Teaching is my profession and it is in a kind of crisis. Indeed, my students struggle with broken learning processes, teachers struggle with defective delivery process. Let me elaborate and provide evidence. In a semester long course though designed for continuous learning students show peak learning efforts during and around 3 IAs and final exams. On the other hand, teachers deliver each class as if students are eagerly waiting for immediate learning. This is a serious synchronization challenges for both students as well as teacher. On student's side, the teacher's delivery becomes a kind of non-stop noise or sahasra nama and for a teacher it is a kind brochure reading in front of a uninterested customer. NO teacher nor the students want any of these situations, but with current teaching/learning processes most of them are unavoidable.
Now I wish to attack this challenge face on. In other words, I wish to synchronise teaching delivery with learning consumption. In this regards, kindly ponder over the following questions and send your answers.
- What exactly is learner's problem?
- How can teacher solve it completely?
- How can teacher minimize student's total efforts of consumption and make it hassle free?
- How do I provide exactly what student's want?
- How do I deliver vlaue where he wants it?
- How do I reduce his efforts to solve his learning probem?
I shall be pondering over these issues for some time. Please do send u r points and pointers.
You are right in recognising the problem at both ends - the students' side related to the 'Broken or Discontinuous Learning' and the Teachers' dilemma about the Delivery aspect being effective and engrossing.
ReplyDeleteTo me this appears to be more of a Demand Supply issue where the Demand is the 'Push' from the Student side and the Supply comes traditionally as a response from the Teacher side.
I suppose the issue could be addressed by creating a 'Pull factor' through innovative methods of Teaching and making the entire process more Play than serious Work! Something on the lines of what the Art Teacher does in Tare Zameen Par.
As opined by me in another Blog, Classroom Learning is just one of the Channels for imparting Learning / Knowledge. Students prefer this mode/channel only in and around Examination time (just to develop proximity and visibility with the Teacher). This they feel is politically right! Else, they do have other Learning channels like the Library, Peer Study Groups, Internet Browser, Forums, Communities, etc.
Perhaps the recommended approach would be to fine-tune on the Class Room Delivery channel thereby creating a 'Pull factor' to entice the students to the classroom and ask for more!
Of course, this is a continuous improvement methodology and there can be no short-cuts or ready-made solution or cure to this malady.
Arun Chandrasekhar
TCS Limited, Hyderabad
6th January 2009.
Hello sir,
ReplyDeleteThe learners might have numerous problems, inablity to concentrate for a long stretch, lack of interest in the subject being taught, being the prominent ones. There need not be long hectic marathon classes, but just the required hours of quality teaching. I think every teacher has his/ her own way of teaching, but the one thing every teacher should do is try and make the class interesting. Holding the attention of say 50 students for an hour can be a challenge as every student will be different.
Having an interactive class is good, where you are discussing the topics with students and asking for their opinion. Punishng students or yelling at them is outdated, it will no way help anyone. The key is to maintain a cordial friendly relations with the students so they will not hesitate in approaching you. Give them challenging assignments, it is not always necessary to talk about whats in the text book, you can make the class more intersting if can explain the practical implications of the subject and how it will impact the students life. i am stating this because when a student sits in the class, the question that crosses his mind is, " Why I am studying this?". The answers can be numerous, ranging from short term goals like getting enough content to get through the upcoming IA to actually WANTING to know more about the subject. The key I think lies in making the students believe that what they are listening to will help them in the future at the same time will help them score marks.
Effective eye contact, command over language, a clear tone and good rapport with the students can also go a long way in helping make the class interesting.
I also think that more people should get into teaching profession.