Report

Regional Workshop on Research Based Pedagogical Tools

Shri Shivaji Science College, Amravati has always played a pioneer role in academics, research and extension activities. It is actively involved in organizing conferences, workshops and seminars to enhance our education system and provide the opportunity to our students to explore by their own. There is a dearth of good teachers who can ensure quality education and come forward to face the challenges in education. With this context “The Regional pedagogy workshop for undergraduate and post graduate science and mathematics teachers” was organized at Shri Shivaji Science College, Amravati, Maharashtra from 26th to 28th June. This workshop was supported by MHRD, DST, DBT and IISER Pune. The workshop was designed to train the teachers to use research based pedagogical tools (RBPT) in the classrooms to augment critical thinking and research skills. It has introduced research based pedagogical tools that focus on the process of science rather than facts. This new approach to teaching can improve the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate education. This was also an opportunity for professional development of all the teachers and chance to interact with their counterparts from various colleges and educational experts from India and learn from each other’s experiences.

The participants were selected by IISER, Pune. The applicants were also asked to submit the abstract about why they want to attend this workshop? After the scrutiny in total 60 lecturers from five different universities of Maharashtra have been selected to attend the workshop and they have participated in three days of training programme. The participants trained in previous national level workshops by a team of experts from UK were the trainers for this workshop. On 26th June 2018 the registration of the participants started at 9:00 am in the morning. All the participants even though travelled from distant places were present on time at the venue. The workshop was inaugurated at the hands of Hon’ble Dr. MuralidharChandekar, Vice-Chancellor, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati in the Sir C. V. Raman Hall of Shri Shivaji Science College. The inaugural ceremony was chaired by Hon’ble DilipbabuIngole, Treasurer of Shri Shivaji Education Society, Amravati and among the other dignitaries on the dais were Dr. VaraprasadKolla, Professor and Head, School of Life Sciences, ITM University, Raipur as a Lead trainer, Dr. Shilpa Jain, Programme manager, CoESME, Pune, Dr. V. G. Thakare, Principal, Shri Shivaji Science College and Dr. Dinesh Khedkar, organizing secretary RBPT workshop. The Convener of the workshop Dr. V. G. Thakare delivered his welcome speech which was followed by an introductory speech by Dr. Shilpa Jain, to brief about the role of CoSME and aim of organizing the workshop. In his inaugural speech Dr. MuralidharChandekar, Vice-Chancellor, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati reiterated the need to find solutions to the challenges in the field of education. He had given emphasis on student centered education system. In his presidential address Hon’ble DilipbabuIngole, Treasurer of Shri Shivaji Education Society, Amravati had focused on the issues related with the current education system and specially emphasized on role of teachers to face the challenges and improve our education system. The inaugural ceremony was anchored by Dr. Dinesh Khedkar, organizing secretary of RBPT workshop. The inaugural session was followed by the presentation of Lead Trainer, Dr. VaraprasadKolla on the topics “Three in three”-elaborating Expectations and learning outcomes from the workshop and “Effective Pedagogy”-details of various pedagogical methods to foster the skills and attitudes we expect in our students.

Group activity on “Ideal student” was conducted by Dr. Sanjay Chakane. In this session the groups of participants were asked to create a simple poster to show characteristics of their Ideal students and enlist interests, attitudes, work habits, and ambitions of a perfect student. This activity was planned to make the teachers aware regarding skills and attitudes of the students and they should consider it before dealing with any topic which should not be simply aimed to cover the syllabus. The other part of the activity was to focus “what would the perfect teacher look like from the point of view of our students” This activity was followed by talk of Dr. Parvathi on “Learning through Questioning”. She has explained the importance of asking questions to guide students from known to unknown. She has given some examples of RBPT and maths software’s. Presentation and Group activity was directed by Dr. Rashmi on “Paper Planes”. The main aim of this activity was to know that such a small activity has great meaning about framing questions that require classroom activity: designing empirical methods, recording and reporting observations.

Excellent presentation was given by Dr. Chakane on the topic “Student research and autonomy” with examples of RBPTs he had implemented in his college. The goal was to know about the background, concept of student research and autonomy. The second day of the workshop had started with the Presentation by Dr. P. Kolla on “Elements of RBPT” he had revised the structure of RBPT and its six elements. After tea break for the group activity Participants were asked to list topics from the syllabus where RBPTs can be implemented. Each group was then split to respective Subject Rooms for preparing a poster to describe their RBPT. After Coffee the preliminary review of Posters was done followed by feedback from peers and trainers. The third day started for Refining RBPTs. Mainly from the review of insights from Day one and Day two. The Participant groups refined their RBPTs based on learning reviews and finalized their posters as per subject.

The workshop was concluded with the valedictory programme chaired by Dr. Vinod Bhatkar, Head, Department of Physicsand Dr. Prasad Wadegaonkaras the chief guest. The feedback from the participants had shown that all of the participants were excited to implement RBPTs in their colleges and they were thinking how they could kindle the inherent curiosity of their students. Such workshops need to be organized frequently to update the skill of teachers. Some selected participants will get an opportunity to participate in a Level one workshop later that will focus on making them trainers for conducting similar trainings.