“Students, teachers and the contents of the course/ subject matter (as decided and monitored for its effective delivery by the institutional authorities) constitute the three centers in a teaching and learning environment. An amicable tripartite agreement between these three centers arrived at, for the smooth delivery of the knowledge, by the teacher to the student is called as TEACHING METHODOLOGY.  Basing on the level of the students and the rigor of the subject matter, various teaching methodologies have to be followed by the teachers on a DYNAMIC BASIS. The swift decisions taken and implemented by academicians in teaching departments in this direction can quickly transform departments and the institutions into centers of excellence in teaching, learning and training of the manpower needed to sustain and enhance the Global Economies.”In a process of helping the academicians at the department of applied sciences, in embracing the effective strategies involved in teaching and learning, basing on the requirements that are identified after a thorough review on the staff appraisals undertaken during the AY 2014-15, Dr. Sindhu Menon, HoS of Chemistry requested the Staff Development Committee for a seminar/presentation on the teaching methodologies. Acting upon the requirement, the Staff Development and orientation co-ordinator, Dr. C. Rama Chandra Prabhu requested the HoD of the Department of Applied Sciences, Dr. Samiya Al-Jaaidi to invite the HoD of Pharmacy, Dr. S. K. Sridhar, a senior academician, researcher and an administrator to give a guest lecture on “Teaching methodologies and tips on effective teaching”.

Dr. Samiya Al-Jaaidi, HoD of Department of Applied Sciences, invited Dr. S. K. Sridhar, HoD of Pharmacy to deliver the guest lecture on 18-02-2016 from 2-00 pm to 3-00 pm in the departmental seminar room (M316). The presentation was organized into three major segments: Introduction, teaching and some aspects of effective teaching. Starting with a Chinese Proverb “A thousand teachers – a thousand methods”, Dr. Sridhar introduced the need for using various teaching methodologies in different situations. While explaining the art and craft of teaching, he had motivated the audience by choosing the popular quote of Late. Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” and impressed the audience with the well celebrated idea that “teaching creates all other professions”.

While explaining the aspects of effective teaching, Dr. Sridhar systematically presented on the need for the following
•Personality Factor
•Attitude towards the profession
•Linguistic competence
•Professional knowledge
•Instructional effectiveness.

The usage of the general statement, given by the great American psychiatrist, Late. Karl Augustus Menninger:  “What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches” by Dr. Sridhar, while explaining the Personality Factor was very catchy.  Dr. Sridhar was successful in presenting the right body language to be used by a teacher while delivering the lecture.  The ideas presented by the presenter on  active movement, good eye contact, good posture, impressive pace, encouraging gestures and the need for the teacher to be “visually vibrant” were well received by the audience.

Dr. Sridhar was very clear while presenting some tips on the need for acquiring the professional knowledge by the teachers and was appreciated by the audience while he had made a contextual statement that “The quality of a product can never excel beyond the quality of its creator”.

His suggestion that “The only formula to acquire professional knowledge is to try, try, try, try, etc. by all means possible. Your outputs would reveal the efforts towards betterment” was impressive.

The Staff Development and orientation co-ordinator, Dr. C. Rama Chandra Prabhu had formally introduced the speaker to the audience in the beginning of the talk. At the end of the presentation, Dr. Prabhu had respectfully presented a token of appreciation to Dr. S. K. Sridhar, HoD of Pharmacy, on behalf of the HoD, the Departmental Council and all the staff of the department of applied sciences. The feedback given by the participants gave an evaluation average of 4.4 for this event with almost 20% attendance of the teaching staff.  This session was successful and met all the objectives.

Please click here to view the photos from the event

PHOTOS CREDIT:
Mr. Ulyssess Andres