Innovations by the Faculty in Teaching and Learning

1. Display of lecture synopsis:

Goal: To make the learning more interactive, understandable, participative and facilitating; the practice of display of lecture synopsis is imperative.

Context and Practice: The faculty of this college designs a concise abstract/ synopsis of every lecture. A synopsis covers the gist of lectures elaborating salient features. The synopsis is supplemented with relevant references for the learners and ultimately displayed on the notice board prior to the scheduled time of the lecture. This enables students to get advanced information of the lecture and students find sufficient time for referencing and self study. This stimulates interactive learning and also promotes better understanding, deep insight and indepth knowledge of the subject. This practice nurtures self learning and enhances the level of understanding among students. The above practice also catalyzes critical, creative, integrative imagination and thinking out-of the box.  

Evidence of Success: The lecture is made more meaningful and interactive to facilitate the process of learning. The students have developed analytical skills, cognitive skills and an innate passion for learning. The above practice has given a boost for the continuous improvement of the academic results.

Problem encountered and resources required: The faculty needs additional efforts to design the synopsis and to create awareness among the students regarding synopsis. The faculty is involved in interactive learning to facilitate the learning process. Moreover, additional library facilities are required with extended period of time for reference work.

DISPLAY OF LECTURE SYNOPSIS

The college has adopted following innovative methods to enhance learning competence of the students.
Teaching Learning and Evaluation Process: Teaching Learning process is complemented by the use of flash-cards and summary cards.

Use of Flash Cards: During regular teaching, flash cards are provided to the students. A flash card is having a printed question on one side and its answer on the reverse side. The students are provided with flash cards and one of the students asks the question to get the relevant answer. The students apply their mind and try to give relevant answer. Later on students are asked to verify the answer printed on the other side of flash card. By using flash card method, it is revealed that students’ understanding is enhanced and they also develop logical thinking.

Use of summary cards: Summary cards consist of highlights of the topics which give overview of information of a topic. The students refer these summary cards to get precise and concise information of that particular topic and revise their memory. The use of flash cards and summary cards have stimulating effect on teaching learning process and students are tempted to use flash cards and summary cards to make learning process more easy.

SUMMARY CARD AND FLASH CARD

Continuous improvement through mentoring process: The college follows the process of mentoring to slow learners. The slow learners are identified by respective teachers depending upon their performance in the sessional examinations. Faculty members have been assigned 15-20 students for mentoring. The faculty shares his personnel and professional experiences with slow learners and mentors a student for their overall development. The slow learners therefore, are consistently encouraged, inspired and motivated for improvement and ultimately they are brought back into the flow. By and large, the mentoring has profound impact on the continuous improvement of slow learners.

Feedback system: The college is poised to take feedback of the faculty and institute from the students through vmedulife portal. Students’ feedbacks are analyzed and improvement plans are initiated. The Principal reviews and discusses feedback with teachers in a confidential manner. The lacunas and weak points are analyzed and corrective actions are taken. Faculty appraisal is also used as an additional tool to reform the teaching-learning process.

Problem Based Learning: Teaching learning process is made effective, impactful by incorporating innovative problem based learning tool, in which problems/case studies are given to the students to boost inquisitiveness.

2. Inculcation of research aptitude:

Goal: To develop inquisitiveness, research mind, problem solving, decision making and application oriented learning, research aptitude is inculcated in the students.

Context and Practice:
The students have been permitted to carry out the project work of industrial relevance by using sophisticated equipments. The students do publish their research work along with faculty in reputed journals. Moreover, the research work carried out in the project is presented in research project competitions organised by the Savitribai Phule University of Pune, Indian Pharmaceutical Congress and in various intercollegiate competitions. This promotes confidence, competence, decision making and problem solving skills of the students. The college lays stress on e-learning like NPTEL, Bentham journal, N Digital online library, e-books, e-journals etc. The library has audio-visual room for video lectures.  

Evidence of Success:

STUDENTS PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH

E VIDEOS AVAILABLE ONLINE

STUDY MATERIAL (PPT) PREPARED AND UPLOADED BY FACULTY ON SLIDESHARE