Presented

By

MUHAMMAD ABUBAKAR
ROLL NO. 03
PhD Education

Topic
Futurology and Education
 List of Content
Objectives
Introduction of Futurology
Significance
Emergences of Futurology
 Future Promises and hazards
 Future promises
 Future Hazards

Implications for Education

Future challenges
The future of Education
References
 Objectives
After Studying this unit, students will be able to:
Know about the concept of futurology
Know the emergence of futurology
Understand the Future promises and know about the
hazards
Know about the implications for education
Identify the future challenges
Introduction
Futurology:
One of the major characteristics of modern life is our positive
attitude for planning. Planning involves our perception about
future either on short term or long term basis. Perspective
planning requires a more critical look into the alternative futures
on fairly long term basis. This crucial need of our time has given
rise to a new discipline called Futurology or Future Science. The
study of what could happen in the future is also known as
futurology (Walls, 2017).
 Significance
Man has always wondered about his future. Its promises and hazards
and the ways in which it may affect him in his old age or his future
generations. This has happened all along in the history of mankind.
Sometimes the prophesies made by him about the future have proved to
be true, or partially true or totally irrelevant. This piercing look into
Future has resulted in the production of immense literature in the
known history of mankind. ‘’Utopia’’ may be the best classical example
of a ‘’possible future’’ which never occurred. Other examples of
‘’possible future are novels, short stories, fiction, essays, poems
serious critical appraisals etc.
 Significance Cont…
Unfortunately while the future-oriented developed countries have
not been driven by the sheer forces of circumstances but had
planned for the future and are now prepared to step into the future
with confidence, we as a nation as confronted with the dual task of
clearing the backlog (of so many decades or even centuries) and
entering the future. Obviously nations which have not seriously
attempted to foresee and plan for future, but have thrived on crises
and adhocism, are going to confront a more hazardous future, as
miracles may not be expected in this age of science and technology.
 Emergence of Futurology
Exponents of Futurology and its background:
Future Studies is a relatively new research discipline.
Future education, which started in the United States in the
1960s and has spread to many nations, seeks to enhance
the practice of anticipating attitudes, processes, and
procedures. It enables researchers to make predictions
about far-reaching implications in the future, in addition
to creative visionaries.
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…
Few futuristic authors, such as Richard A. Slaughter (2002), David
Hicks, Ivana Milojevic, Jennifer Gidley, and Alvin Toffler, have
documented the past of future education. In the year 1975, the very
first graduation program in futures studies was originated in the
United States. Shortly after the University of Houston witnessed
the M.S. Program in future studies; after a year Hawaii University at
Manoa introduced Masters program in Public Policy in Alternative
Futures. On the other hand, Taiwan's Tamkang University hosts
the world's largest future studies program (Slaughter, 2002).
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…
In many universities of the world ‘’Futurology’’ has
now emerged as a discipline which is being studied as
such: What are the; philosophical, historical, artistic &
scientific approaches to Future, and what kinds of Futures
emerges out of these approaches has been a constant question
of study.
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…
Kinds of Future:
Norman Henchy, summarizing various approaches and present a schematic
view of the discipline and indicates the possibilities of four kinds of future,
viz:_
1. Possible Future, (what my be),
2. Preferable Future, (what shall be),
3. Probable Future, (what will likely be),
4. Plausible Future, (what could be),
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…
Possible Future:
All possibilities took into account with the goal of developing a broad
understanding of the situation.
Divergent thinking and an expeditionary mindset are appropriate styles for
this type.
Question to Ask: 
Might it happen?
Answer to Expect: 
Yes, the scenario might happen.
 
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…
Preferable Future:
The preferred future state. 
Could be influenced by strategies. 
Used strategic initiatives to fill gaps.
Questions to Ask: 
 What future do I prefer?
 What choices should I make about scope, objectives, and advantage?
 What do I want to happen?
Answer to Expect: 
 This is the scenario that most fits my ambitions and expectations.
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…

Probable Future:
Taking into account the scenarios and possibilities which are most likely to happen
Shaped by the immediate past
Strategic and analytical thinking is used  
Contribution of causal factor to the emerging outcome.

Questions to Ask: 
Which events (that would cause this future) are is most likely? 
What other events need to happen, too? 
Where can we get data to support our assumptions?
How likely is this future to happen?

Answer to Expect: 
We have a systematic understanding of what would cause each scenario, and an estimate of the
probabilities.
 Emergence of Futurology Cont…

Plausible Future:
Apparently trustworthy or believable
Convergent thinking is used.
Possibilities that could happen given the bounds of uncertainty.

Questions to Ask: 
Which future states are feasible, given what we know at present?
What would have to happen for this state to arise?
How does this future state mesh with the founding mission of the organization and the values of
the founders and other stakeholders?
Could it happen?
Answer to Expect: 
Yes, the scenario is plausible
 Future Promises and Hazards
According to Roy (1990), a futurist and president of the
Institute for the Future, "everything you predict is by
definition unpredictable," so our plans to form better ways
of life must be focused on a mix of prediction conceptions
and expectations. The question we must ask is whether we
have the foresight required to provide us with fairly
accurate images of Tomorrow (Coe, Paquet et al., 2001).
 Future Promises and Hazards Cont…
Future Promises:
Under state regulation,
Rising public spending on education and skills
Introduction of the technical and vocational stream.
Improve the scope and quality of education in general, as
well as the scope and quality of science and technical
education in Pakistan.
 Future Promises and Hazards Cont…
Uniformity in Education Standards
Enhancement in Educational Quality
More accessible and relevant skills training .
Removing Financial Barriers
Use of technologies
 Future Promises and Hazards Cont…
Future Hazards:
Government Priorities.
Low budget allocation.
Feudal mentality
Economic pressure.
Lack of oversight.
Corruption.
Indecisive medium of education
Terrorism
 Future Promises and Hazards Cont….
At this stage we may have pause and endeavor to objectively speculate as to what
would be the state of things in our own country around the year (2025) AD,
particularly with regard to:
1. Demographic situation
2. Psychological state of our people
3. Economic conditions
4. Social, cultural, and religious environment
5. Science and technology
6. Communication
 Implications for Education
Let us not forget the fact that education systems of our time are the products of various
crucial developments which occurred in the past. A quick recapitulation of the major
events of the past seems to be necessary to reinforce our thinking on the subject,
which are:
 Schools were invented in Summer in 2500 B.C
 Teachers contracts in 445 B.C
 State support for schools in 75 A.D
 Licensed teachers in 362 A.D
 Schedule of teachers salaries in 376 A.D
 Teacher training in 1672
 Classroom instruction in 18684
 Implications for Education Cont…
 Vocational education in 1695
 Compulsory attendance in 1717
 Adult schools in 1763
 Public schools in 1763
 Kindergartens in 1837
 Formal steps in teaching in 1838
 Educational test in 1845
 Guidance counselors in 1909
 Teacher aides in 1953
 Educational Television in 1956
 Programmed instruction in 1957
 Computer assisted instruction in 1960
 Future Challenges
Under the Future Challenges, the text entitled ‘’Learning to be’’
enumerates the following trends which are bound to influence the
process of education:
1. Development in science and technology
2. Gaps in economic growth
3. Unemployment
4. Environmental/Ecological disequilibrium
5. Discoveries and researches in various disciplines.
 Future Challenges Cont….
How these developments are likely to influence the
pedagogical process is summarized in the following sections
of the text:
1. Pedagogy, ancient art and modern science
2. Theory and Technology of Communication
3. Intellectual revolution
4. Integrating technology into the system
 Future Challenges Cont….
Let us determine the economic changes (suggested by Coombs) to our own situation. Whether these
changes are equally valid in the context of our own country in the present times.
These changes are:
1. Shift in national economies from an era of pervasive educated manpower shortages to one
of manpower surpluses.
2. Major shift in the pattern of international manpower flows (brain drain and guest workers
etc.).
3. Sharp rise in oil prices and the sever world wide recession and accelerated inflation.
4. The advancing technologies and changing economic structures.
We may conduct similar exercises with regard to political and demographic changes suggested
by Coombs with their impact on education.
 The Future of Education
Approaches towards the exploration of Future:
There are various approaches towards the exploration of
future but two general approaches which are more relevant to
education are:
1. Normative approach: (seeking the desirable future)
2. Objective approach: (seeking the probable and possible
future)
 The Future of Education
1. Normative approach:
The normative approach  is a value based approach. It is a much narrower aspect
of that unstructured look into the future. The statement of the goal itself must
be realistic and take into account a general awareness of present and future
circumstances, resources, social, scientific, and technological contexts, etc.
2. Objective approach:
Objective approach means having due regard for the known valid evidence
(relevant facts, logical implications and viewpoints and human purposes)
pertaining to that matter. If relevant valid evidence is denied or falsified,
an objective approach is impossible
 The Future of Education
A UNESCO Regional meeting held in Bankok from 2 nd to 8th November, in
1983. The report of the meeting delineates the details of the issues and
themes identified for the region and the manner in which these themes will
be implemented through:_
1. Organizations and structures
2. Interaction between political and education
3. Curriculum
4. Resources for futures education
5. Personnel for futures education
 References
 APEID-UNESCO. ‘’Futures and Education’’ (chapter on Issues & Themes for the
Region), Report of the meeting held from 2nd to 8th November ,1983, UNESCO.
Regional Office, Bangkok, 1984.
 Coe, A., Paquet, G., & Roy, J. (2001). E-governance and smart communities: a
social learning challenge. Social science computer review, 19(1), 80-93.
 Coombs, Philip H., The World Crisis in Education , Oxford University press,
New York, 1985.
 Family Planning Association of Pakistan, Pakistan 2001 A.D., FPAP, Lahore,
1987
 Faure, Edgar et. El: Learning to be, Unesco, Paris, 1972. (pp. 87_133).
 I.B.E., UNESCO, The Future of Education, IBE, UNESCO, Paris, 1981.
 References Cont….
‘’Now what it use to be’’ from the Future, July_August, 1985.
‘’Robots in our boots’’ from the Future, July_August, 1985.
Roy,A.(1990). The second Decade. Menlo park,CA: Institute for the future
Slaughter, R. A. (2002). New thinking for a New Millennium: The knowledge
base of futures studies, Routledge.
‘’Towards a Third Wave Civilization’’ from the Future, July_August, 1984.
Toffler Alvin ‘’Future Shock’’ Bantam. 1971
‘’The art of Prophesies’’ from the Future, May_June, 1986.
Walls, L. D. (2017). Henry David Thoreau: A Life, University of Chicago Press
‘’Ways to think about the Future.’’ from the Future, Jan_Feb., 1985
Thank you!
Any Question!