This course focuses on problems, issues, and trends in education. It explores critical issues and reforms that have led to paradigm shifts in education's aims, processes, and delivery. The course objectives are for students to discuss identified education problems and issues, establish the relevance of new directions to learners' needs, analyze critical education issues and problems, reflect on lifelong learning philosophy, and analyze different trends' effectiveness and relevance to instructional problems. The course covers topics like multi-grade teaching, learner-centered instruction, learning disabilities, alternative education systems, indigenous education, distance learning, and teaching diversity.

1. SPECIAL TOPICS
EDUC 226
Prepared by: JOSE DAKILA N. ESPIRITU Ph.D.

2. COURSE DESCRIPTION
• This course focuses on some
problems, issues, trends related to the
field of education. This allows students to
have a wider knowledge and perspective of
the teaching profession through
attendance and conduct of seminars on the
latest trends in education. It explores
emerging concern, new directions, and
reforms through examining the critical
issues and problems that brought about
the different paradigm shifts and
transformations currently found in the
aims, processes and delivery of education.

3. COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, the students should be
able to:
1. Demonstrate competence in discussing identified
problems and issues in education.
2. Establish the relevance of the new directions and
trends in education to the present day needs of
the learners and society.
3. Analyze the critical issues and problems in
education.
4. Reflect on the philosophy of lifelong learning as
sets of goals, procedures and values.
5. Demonstrate social awareness and responsibility
in analyzing the effectiveness and relevance of
the different trends to the problems in
instruction.

4. LEARNING CONTENTS
SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. TEACHING MULTI – GRADE CLASSES
2. LEARNER – CENTERED INSTRUCTION
3. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
4. LEARNING DISABILITIES
5. ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION
6. TEACHING INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
7. SERVICE LEARNING
8. DISTANCE LEARNING
9. TEACHING IN DIVERSITY
10.UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN

5. REFERENCES
• Bender, William N. (2008). Learning Disabilities:
Characteristics, Identification and Teaching Strategies. Boston:
Pearson / Allyn and Bacon.
• Berman, Sally. (2006). Service Learning: A Guide to
Planning, Implementing, and Assessing Student Projects.
Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press.
• Drake, Susan M. (2007). Creating Standards – based
Integrated Curriculum: Aligning
Curriculum, Content, Assessment, and Instruction. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Stone, Randi. (2005). Best Classroom Management Practices
for Reaching all Learners: What Award – Winning Classroom
Teachers Do. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press.
• Berg, Gary A. (2002). Why Distance Learning? Higher
Administrative Practices. Westport: Praeger.
• Picciano, Anthony G. (2001). Distance Learning: Making
Connections Across Virtual Space and Time. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.