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This research attempted to explore the role of self-assessment (SA) as a professional development (PD) strategy to bring about continuous professional development of English language teachers in job-embedded environment. The crux of this research lies in the fact that teachers’ professional development is usually influenced by many external factors, but its desire gusts from inner self. If a teacher does not have a keen desire for self-development, he/she cannot grow professionally, no matter how perfect and supportive the external environment and supervising measures are. In this sense, self-development is the basic motive which brings about professional development, and self-assessment paves the way towards it. The researchers adopted a pragmatic paradigm and explanatory sequential design. To collect data, the Self-assessment Instrument of Teaching Practice (SAITP) was designed to make English language teachers (ELTs) self-assess their teaching practice. After that, ELTs were made to express their views regarding this self-assessment practice on an ELTs’ attitude survey designed by the researchers. In the next stage, a semistructured interview session was conducted with the selected ELTs who have already given their responses on SAITP and attitude survey, to get a detailed picture of their mind. For analyses of quantitative data, descriptive and inferential statistics were applied; for qualitative data, a content analysis technique was used. At the end, both quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated to draw conclusions. Findings showed that self-assessment plays an important role in the professional development of English language teachers. It is more effective than traditional professional development programs. This study paves the way for self-assessment and self-development culture in teacher community.

Students' proper use of oral and written communication plays a vital role in elevating their performance at the higher education level. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the interplay of these communication types with the performance of undergraduates. A five point Likert-type scale was administered on a sample of 540 Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan enrolled in the BS program of three faculties (Social Sciences, Sciences, and Languages). Students' performance was assessed by their CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) in previous semesters, further correlated with their communication skills. All respondents were selected from three semesters of the BS program from twelve departments whose total population was two thousand two hundred and twenty-nine. For the analysis of data, mean and standard deviation were used as descriptive statistics, while Pearson's Product Moment and one-way ANOVA were used as inferential statistics. After analysis, a statistically significant positive correlation between CGPA and written communication was revealed However, no statistically significant interplay was found between CGPA and oral communication. It was found that there is no statistically significant difference in mean scores of students of different faculties on oral and written communication. Keywords: Interplay, Oral, Written Communication, Performance, Undergraduates

The main purpose of the present study is to observe need assessment for guidance and Counseling services and its existing status at secondary level in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Furthermore, it was important to identify the most common problems faced by the students at secondary level. The present study was delimited to different public and private sector secondary schools of districts including Multan, Khanewal and Lodhran from the province of Punjab. Target Population of the study was consisted of forty (40) secondary schools, out of which twenty (20) public and twenty (20) private sector secondary schools. Total three hundred and ten (310) students were taken as a sample by using simple random sampling technique by using table of random numbers. A Questionnaire was developed as research tool which was based upon five points (05) Likert-type scale to collect quantitative data. After data collection, data was coded to analyze by using SPSS software. The results of the present study showed that there was a need to introduce guidance and Counseling services at secondary school level to address the students’ dire needs. Moreover, orientation programs are needed to arrange for teachers to provide professional training about these services. It was also recommended that guidance and Counseling services are the best solution to resolve personal, psychological & educational problems, source of educational, professional & personality growth, development and motivation towards their studies.

The present article represents the most operational and implacable indicators for the transformation of peace in the universities of Pakistan. The main objective of the study is to find out the major hurdles that educational institutions are facing in the way of the development peace culture. Furthermore, this study provides the highlights for the peace development in the universities. The qualitative analysis was used to collect the opinions of the respondents. For this purpose, a semi-structured interview was designed for the public university heads/chairman of different social sciences departments. Moreover, the data were analyzed with NVIVO that used for the in-depth thematic analysis and presents in the form of a word cloud (MADQDA 18). The study findings, however, show that the universities are facing different dimensions that are related to teacher competency, student behaviors, and social influences. The study further recommended, that according to the indicators there is a need to plan flexible and operational strategies to overcome the hurdles that are creating unrest in the educational institutions, there is space to work on teachers and students relationship, develop moral and valued based class environment and involve students in creative and productive activities for the peaceful setting in the present phenomena.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) markedly focused on access to education for all through poverty elevation. All nations and especially developing countries like Pakistan had responded positively to achieve these MDGs. Afterward, UNO announced sustainable development goals(SDGs) agenda of 2030, fourth goal of which was about the quality of education in higher education institutes (HEIs).In this relation, the focus of present research was to analyze current implementations by institutes of higher education for imparting “quality education to promote life-long learning for all” under guidelines of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. Therefore, it is important to ensure sustainability in providing quality education to future generations. For conducting this study, a qualitative approach was adopted to get opinions from the heads of departments about measures taken for sustainability. Population of this study comprised all the heads of the departments from all faculties of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. Whereas, sample consisted nineteen (19) heads from Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, using purposive sampling technique. For data collection purposes, an open-ended semi structured interview protocol was developed, consisting of six questions. Thematic analysis technique was adopted to analyze the opinions of all heads of the departments to achieve SDGs to enhance quality of higher education. Results of study showed that most heads agreed to implement sustainable goals at university level within their capacity. Moreover, the lack of resources and expertise were the major obstacles for implementing these goals in their institutes. Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals, Quality Education, Higher Education

Several factors are important determinants of students achievement. Students positive perceptions about these factors contribute to their achievement. Considering importance of students perceptions about themselves, teachers support, and institutional climate in influencing their academic achievement, this study specifically examines students perceptions about themselves as learners, teachers support, and institutional climate for predicting their achievement. This research employed survey and correlational research designs. For this research, 372 students were randomly selected as a sample using cluster and stratified random sampling techniques. For data collection in this study, a questionnaire was adapted from Donahue (1994). For data analysis, both descriptive and inferential statistics were used, with help of SPSS. It was concluded from multiple regression analysis that university students achievement (i.e., dependent variable) can be significantly predicted from their self-perceptions, teachers support and institutional climate (i.e., independent variables).

Conceptions of learning determine students’ ways to learn, motivations and expectations in schools. Conceptions have potential to understand and mold their learning behaviors at schools. Certain types of conceptions of learning appear obvious feature of students performing poorly in schools. Literature suggests that students’ conceptions of learning are affected by students’ social and cultural backgrounds. Students in underdeveloped, minority and Asian social and cultures have quite different conceptions than the students in developed countries. In Pakistani public school, most students are from the lower socio-economic background. Available literature reports drill, memorization, and external regulation of learning and lack of adequate motivation to learn in students of these schools, which signpost undesired conceptions of learning. The current study deals with the students studying in Pakistani schools to determine and understand their conception of learning. A qualitative data collection approach was used to collect the data from the respondents. An approach of applied thematic analysis used reduced qualitative data into themes, sub-themes and into sub-sub-themes. The thematic analysis corroborated Pakistani secondary school science students’ intake of knowledge and cooperation conceptions of learning. The findings were in line to various studies on Asian students. The high failing rate at secondary school level in science education in Pakistani schools is congruent to presence of intake of knowledge and cooperation conceptions of learning.

This research aimed at investigating the assessment procedures for evaluating the prospective teachers' abilities, developed through the new B.Ed. (Hons.)/ADE curriculum in teacher education institutions of Baluchistan, this research study will also highlights the emerging problems in the use of new modern assessment procedures. The research was conducted in seven Teacher Training institutions of Baluchistan. The data was collected through the survey questionnaire, based on a pilot project, from the seven Heads of the institutions and the nine Teacher Educators/school (N#70), involved in teaching different courses of B.Ed. (Hones.)/ADE at different semesters. Focus group discussion with head and nine teacher educators/institution was also conducted. The quantitative and qualitative data from two instruments helped in-depth understanding of the assessment procedure and the emerging problems. The results showed that teacher educators are trying to implement the new competency-based curriculum and are engaged in using interactive and innovative teaching pedagogies suggested in the new curriculum of B.Ed.(Hons.) / ADE program. But they feel difficulty to assess the content knowledge and skills developed among the prospective teachers through this new curriculum. Teacher educators feel difficulty in the use of modern assessment procedures. They are still focusing the paper-pencil test. Teachers lack competencies to assess students’ actual strengths and learning needs, they don’t, know how to measure cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives. Teacher educators also face problems to make judgments on students’ learning through formative assessment.

Didactical strategies are one of the most influential vehicles that directly contribute to transforming knowledge. Varying types of didactical approaches are being adopted and implemented in the preparation of future teachers in the initial teacher education set up. The current conceptual paper is based on rigorous literature review on the typologies of didactical strategies adopted in the initial teacher education. The purpose of this conceptual and theoretical study is to evaluate and contrast varying didactical approaches while navigating through literature. The study also aims at exploring the interrelationship of didactical approaches with teacher cognitions i.e., teacher pedagogical beliefs. The methodology of this study based on the selection of six types of didactical strategies by Van De Grift (2007) and to compare and contrast them with other typologies available in literature and to explore the interrelationship with teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. The study concludes that the varying typologies of didactical strategies are being adopted and implemented in the ITE set up and these strategies have strong relationship with teacher’s pedagogical beliefs. The study recommends that the teachers’ cognitions i.e., teachers’ pedagogical beliefs may be included in the curriculum when preparing future teachers in the initial teacher education setting. These findings are substantial for policy makers, curriculum developers, head teachers, and other stakeholders in the initial teacher education.

The present study was conducted to investigate teachers’ use of classroom motivationalstrategies during their teaching to secondary school science classes. Motivationalstrategies are always helpful for the teachers in the classroom to achieve their goals. Themain objective of the study was to determine the motivational classroom strategies usedby secondary school science teachers during their science lessons. The study was limitedto collect data from secondary school science teachers who were teaching to grade 9thand 10th science students. The study was descriptive and a questionnaire comprising 25closed ended statements was developed on 5 point Likert type scale to collect the datafrom 256 secondary school science teachers teaching science subjects in secondaryschools of two districts of Multan division; Multan and district Vehari. The results ofpresent study showed that teacher motivation is related to teachers’ use of motivatingstrategies, which in turn are related to student motivation. It was also noticed thatEnglish medium school teachers use these strategies more frequently as compared toUrdu medium schools teachers. Gender wise analysis also revealed that male teachersare more frequent and enthusiastic to use motivational strategies in their scienceclassroom as compared to female science teachers.