learning (PBL)

When discussing trends in education, it will be a gap if we don’t refer to PBL. This is also known as
experiential learning. “Knowledge is a consequence of experience”. People cannot grow up if they just
follow the grasp in textbooks, indeed. Global citizens have to experience the real things in real life.
Thanks to that process, they sharpen their skills better in integrating with society.

Gratification
If you are looking for ways to engage learners, why don’t you apply gratification? Some confuse the
current trend with playing games. But they’re not the same! Basically, gratification refers to applying
the mechanics and theory of games to non-game contexts. When combining gratification in teaching
and learning, learners will be inspired and motivated to complete their tasks. This is not a new
educational trend. But it always gets a spotlight in education

Bite-sized Learning (Micro learning)

Last but not least, bite-sized learning becomes a nice ending for the list of popular trends in education
today. This learning style answers the concern of short-term attention. It is said that the average
student’s attention span is between 10 and 15 minutes. But it seems to shorten for small children. So,
bite-sized learning was born to offer clear and concise content to learners. Thanks to that, learners
may remain 100% attentive during every learning session.

Issues:
Government funding for education
On any list of current issues in education, school funding ranks near the top. As you may be aware, the
American public education system comprises primary and secondary schools supported by taxes. Over
90 percent of the funding for public K-12 schools comes from state and local governments. In the wake
of the Great Recession, most states made cuts to funding for schools. That was understandable, since
the bulk of state funding comes from revenues generated by sales and income taxes, both of which
drop in times of recession.

School safety
Over the past several years, a string of high-profile mass shootings in U.S. schools have resulted in
dozens of deaths and led to debates about the best ways to keep students safe. After 17 people were
killed in shootings at a high school in Parkland, Florida, 57 percent of teenagers said they were worried
about the possibility of gun violence at their school.

Disciplinary policies
Data from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights suggests that black students face
disproportionately high rates of suspension and expulsion from school. For instance, in K-12 schools,
black male students make up only 7.7 percent of enrollees but account for over 40% percent of
suspensions. Many people believe some teachers apply the rules of discipline in a discriminatory way
and contribute to what has been termed the "school-to-prison pipeline." That's because research has
demonstrated that students who are suspended or expelled are significantly more likely to become
involved with the juvenile justice system.

Technology in education
Technology in education is a powerful movement that is sweeping through schools nationwide. After
all, today's students have grown up with digital technology and expect it to be part of their learning
experience. But how much of a role should it play in education? Proponents point out that educational
technology offers the potential to engage students in more active learning, as evidenced in flipped
classrooms. It can facilitate group collaboration and provide instant access to up-to-date resources.
Teachers and instructors can integrate online surveys, interactive case studies, and relevant videos to
offer content tailored to different learning styles. Indeed, students with special needs frequently rely
on assistive technology to communicate and access course materials.

Charter schools and voucher programs

School choice is definitely among the hot topics in education these days. U.S. Secretary of Education
Betsy
DeVos was a vocal supporter of various forms of parental choice, including charter schools and school
vouchers.

Charter schools are funded through a combination of public and private money and operate
independently of the public system. They have charters (i.e., contracts) with school districts, states, or
private organizations. These charters outline the academic outcomes that the schools agree to
achieve. Like mainstream public schools, charter schools cannot teach religion or charge tuition, and
their students must complete standardized testing. However, charter schools are not limited to taking
students in a certain geographic area. They have more autonomy to choose their teaching methods.
Charter schools are also subject to less oversight and fewer regulations.
School vouchers are like coupons that allow parents to use public funds to send their child to the
school of their choice, which can be private and may be either secular or religious. In many cases,
vouchers are reserved for low-income students or students with disabilities.

Common Core
The Common Core State Standards is a set of academic standards for math and language arts that
specify what public school students are expected to learn by the end of each year from kindergarten
through 12th grade. Developed in 2009, the standards were designed to promote equity among public
K-12 students. All students would take standardized end-of-year tests and be held to the same
internationally benchmarked standards. The idea was to institute a system that brought all schools up
to the same level and allowed for comparison of student performance in different regions. Such
standards would help all students with college and career readiness. Some opponents see the
standards as an unwelcome federal intrusion into state control of education. Others are critical of the
way the standards were developed with little input from experienced educators. Many teachers argue
that the standards result in inflexible lesson plans that allow for less creativity and fun in the learning
process.

Standardized testing
Some people believe educational reform means making changes to the system to ensure students
from all over the country measure up to the same set of standards. The theory behind standardized
tests is that they provide an objective measure of student performance and help ensure that all
students become proficient in the course material. Standardized testing was meant to hold public
schools accountable if they failed to provide effective instruction to all students. Without such
measures, it was argued, low-income and minority students would fall through the cracks and not
receive the same quality education as their more affluent white counterparts.

Bullying
Bullying continues to be a major issue in schools all across the U.S. According to a National Center for
Education Statistics study, around 22 percent of students in Grades 6 through 12 reported having been
bullied at school, or on their way to or from school, in 2019. That figure was down from 28 percent in
2009, but it is still far too high. Bullied students experience a range of emotional, physical, and
behavioral problems. They often feel angry, anxious, lonely, and helpless. They are frequently scared
to go to school, leading them to suffer academically and develop a low sense of self-worth. They are
also at greater risk of engaging in violent acts or suicidal behaviors.
Meaning, definition and concept of trends and issues

Introduction to
Contemporary Issues
When we are talking about issues and trends, we are going to define issues as ideas, thoughts,
debates centered on educational policy and practices. Contemporary issues such as health,
housing, gender disparity, poverty, pressure group, family and community values affect education
at local, national and international levels. Education also plays a role in addressing these issues.
Definition of Trend
A general direction in which something is developing or changing and upward trend in sales and
profit margins. A general direction of change a way of behaving, proceeding etc that is developing
and becoming more common. A general development or change in a situation or in the way that
people are behaving something that is currently popular or fashionable.

Explanation of Trend
A new development in clothing, makeup etc. a trend is popular at a certain point in time while a
trend usually refers to a certain style, fashion or entertainment. There could be a trend towards
warmer temperatures ( if people are following trends associated with global warming)
A trend simply reflects what seems to be going around at any given time. A trend can be in any
area and doesn’t only reflect fashion, pop culture and entertainment.

Explanation of Trend
There could also be a trend in the stock market to be bullish, depending on economic indicators
or a political trend reflecting a nation’s current mood. Some trends are fun some fabulous some
appalling but however long they last you can be sure there will always be a new trend coming
along to replace the old.

Education trends in Pakistan

The field of education has seen a drastic change in the past two decades. The changing scenario of
world economy and advancement in information and communication and technology has resulted
in the beginning of many new trends in education. Modern day education is all about innovations,
accessibility, and suitability. From kindergarten to university students are encouraged to learn
through interactive and practical tools.

Education trends in Pakistan

Higher education is more career oriented today than ever before. The barriers of time and age
have also been removed while geographical boundaries don’t matter anymore. These
revolutionary trends have benefittef those people who want to get practical knowledge for their
personal and professional growth.
We are highlighting some of the most popular trends in education that can help you to become
the innovative leader the world needs today.

Career Oriented Approach

Educational institutes are more focused now to prepare their students for the job market. Most of
the students prefer schools and universities that are associated with specific disciplines.

Activity Based Learning

Students are encouraged to contribute to learning process through participation in different
activities be it a social grade classroom where knowledge is desired through a sport or fun quiz or
 mock trials at latin schools where students can get real life experience of court proceeding role
playing, case studies projects, presentations and several other tools are used to make the
education process interactive and productive.

Activity Based Learning

In higher level studies role of instructor is also changing from that of an authority in
knowledge to a facilitator for students who promotes seminar like environment in the class
room.

Definition of Issue
An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.
The action of supplying or distributing an item for use, sale for official purposes.

Definition of Issue
An issue is concerned with one or a few person of an organization or an institution. An issue could
be lengthened or more serious. An issue can be complicated but a problem cannot be
complicated. An issue doesn’t remain the same in the course of time. It can either grow serious or
can get light. An issue is organizational in character. It can be handled privately. An issue can have
the potential to cause harm, unlike a problem.