UGC Sponsored Teacher's Orientation Program

My Experience: 99^th Orientation Program at ASC, University of Mumbaii

I participated in orientation program out of compulsion as it is the prime requirement for increments in my teaching career but my experience at the 99^th Orientation Program conducted between 14^th September 2011 to 12^th October 2011 by UGC Academic Staff College, University of Mumbai could change my entire outlook regarding these kinds of UGC sponsored program. The programme was meticulously planned with eagle’s eye and systematically executed without a single error throughout the four week. The advanced notifications of all the sessions, the active supporting staff, the availability of resources and participatory role of The Hon. Director, Dr. Shanti helped in mental preparations and in smooth conductance of all the sessions.

In the past two decades the academic domain especially teaching and learning has been undergone tremendous changes and transformations in terms of the quality of students, the availability of teaching aids, rise of market driven courses, demand for research, shifts in policies of higher education, social responsibilities of teachers as well as students, the need of value education, the system of evaluation and etc. in this context, this programme was very much helpful in understanding the minute details. Also, it helped in apprehending the need to manifest the sustainable up gradation and inculcation of innovative methods in teaching and learning.

I gained information: of advanced Teaching techniques, teaching methods, system of higher education, evaluation methods, New Education Policies and their possible Implications, environmental issues, stress management, moral and social values; knowledge: Experience, interaction, discussions and guidance of the distinguished resource persons and fellow teacher participants led to clarity of knowledge; techniques: microteaching techniques, teaching methods, computer based learning and general teaching techniques, techniques to manage the stress, techniques to develop the content and etc.; and self realization: assertion of confidence in me, recognizing inner competencies, need of motivation within and towards students, values, recognizing one’s responsibilities , need to take efforts for creating role model and etc.

The sessions on Teaching learning methods, Micro Teaching, Computer Practical, Web Resources, Field Visit, Cyber Laws and Security, e-Content Development, Stress Management, Consumers Rights and Responsibilities, Environmental Issues using Remote Sensing, Home Grown Six Sigma Miracle were impressive sessions in my opinion as they were informative, interactive and boosting but the sessions on  Research Methodology and …….., Credit based System, Idea of India, Identity……, evaluative methods were in my opinion not so impressive as resource persons could hardly create interest and understanding.

I was practicing many of the skills trained in this program and strategies based on my interaction with students and fellow colleagues in our academic circle since my appointment but this program sharpened these skills especially the micro teaching methods, e-content development, inter disciplinary approach to teaching, value based teaching, management of stress and presentation skills with the help of various teaching aids. Now, I am sure my attitude of demonstrating, caring and kindness, sharing responsibilities, sensitivity in accepting diversities, fostering individual instruction and encouraging creativity and research will surely make me different to my students.

But, I fear lack of teaching aids, lackadaisical behaviour of Management and Principal, lack of enough space and resources and lack of encouragement will certainly hamper my implementation of these skills. When I resumed my college duties after successful completion of orientation program, I submitted my report on my participation in orientation so that my Principal will read the report and will help me in implementation of what I learnt but our Principal told me without reading a single line of my report that nobody gives these kinds of reports and asked her clerk to file it. I felt it very discouraging but convincing myself in a moment, I thought I must keep endeavoring new things in my teaching career. Therefore, I could start my own blog addressing www.satyahanegave.blogspot.com to reach my students and teaching comrades and also I have constituted a committee of ten students to help me in video recording of lectures so that I can upload the video on net. I now spend a lot of time in my institute with students in learning to understand their problems and address them.

The techniques like Power Point Presentation, Web Resources, E-content development, photo editing, video editing, audio editing and overall presentation with the use of graphs, charts, maps, colours, animations, sounds, signals, tables, etc. helped me learning the beautiful computer aided techniques. The field visit to Children’s Aid Society and Govt. of Maharashtra Forensic Lab sensitized me more towards existing social, economical and health issues. I could visualize that the methods to tackle it are not beyond the reach of human being as one need to play a pivotal role in bringing the student and teachers together either in an individual capacity or in a group, so that some programmes in developing supporting system either in the form of projects, case studies, research projects and participation can be worked out.

I feel the ASC can also expand the scope of this program by bringing out an interaction with entrepreneurs/industrialists, the representative/s of management, policy makers and representatives of apex administrative body which in turn will  help in sensitising the issues and problems that teachers face and have been facing.

I request UGC to take up these programmes not only once in lifetime of a teacher but at least once in 5 years for short duration.