Institutional Values and Best Practices
Vision
To make quality the defining element of higher education in India through a combination of self and external quality evaluation, promotion and sustenance initiatives.
Institutional Values
To promote the following core values:
Best Practice: Micro Credentials in Education
Title of the practice: Micro Credentials in Education
The context that required the initiation of the practice: PCER designed the Best Practice of Micro-credentials to offer a more effective way to broaden student teachers’ skill set and stay up to date with relevant and emerging practices. These are concise, focused credentials designed to provide in demand skills, know-how, and experience that can help individuals develop new skills and supplement existing ones. The B.Ed programme offers a variety of skill enhancement techniques that enables a learner to groom oneself in skills that are needed in a classroom. At PCER, Chembur we are offering the micro-credential in education to have a deeper understanding of the complementary aspects in education that will enhance their expertise and experience in the teaching, learning and evaluation.
Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice are:
The practice: Micro Credentials in Education comprised the following:
Impact of the Practice: The Best Practice of Micro Credentials in Education provided opportunities to student teachers to gain additional knowledge and skills with respect to the educational field. Through the activities and the sessions, they were oriented regarding a wide range of current trends and practices in education. Through interaction with experts in the field and discussions they acquired insights into the upcoming field of artificial intelligence in education, current practices and challenges related to inclusion in the classroom, strategies for sustainable practices and enhancing their leadership skills in the field of education.
Resources required:
Experts from various fields conduct sessions, stationery, digital devices, internet connectivity, institutional premises.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
Comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator on the different activities and remediation
Activities conducted:
Your voice and Active Citizenship + Collective action experiential project work – Participants are introduced to CMCA through a quiz on our pioneering benchmark study – Yuva Nagarik Meter, that provides India for the first time with reliable data on the levels of knowledge, comprehension, attitudes and values of young Indians pertaining to democratic citizenship. This session builds on the idea of concern, cooperate, coexist and confront important aspects or facets of active citizenship.
Leading successful change initiative – This session enables youth to arrive at a deeper understanding of what is ‘Change’ and ‘Development’ through a process of critical reflection and exchange of ideas. In this session, participants discuss the issues and challenges faced by India today. During Group work, they are faced with a ‘limited resources (budget)’ and bear the responsibility and accountability that comes along with being the ‘government’. Discussions within groups allow for a common understanding of Change and Development to emerge. Further, the session moves onto exploring equitable development through a series of real-life stories and other inputs.
Youth and Social Change-In this session, the focus is to enable a better understanding of social inequalities and value social justice, economic justice and equality in our lives. Using various pedagogies and activities, the students are sensitized to the theme of equality and need for empathy, building a culture of dignity and good relations among citizens. Reflection activity followed by real-life situations which help participants think deeper about applying learnings and navigating complexity to drive
Reflections – Your move forward – The concluding session is a showcase of the activities and sessions. Groups work together on sharing learnings with their professors, management, and peers. This session is a time for assimilation and reflection, celebration and recognition. Participants think about: – How have I changed? – What did I do? – How did it help me? – What have I learnt? This session guides the participants to develop a clear way forward – helping them to apply what they have learnt in CMCA Catalyse workshops.
Leadership Management program took place on September 12, 2023, at SIES School in Matunga. The primary objective was to engage with the school leadership, led by Principal Mrs. Kalyani Arumugam, and her team to gain insights into their distinctive leadership philosophy. Discussions revolved around topics such as collaborative decision-making, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and the role of innovation in educational leadership. There was a guided tour of the school facilities, providing a tangible experience of the leadership decisions in action. Participants witnessed firsthand the innovative educational practices implemented under Mrs. Arumugam’s leadership, such as the integration of technology in classrooms and the encouragement of student-led initiatives. The Meet & Greet event at SIES School proved to be an invaluable platform for participants to interact with the school’s leadership team and gain insights into their leadership philosophy.
Visit to The Green Acres Academy, Chembur–
The students of PCER participated in a meet and greet session with the visionary leaders of The Green Acres Academy as part of their Leadership Management Course. Interactions with Mr. Siamack and Ms. Radhika Zahedi provided valuable insights into the functioning and development of an ICSE board school. The student teachers were taken on a tour of the school premises. following that student engaged in discussions with school leaders including Ms. Radhika Zahedi (Director), Ms. Bonny (School Principal), Ms. Gesu (Head Person), and Ms. Richa (HOD of Maths), who collectively oversee the school’s operations. Topics covered included administration, curriculum development, educational operations, leadership styles, and the evolving landscape of education. The meet and greet session provided students with valuable insights into effective leadership management and fostered a lively exchange of ideas with The Green Acres Academy leaders, leaving a lasting impression on all participants.
Visit to The Gateway School of Mumbai–
On October 10th, 2023, the students of MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur, embarked on a visit to The Gateway School in Mumbai as part of a leadership management program. The Gateway School of Mumbai, a not-for-profit organization, focuses on empowering children with disabilities. Founded by a parent of a child with special needs, the school prioritizes innovative educational practices to facilitate holistic growth among its students. During the visit, students toured the school premises, observing classrooms adorned with various thematic designs tailored to different grade levels. Following the performances, students engaged in discussions with the school’s teachers and administration. Topics ranged from daily agendas for teachers to the importance of communication and collaboration between teachers, parents, and school management. The school’s proactive approach toward understanding students’ individual needs and fostering their development as individuals was particularly noteworthy. Overall, the visit to The Gateway School provided MES’s Pillai College students with valuable insights and a memorable learning experience, enriching their understanding of effective educational practices and the importance of inclusive learning environments.
Visit to Pillai Institute of Management Studies & Research, Panvel–
On December 12th, 2023, the students of PCER Chembur had the privilege of participating in a leadership management session led by Dr. Celina Joy and Dr. Betty Sibil at PIMSR College. The focus of the session was to enhance leadership skills and management strategies, essential for educators in the field of education. The meet and greet session at PIMSR started with a warm welcome from the college staff, followed by a tour of the College which was led by the students of PIMSR. Dr. Betty Sibil’s presentation concentrated on management techniques for promoting innovation and organizational growth, highlighting the importance of adaptability and addressing challenges and opportunities in today’s competitive landscape. In conclusion, the visit to PIMSR College for the leadership management sessions proved to be a fruitful and enriching experience.
Meet & Greet with Dr. Reni Francis, Principal, PCER, Chembur–
On December 7th, 2023, a Leadership Management course was conducted for the SY B ED students of Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur, with Dr. Reni Francis, the Principal, leading the session. Dr. Francis emphasized the significance of being a leader and the importance of serving as a role model for others. She introduced the acronym “ACT” to encapsulate the essence of leadership, emphasizing the need for leaders to Assist in developing people, provide Clarity in direction, and work towards Transforming the institution. Dr. Francis underscored the role of motivation in leadership, emphasizing the importance of agility, collaboration, and relationship-building skills. She noted that leadership is not a fixed trait but rather a skill that can be learned through experience and adversity.
The session was conducted by Ms.Poonam Mishra who oriented the student teachers regarding the concept of children with special needs. They acquired knowledge regarding different types of special needs such as children with learning disabilities, social, emotional, behavioural disorders, sensory impairments, physical challenge and several health related issues. Through discussions and examples, the student teachers were given an understanding of the term children with special needs and how the learning environment should be designed that it caters to the needs of the diverse learners.
Characteristics and Types of Disability
The session by Dr. Gayatri Sirur provided a very detailed understanding of a range of disabilities such as sensory disabilities- hearing, visual and sensory processing. Through the session student teachers understood the various aspects related to learners with these disabilities and how to cater to their diverse needs.
Catering to students with different disabilities
The topic on catering to students with special needs was conducted by Ms. Nisha Kutty. During the session the student teachers gained insight into the disabilities that are the result of neuro developmental issues. These disabilities include sensory processing disorder, neuro-developmental disorder and multi disabilities. The session covered detailed aspects of learners with Autism, ADHD, Learning disability, Intellectual disability, Locomotor disability among others.
National policies of inclusion
The session on National policies of inclusion covered various important aspects of the policies at the national level aimed at achieving inclusion in the educational process. Dr.Amit Mishal delved in detail into the significant policies at national level that are related to inclusion that includes constitutional obligations, Rehabilitatin Council Act, Right to Education Act 2009, National Policy for Persons with Disability 2006.
International policies of inclusion
The policies at international level that deal with inclusion and its implications were discussed comprehensively by Dr. Asmita Huddar. Through the session student teachers gained understanding regarding the international mandates on disability and inclusion such as United Nations Convention of Rights to Persons with Disabilities 2006, Salamanca 1994, Education for All 1990.
Educational concessions and provisions for children with special needs
The session on educational concessions and provisions for children with special needs was conducted by Ms. Rakshanda Thakur. The session highlighted the importance of educational concessions, facilities and provisions available for children with special needs. The discussion looked the concessions provided to the students based on different school boards.
Dr. Reni Francis, Principal, PCER brings extensive experience in educational leadership and pedagogy. With a focus on virtual classrooms and remote learning, Dr. Francis likely discussed the theoretical framework, practical implementation strategies, and the impact of these technologies on teaching and learning outcomes. Their insights would encompass leveraging digital tools, best practices for online instruction, and addressing challenges associated with remote education.
Future Trends and Challenges
In the module on future trends and challenges, Dr. Reni Francis likely provided a forward-looking perspective on the evolving landscape of AI in education. This would include trends such as personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and the integration of AI into curriculum design. Additionally, Dr. Francis may have discussed potential challenges such as equity issues, privacy concerns, and the need for ongoing professional development to adapt to technological advancements.
Ethical considerations in Artificial Intelligence Education
Dr. Jaya Cherian’s expertise in ethical considerations in AI education likely focused on guiding participants through the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities associated with integrating AI technologies in educational settings. This module may have covered topics such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency in AI decision-making, and ensuring equity and inclusivity in AI-driven educational interventions.
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Education
Dr. Rajendra Deshmukh’s module on the introduction to AI in education would have provided participants with foundational knowledge and understanding of AI concepts, its applications, and potential benefits in educational contexts. This likely included exploring machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and other AI technologies relevant to education.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Education
Dr. Vithoba Sawant’s expertise in the applications of AI in education would have shed light on practical use cases and examples where AI technologies can enhance teaching, learning, and administrative processes within educational institutions. This likely included personalized learning systems, intelligent tutoring systems, and AI-driven assessment tools.
Implementing Artificial Intelligence in Educational Settings
Ms. Surekha Chidambaranath’s module focused on the practical aspects of implementing AI technologies in educational settings. This may have included guidance on selecting appropriate AI tools, integrating them into existing workflows, and addressing organizational and cultural barriers to adoption.
Gamification and Artificial Intelligence
Ms. Achala Bhor likely explored the intersection of gamification principles and AI technologies in educational contexts. This module would have covered strategies for designing gamified learning experiences, leveraging AI for adaptive gamification, and the potential of game-based AI tutors to enhance student engagement and motivation.
Ethical considerations in Artificial Intelligence Education
As a visiting faculty member, Ms. Dharti Latke may have offered a nuanced perspective on ethical considerations specific to AI education. This could include case studies, ethical frameworks, and discussions on responsible AI usage to ensure that participants understand the importance of ethical decision-making in educational AI implementations.
Gamification and Artificial Intelligence
Ms. Athira SR likely contributed insights into gamification and its integration with AI technologies in educational settings. This module may have explored the psychological principles behind gamification, AI-driven personalization of gamified experiences, and best practices for designing effective gamified learning environments.
Virtual classrooms and remote learning
Ms. Laxmi Nair’s expertise in virtual classrooms and remote learning would have provided participants with practical strategies for leveraging technology to facilitate effective online instruction. This likely included tips for creating engaging virtual learning environments, utilizing collaboration tools, and managing virtual classroom dynamics.
Useful AI Tools in Teaching and Learning
Dr. Naseerali M.K.’s module focused on introducing participants to various AI tools that can enhance teaching and learning processes. This may have included demonstrations of AI-powered educational software, platforms for adaptive learning, and practical examples of how these tools can be integrated into classroom instruction to improve student outcomes.
Best Practice: Harith Vidhyalaya
Title of the practice: Harith Vidhyalaya
The context that required the initiation of the practice: PCER, Chembur endeavours to promote environmental sensitisation and eco-friendly practices among its students teachers and the community. The appropriate integration of environmental awareness and sensitivity towards conservation and sustainable development in the school curriculum and the B.Ed programme is greatly stressed upon in NEP 2020. Environmental issues are a pressing concern today and it is necessary that student teachers should have the knowledge and skills to understand these issues and contribute towards mitigating these problems. They need to develop environmentally responsible behaviour and adopt eco- friendly practices to bring about a change in the society with their actions as well as instil such sensitivity in school students. The institution devised the Best Practice of Harith Vidhyalaya towards achieving this objective.
Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice are:
The practice:
Through Harith Vidyalaya PCER Chembur focuses on three vital aspects:
Impact of the Practice:
The Best Practice Harith Vidyalaya enabled student teachers to understand the significance of environmental issues and how it impacts our society. The various sessions, newsletter, conference helped them to think critically and to gain understanding of the pressing concerns related to the environment and the need to bring about a change in our lives and live in a more eco- friendly manner to preserve our environment. Through sessions with internship schools, they understood the need to inculcate eco – friendly practices not only in themselves but also their students in the schools and thus have an impact on the larger community. They also understood the different ways in which they can contribute to preserving the environment though activities such as beach cleaning drives.
Resources required:
Experts from various fields to conduct sessions, stationery, digital devices, internet connectivity, institutional premises.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
Comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator on the different activities and remediation
Activities conducted:
PCER Chembur in association with Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness [CMCA] organized sessions on ‘Your voice and active citizenship’ on 11th July 2023. It was a part of a series of sessions under the Micro Credentials-Environment, Sustainability and Citizenship. The sessions were conducted by the facilitators from the CMCA Ms. Brinda Ganesh and Ms. Effie Acharya. They highlighted the role of youth in the present times and contributions expected from them. The session was activity based and engaged the participants.
On August 5, the inaugural issue of the Learning for Sustainability E-Newsletter was launched, marking a significant milestone in the dissemination of sustainability-related information and knowledge. This newsletter promises to be a valuable resource for individuals and organizations interested in environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Packed with informative articles, updates on sustainable initiatives, and educational content, it is poised to become a valuable platform for fostering awareness and action towards a more sustainable future.
On June 5th, 2023, PCER Chembur organized a session on E-waste Management led by Ms. Kalpana Andhare from Stree Mukti Sanghatana. She discussed the environmental impact of urbanization and modernization, emphasizing the production of non-biodegradable materials and its pollution consequences. Ms. Andhare also highlighted e-waste management challenges in India and proposed the adoption of the 5R principle: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recover, and Recycle. She stressed the significance of waste segregation at the source for effective waste management.
PCER, Chembur held a screening of the documentary film ‘The Elephant Whisperer’ as the film beautifully wove together the awareness of the themes for World Elephant Day and World Nature Conservation Day. The students conducted a special assembly on World Nature Conservation Day and World Tiger Day which was followed by the screening of the film. The students were then asked to write down their insights on the film to build their ability for reflection. They were given an option to reflect on what they liked and disliked or to identify similarities and differences between their lives and those of the characters in the documentary.
On October 10th, PCER, Chembur, in collaboration with Nirmala Memorial Foundation College of Education, Kandivali, conducted a National Level Online conference on the theme “Sustainable Education: Local and Global Progress and Challenges.” Dr. Sunil Rajpurkar served as the esteemed resource person for the conference. The objectives included exploring the nuances of sustainable education, examining its local and global advancements, and deliberating the challenges within the realm of educational sustainability. The webinar aimed to foster insightful discussions, share best practices, and devise strategies for promoting sustainable education on both local and global scales
Dr. Reni Francis authored “Education for Environment,” published by Notion Press, focusing on mobilizing educators and students to confront and address global environmental challenges.
On July 12, 2023, interns at their respective Practice Teaching Schools celebrated Paper Bag Day to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment. The interns conducted a session to teach the students how to make paper bags, promoting eco-friendly alternatives. The activity began with an explanation of environmental sustainability and a successful demonstration. The students eagerly participated and created their paper bags with enthusiasm. The session proved to be engaging, fun, and interactive, leaving the students with valuable insights through a simple yet impactful activity.
On 5th June 2023, Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur, organized a Beach Cleanliness Drive in collaboration with Stree Mukti Sanghatana and United Way of Mumbai to celeberate World Oceans Day. The event at Dadar beach, near Kirti College aimed to raise awareness about ocean conservation. Students cleaned the beach, collecting and segregating different types of waste, highlighting the importance of cleanliness. On 2nd December 2023, in collaboration with Stree Mukti Sanghatana organized a Beach Cleanliness Drive at Mahim Beach in Mumbai. On 27th March on the occasion of World Water Day PCER in association with United held Beach Cleanliness program at Dhaval Ganga, Bandra West.
PCER student teachers participated in Energy Literacy Training conducted by Energy Swaraj Foundation. The training was in the online mode from 20th December 2023-30th December. 2023. On 15th August 2023 the students of PCER Chembur attended Mumbai’s largest Climate clock assembly and display unit held at IIT Bombay rganized by Energy Swaraj Foundation with Switch On foundation and Energy club IIT Bombay. On the 22nd of August, 2023, students of PCER Chembur attended an event “ 1000 days, 1000 hopes, Action For Climate correction”. The aim of the event was to enlighten students about the actions that are needed to improve the climatic condition of the earth. Speakers from different professions gave an idea about how people from various backgrounds can create awareness and the changes that is needed for the betterment of our planet.
Ranjani Padaiyachi, a student from S.Y. B.Ed. College at MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research in Chembur, took an impressive initiative in active citizenship.She noticed a significant amount of garbage piled up near Wadala station, causing an unpleasant smell and an eyesore for passersby. She called and lodged complaints with the authorities. After a few days she observed that the BMC had stopped using this area for collecting domestic waste. Two months later, Ranjani was pleasantly surprised to see a plant nursery with colourful flowers in the same spot.
PCER, Chembur celebrated World Nature Conservation Day and World Tiger Day Special Assembly that are observed on 28th and 29th July respectively through a call for student expression through Art and Poetry writing on the theme. Students took inspiration from nature and submitted their original artwork and poems which were displayed on the notice board.
To keep the campus up to date with eco-friendly practices regular audits are conducted. A green audit and water audit was conducted to upgrade the campus and align it with the objective of maintaining an eco- friendly campus.
The institution has formulated a Sustainable Practices Policy for providing appropriate and relevant framework to carry out ecofriendly initiatives in the campus. The SPP aims to provide guidelines for planning and implementing environment friendly activities in the campus.
A Slogan Writing Competition on National Pollution Control Day was organized on 4th December, 2023 at MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur for B.Ed students with the aim of raising awareness about environmental issues and promoting the importance of pollution control. The event provided a platform for students to express their creativity and concern for the environment through impactful slogans. The top three slogans that conveyed the best message of pollution control were selected as winners. The event successfully engaged first year B.Ed students, thus inspiring them to integrate environmental topics into their future teaching practices.
PCER Chembur organised a Debate competition on 15th December 2023 on the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day to increase awareness regarding conserving and efficient usage of energy. he event was in alignment with the objective of SDG # 7 Affordable and Clean Energy. The topic for the debate was – ‘Alternative energy can effectively replace fossil fuels.’ The judge for the debate competition was Dr. Resmy Varghese, Principal, Mahatma Junior College of Education. The participants from S.Y.B.Ed included Ms. Sonam Gupta, Ms. Payal Patel, Ms.Lucy , Ms. Vibha Mishra and from F.Y.B.Ed Ms. Mahalaxmi Samuthiram, Ms. Ayesha Sayed, Ms. Jinal Patel, Ms. Naela Qureshi. The event was hosted by Ms.Geneshiya and Ms.Ahalya. The S.Y.B.Ed students were the winning team and Ms. Payal Patel was declared the best speaker of the debate.
On February 10, 2024, on the occasion of World Pulses Day, an E-Poster competition was organized for the second-year students of MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur. S. Y. B. Ed students created the posters in their practice teaching school groups. The E-posters were evaluated based on creativity, relevance, and impact. These E-posters were judged by Dr. Joan Lopes, from St. Teresa’s Institute of Education, Santacruz. The top three posters that best conveyed the message of the importance of pulses were selected as winners. This event, organised by PCER in Chembur on World Pulses Day alongside the International Year of Millets, contributed to achieving the aim of raising awareness about the nutritional benefits and environmental sustainability of pulses and millets.
February 2nd is observed as World Wetlands Day. The theme for this year 2024 was Wetlands and Human Wellbeing. Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur organized a tutorial wise infographic making competition. FY and SY students worked in their respective tutorial groups to create an infographic on their given topic to generate awareness about wetlands
MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, in collaboration with the Department of Lifelong Learning, Alagappa University, organized an insightful webinar on the topic “Eco Friendly Practices in Education: Sustainable Goals and Practices.” on 11th December 2023, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Dr. N. Johnson, Head of the Department of Lifelong Learning at Alagappa University, and Dr. M. S. Geetha, Former Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Kerala and Working President of CEAM, graced the webinar as esteemed resource persons. Dr.Geetha, drawing from her extensive experience, discussed practical Approaches and case studies that demonstrated successful implementation of eco-friendly initiatives in educational settings. Dr. Johnson eloquently highlighted the importance of embedding eco-friendly practices in educational systems, shedding light on the role educational institutions play in nurturing environmentally conscious citizens
On the occasion of World Earth Day, Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur, in collaboration with Jay Foundation, organized a Dry Waste and E-Waste Collection Drive. The purpose of this drive was to address the challenges of waste management, particularly dry and electronic waste and to raise awareness about the importance of proper waste disposal and recycling. The collection drive commenced on 22nd April and continued till 27th April. Volunteers from both Pillai College of Education and Research and Jay Foundation facilitated the process of collecting waste. Participants were encouraged to bring dry waste such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal items, as well as electronic waste including old gadgets, batteries, and cables. All the collected waste was disposed of and recycled through eco-friendly practices supported by the Jay Foundation. The response to the collection drive was overwhelming. This initiative not only succeeded in collecting a substantial amount of dry and electronic waste but also in spreading awareness about the importance of waste management practices.
3Ps
Title of the Practice: 3Ps
Objectives of the Practice:
The Practice:
Professional Abilities – The institution prepares the student teachers to develop their creativity, critical thinking skills, adopt innovative methods through activities such as sessions from experts from different fields, interactive sessions with alumni, Short term course on Inclusive Education, Value Added courses such as Job Perfect, Creative Arts, Sessions on NEP 2020, Incubation centre – Skill Set, Employability Enhancement Program, Research Methodology Course.
Pedagogical Enrichment – PCER aims at providing ample opportunities to the student teachers to equip them with the skills and competencies to be resourceful and innovative through Workshop on innovative teaching aids, Session on creative teaching aids, creating learning resources to be provided to schools, Outcome based education, interdisciplinary approach, Innovative teaching aids competition, Expert talk sessions, Alumni sessions on innovative teaching practices and trends in education.
Personality Enhancement – The institution conducted numerous activities towards the overall personality development of the budding teachers such as Sessions on Life Skills, Workshop on six thinking hats, research work on Life skills, Sessions on Soft Skills, communication skills, Workshops with CMCA, Mental Health Awareness, short term course on mental health, Community outreach programmes, activities for environmental sensitisation.
Impact of the Practice:
The 3Ps Best Practice enabled the student teachers to enhance their creativity, critical thinking skills and be oriented with innovative methods. The sessions on creative teaching aids, learning resources, outcome-based education greatly enriched their pedagogical skills and competencies. Interactions with experts from various fields, workshops on life skills, thinking skills, communication skills etc helped in the overall development of the personality of student teachers.
Resources Required:
Experts from various fields to conduct sessions, stationery, digital devices, internet connectivity, institutional premises.
Feedback Mechanism and Future Plans:
Comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator on the different activities and remediation.
Atma Nirbhar Shikshak
Title of the practice: Atma Nirbhar Shikshak
The context that required the initiation of the practice: PCER, Chembur focuses in nurturing self-reliance among student teachers by harnessing skills of professional development, work ethics, pedagogical skills, life skills and instilling value based transaction.It is important to make our student teachers understand their role in the classroom, we need to make them feel confident, exhilarated, and positive about teaching. Teaching is not telling and learning is not listening is about feeling the work assigned to you with zeal and enthusiasm. It is important to nurture positivity and confidence among student teachers. The ideal of Atma Nirbhar Shikshak is the ethos of PCER, Chembur clearly seen in its vision and mission.
Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice are:
The practice:
Atma (Self)
As a part of Atma, PCER develops among its student teachers the development of self through various initiatives and activities. Personality development is done through value added courses on personality development consisting of understanding the self, grooming, yoga and wellness session and various self-help sessions. Continued mentoring and guidance by the teachers and counsellor helps student teachers to come out of their shy attitude and groom themselves to be confident. Well-being sessions help them to nurture their shortcomings. Student teachers begin their learning by doing a SWOC this helps them in understanding the Strengths, Weakness and overcome their challenges and nurture their opportunities.
Nirbhar (reliance)
To be reliant it is important to be aware of one’s weakness and challenges then turn them to be strengths and opportunities. Technology integration has gained a lot of prominence in classrooms today. Interactive lessons and technology enabled classrooms has become the need of the hour, value added course on connecting classrooms through technology and introduction to google apps has been of immense use to the student teachers. Sessions on Life Skills is vital in understanding every student teachers innate abilities and weakness. It enable social development, holistic development. Life skills education helps student teachers build confidence in both communication and cooperative and collaborative skills, provide them with tools important for development, find new ways of thinking and problem-solving and provide methods on how to socialize, make new friends and recognize the impact of their actions and behaviours.
Shikshak (Teacher)
Teaching practice is an important phase of teacher education that provides opportunities for teachers to reflect on their developing teaching philosophies and put them into action. This process helps teachers to bridge the gap between theory and practice, to step into the professional teaching environment by sharing, cooperating and collaborating with their more experienced peers, and to observe seasoned teachers in the classroom. Development of professional competence is a dynamic process of incorporation and modernization of professional experience leading to the development of individual competencies, the accumulation of professional experience, involving ongoing development and self- improvement through various perspectives such as:
A professional code of ethics outlines teachers’ primary responsibilities to their students and defines their role in a student’s life. Educators must demonstrate impartiality, integrity, and ethical behaviour in the classroom, and in their conduct with parents and co-workers. Sessions included five major areas of professional activities that encompass the work of a teacher.
Impact of the Practice:
Through the various activities student teachers were provided with the opportunity to enhance their personality and understand themselves better through sessions on mental well being, yoga, Science of Happiness, SWOC analysis. They gained awareness of effective communication skills to articulate their thoughts and express themselves with clarity. Sessions on intellectual property rights, safety and health at work helped them to acquire insights in to the skills needed to develop professional competence and knowledge of professional ethics.
Resources Required:
Experts from various fields to conduct sessions, stationery, digital devices, internet connectivity, institutional premises.
Feedback Mechanism and Future Plans:
Comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator on the different activities and remediation.
Activities conducted:
A value added course Job Perfect was conducted from November 2022 – January 2023 to prepare the student teachers for the professional field. The sessions included Facing an Interview – Ms. Sneha Shah, an alumni of PCER helped the student teachers to understand the approaches to tackle the questions asked in an interview. She spoke in depth about the job opportunities available at present and the requirements for the same. The session proved fruitful for the students as it helped them gain perspective and knowledge on facing an interview, answering questions and putting forward their best self in front of the interviewer.
A Session on “SWOC Analysis” was conducted by Ms. Diandra Pinto on 1st December, 2022 at Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur. For all the budding teachers it is important to learn the SWOC Analysis as it helps them to develop skills which will help them with their professional as well as personal growth.
A session on “Resume Writing” was conducted by Ms. Diandra Pinto. The students were walked through the various components of a resume and how to best showcase their strengths through effective resume writing.
On 24th November, 2022, a Session on “Career Guidance” was conducted by Ms. Dharshana Dabke from Chetana Education. The session highlighted the various career options available to student teachers after completion of their B.Ed. programme.
A Session on “Personality Development and Communication skills” was conducted by Ms. Jyothi Malhotra, PCER Alumna on 18th November, 2022 with the objective of enhancing professional competence of the student teachers. The session focused on how teacher trainees should mould and refine themselves while being true to their own strengths.
PCER, Chembur collaborated with Naandi Foundation for Employability Enhancement Program called ‘Naandi Foundation’s Mahindra Pride Classroom – Employability Enhancement Program. The 40hrs online program focused on many skills and abilities essential for the S.Y. B.Ed. students of PCER as they prepare to enter into the professional world.
A Workshop on ‘Leading Successful Change Initiatives’ in association with the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness [CMCA] was conducted on 10th December, 2022.
PCER, Chembur organised a 10 Day virtual Research Methodology Course sponsored by ICSSR-WRC. The course was conducted for 10 days from 13th to 23rd March, 2023.
Ms. Krupa Talekar D’Mello conducted an interactive Session on ‘How to be a Teacher in this New Age World’ on 11th March, 2023 regarding effective communication skills for a teacher and issues related to the current classroom context.
A value-added course on Creative Arts was conducted to provide opportunity for student teachers to hone their creative and artistic skills. The course was conducted from 9th to 12th January, 2023. The sessions included Quilling Art by Mr. Ramdas Kondilkar, Arts Teacher from Mahatma International School, Panvel. A session on “Calligraphy”, the resource person Mr. Roshan Gharat shared his wide knowledge about calligraphy. It was an informative session for the budding student teachers. Session on “Creative Bulletin Board” by Mrs. Reshma Nair. The aim of the workshop was to acquaint student teachers with creative techniques required for bulletin board decoration. Session on “Canvas Painting” that was a truly creative session with Mr. Shankar Kathara. He demonstrated a canvas painting which motivated students to paint and come up with creative ideas.
An Expert Talk Session on “Mathematics” was conducted on Pi-day on the theme ‘Mathematics is Everywhere’ by Mr. Gyanendrapratap Singh the IGCSE Co-ordinator and Head, Department of Mathematics of Dr. Pillai Global Academy, New Panvel on 14th March, 2022.
Dr. Reni Francis conducted two demonstration lessons for the student teachers to provide an additional example of desirable classroom teaching and student management on 19th November, 2022. The session enabled the student teachers to understand the various aspects that need to be considered to deliver effective lessons in their pedagogies.
Online Session on “International Curriculum” for the F.Y. and S.Y. B.Ed. students on 27th April, 2023 at 3.30 p.m. The resource person for the session was PCER alumna Ms. Chandrani Banerjee, PYP Coordinator, Mount Litera School International.
An expert talk session on National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: An overview was conducted on 11th July, 2022. The resource person for this session was Dr. Asha A. K. She is an Assistant Professor at Aishabai College of Education, SNDT University. Dr. Asha gave an overview of the following aspects: Aims, Principles and Vision of the NEP, types of the National Education Policies linked with the school education system and gave a comprehensive explanation about the salient features of NEP.
A session on the topic ‘Hands on Science’ was held on Monday, 27th February, 2023. The session was conducted by Dr. Farah Shaikh, PCER alumni and Physics teacher of Dr. Pillai Global Academy, Gorai. The session began with Dr. Shaikh emphasizing on the importance of reflection and communication skills. She then proceeded to conduct various experiments using basic materials which were cost-effective and engaging for the students.
An Expert Session for the students of F.Y. B.Ed. on the topic – ‘Innovative Teaching Strategies’ by Ms. Mahalaxmi Anand was conducted on 15th July, 2022. The students received immense clarity on aspects related to teaching, classroom management, pedagogies, learning environment and critical thinking skills.
To foster thinking skills a workshop was organised on 11th October, 2022. Through the session the student teachers were introduced to the use of the 6 Thinking Hats technique in the classroom. By using this approach in the classroom, students have an understanding of the thinking behind each of the hats and the ability to apply this knowledge.
Two day International Multi-Disciplinary Conference on Experiential Learning – Holistic Approach in Education was held online on the 29th and 30th November, 2022. It was organized in association with the Department of Education, The Gandhigram Rural Institute Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, MES’s Pillai College of Education Chembur, Mumbai and ISS College of Teacher Education Perinthalmanna, Kerala.
An interactive workshop on Life Skills was conducted on 12th October, 2022 by Ms. Diandra Pinto on the ten core life skills outlined by WHO. The workshop aimed to orient the student teachers to different life skills and how to develop these skills within themselves.
PCER organized a training session in association with the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness [CMCA]. The session was aimed to educate the students about citizenship education and child rights. In collaboration with the CMCA the student teachers conducted Spark Workshops with 6th and 7th graders in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-run schools in Mumbai.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day PCER organized a Women’s Day Donation Drive. The objective of the Donation drive was to distribute sanitary napkins to girls and women from underprivileged communities. PCER Chembur collected donations from staff and students in the form of cash of minimum Rs. 50/- or a pack of sanitary napkins. The proceeds were then distributed to the women catered to by Stree Mukti Sanghatana in Chembur.
Free oral cancer screening and dental check-up camp was organized by PCER, Chembur in collaboration with the MGM hospital, Kalamboli, dated 21st March, 2023. The main aim was to raise awareness about the oral cancer and promote oral health.
PCER Chembur celebrated Community Service Day by inviting the inmates of the Mermier Bal Ashram to the Dr. K. M. Vasudevan Pillai Campus at Panvel on 4th February, 2023.
On 13th November World Kindness Day was observed by PCER, Chembur to promote empathy through various acts of Kindness and to highlight the importance of being humane.
PCER in collaboration with SIBC orgainsed a ‘Jumble Sale’ on 7th and 8th October, 2022. The students and faculty donated materials such as cloth, toys, books etc and the money obtained from the sale were donated to the needy.
A session by Red Dot Foundation was conducted on 10th October, 2022 highlighting the topic of empowering women and celebrating their equal rights.
A session on Mental Health Awareness Talk ‘Speak Up, Reach Out’was conducted on 24th September, 2022 for the students of B.Ed. The resource person for the session was Ms. Sharmilla Menon, former professor at St. Andrew’s College, Bandra. There were some special presentations from the students of Bhavan’s College and Thakur Ramnarayan College.
PCER organised a Tree Plantation Drive on World Environment Day on 4th June, 2022 under the initiative ‘Conserve Indian native flora and fauna’.
Publication of book ‘Greener Living’, by Ms. Surekha Chidambaranath, Faculty, PCER, a compilation of articles by students and teachers.
Visit to Maharashtra Nature Park on 16th April, 2023 to provide learning more about the city’s rich biodiversity and also to create awareness in Ecology and conservation of nature.
On 24th November 2022, Mahatma Education Society’s Pillai College of Education and research conducted a session on Stress Management for the students of S.Y. B.Ed., Batch (2021 – 2023). The session was conducted by Ms. Yvette Lee, Mahatma Education Society’s in-house Counsellor and social worker who through interaction with the student teachers tried to find out their current stressors and methods of stress management. She then shared the long term and short term effects of stress and some techniques that prove to be helpful for stress management.
PCER Chembur, in association with Soroptimists International Bombay Chembur and Stree Mukti Sanghatana organised an expert talk on the topic ‘Women Rights & Laws’ on 26th November, 2022. The resource person for the session was Advocate Ujwala Kadrekar.
A Short-Term Course on Gender Studies organized by the Women Development Cell of MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur in collaboration with Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC) was made available for the students of PCER, Chembur Batch 2021-2023 from 1st to 8th December, 2022. This was a free certified self-paced course for the students. The objective behind the course was to sensitize students about Gender perspective and gender related concepts.
PCER student teachers were taken on a field trip to Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghralaya on 8th December, 2022. The students were provided with the task of writing a report on the visit to truly make the field trip an effective learning experience. Students were also introduced to the teachers role during a field visit.
A Workshop on “Gender Awareness” was organised by PCER in association with Stree Mukti Sanghatana on 13th and 16th January, 2023.
PCER organized an educational science tour to Nehru Science Centre, Worli on 2nd February, 2023. The science exhibits and mechanics showcased provided an excellent opportunity for students to gain knowledge about force, air pressure, planetary motion, energy and more. The tour also included an exhibition organized by the Western India Science Fair. The exhibition showcased projects and teaching aids from selected students and teachers who represented different states of India.
An expert talk on International Day of Women and Girls in Science titled, “My Life – My Science : Challenges faced by Women in Science” was conducted on 11th February, 2023. The resource person for the day was Dr. Shobhona Sharma Senior Professor (Retd) Tata Institute of Fundamental research. She discussed her research work on malarial parasites and also provided an in- depth information about the vaccines to treat malaria.
PCER organized an inter collegiate fest named “FELIZIA” on 8th March, 2023. The theme of the fest was “Digit All: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”. The fest aimed to exhibit the creative work of students by participating in various events related to digital media.
PCER organized an insightful workshop for student teachers in collaboration with the Vigyan Setu Foundation on 24th March and 1st April, 2023. The workshop focused on educating budding teachers on how to use low-cost teaching aids to teach science concepts effectively and making science education more engaging.
A photography contest was organised on the occasion of International Day of Happiness on 20th March, 2023. The event was aimed at promoting the theme of happiness and encouraging the students to explore their creativity through photography.
To commemorate World Heritage Day field visits were organised to heritage sites. F.Y. B.Ed. students visited various heritage sites in Mumbai such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Prince of Wales Museum), Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Iconic VT station), Rajabhai Tower (Fort campus of the University of Mumbai) and many more.
In order to raise awareness about the importance of intellectual property rights (IPR) and promote creativity and innovation PCER conducted an expert talk session by Dr. B.K. Sarkar, an eminent educationist with a passion for patents.
PCER Chembur, in collaboration with Chembur Sarvankash Shikshanshastra Mahavidyalaya, organized an Action Research Paper Presentation competition on 29th April, 2023. The event was part of the Student Teachers Action Research Seminar Series (STARS), which provides a platform for S.Y. B.Ed. students to share their action research projects undertaken as part of their Semester 4 curriculum.
To provide student teachers with the knowledge and skills required to be responsible, self reliant and take necessary precautionary measures the workplace PCER conducted a session on Safety and Health at Work on 1st May, 2023. The resource person for the session was Dr. Sandhya Khedekar Principal, Gokhale Education Society’s College of Education, Sangamner.
PCER in collaboration with All India Association for Educational Research (AIAER) organised a national level online educational conference on the theme Enhancing Quality for a Better Tomorrow on 12th May, 2023.
An online Yoga Session was conducted by Ms. Alisha Mahajan, a yoga teacher and therapeutic movement facilitator on 21st June, 2022. She oriented the student teachers regarding some basic asanas and basic pranayama breathing exercises.
A demonstration lesson was conducted by PCER Alumni Ms. Bhakti Sawant on 16th July, 2022. Through the session she oriented the student teachers about planning and delivering a lesson in science pedagogy.
A workshop was conducted by the members of the Energy Club, IIT Bombay on 20th August, 2022. The workshop aimed at spreading awareness about the impact of consumerism on climate change, climate pedagogy, importance of sustainability and enlightening the students about renewable energy.
The students of Mathematics and Science pedagogy of F.Y. B.Ed. participated in a learning resource exhibition organized on 27th August, 2022. The Science method students made models on Respiratory System, Dynamo, Ohm’s Law etc. while students of Maths method presented the models of 2D and 3D shapes, Fractions, etc. while students of Maths method presented the models of 2D and 3D shapes, Fractions, etc.
A webinar on the theme Atma Nirbhar Shikshak : NEP 2020 was organised in collaboration with Board of Studies in Education, University of Mumbai and PCER, Chembur on 7th September, 2022. The resource person for the session was Dr. Ashok Pandey Governing Board Member, NCTE.
MAHA TET also known as the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test managed through Maharashtra State Council of Examination to provide jobs of teachers in Primary and Upper Primary schools in Maharashtra State. MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur launched an Online Crash Course in preparation towards the MAHA TET Exam 2022. This online crash course began from 12th September, 2022 with an orientation session regarding the schedule, syllabus and resources for the course.
PCER organised a book campaign event on the occasion of Vachan Prerna Din for the F.Y. B.Ed. Students on 14th October, 2022. It was a campaign where students who loved reading books campaigned for their favourite book to encourage everyone to inculcate the habit of reading.
In order to create awareness of good mental health PCER in collaboration with Inter University for Disability Studies Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala an online certificate course on Mental Health was organised from 10th to 16th October, 2022. The course was conducted through PCER MOOC platform Prabhal MOOC.
To foster creativity and also instil sustainability among the students, PCER, Chembur organised a Best out of Waste – Paper bag Making Workshop on 16th November, 2022. The workshop was conducted by Ms. Pradnya Purao, Visiting Faculty for Arts and Craft, PCER, Chembur. Students were given an opportunity to use their creativity while making the paper bag.
Best Practice in Research & Consultancy – CoRE
1. Title of the practice: Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE)
2. The context that required the initiation of the practice: The B.Ed. course grooms the student teacher and teacher educators to be competent at their professional sphere. The academic world goes through unprecedented changes due to advancement in the field of science and technology. As a professional one need to be updated with the changes and adapt to the ever changing world. The teacher should be a practioners researcher to fit oneself to the dynamic world of academia. Hence the best practice in research and consultancy – CoRE is an attempt to inculcate the research culture among all the stakeholders of PCER.
3. Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice are:
4. The practice:
The feedback and deliberations from the stakeholders sow the seeds of the Centre of Research Excellence. The centre initiated various activities and programs to inculcate the skills and competencies required for the teaching professionals to upgrade their researcher skills.
The centre organized workshops- research methodology and IPR, expert talks, training programmes guidance and assistance for research publication, research funding etc. The centre organized paper reading sessions for research scholars at the master and doctoral level. CoRE undertook activities for filling patents and also organising an IDEA competition for innovative idea sharing and implementation.
5. Impact of the Practice:
The goal of a research centre is to enable interaction between faculty, scholars, students and industry to enhance research opportunities, academic excellence, real-world problem solving and knowledge creation and dissemination.
List of activities conducted and organised:
Patent:
Publication:
Sessions:
6. Resources required:
Teacher educator as experts to prepare the skills and competencies, plan for different activities, Library resources, institutional premise as a resource.
7. Feedback mechanism and future plans:
Formal and informal feedback taken from all the stakeholders and timely revision has done to keep the centre active and prudent in its practice.
Best Practice in Student Support and Progression – RISE
1. Title of the practice: RISE
R – Reassuring
I – Impactful
S – Sociable
E – Emancipation
Emancipation is the hallmark of a good counselling programme. Keeping this paradigm in mind, PCER, Chembur initiated its programme – RISE or Re-assuring Impactful Sociable Emancipation. RISE plans to hold a number of sessions through which the youth can be impacted.
2. The context that required the initiation of the practice: The B.Ed. course grooms the student teacher to be competent at school. As teachers play an important role in bringing about change in the society hence the B. Ed course should focus on enriching the competencies essential for teachers to provide awareness about the strategies towards management of social issues.
3. Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice were:
1. To create awareness among the youth about social issues.
2. To provide awareness about the strategies towards the management of societal issues like gender inequality, sexual violence, lack of access to education, etc.
3. To promote sense of responsibilities among the student teachers to deliberate upon the strategies towards alleviation of societal ills.
4. To sensitize student teachers about various measures towards social issues and mental health.
4. The practice:
In view of this best practice three aspects were covered
a) Physical aspect
b) Mental aspect
c) Social aspect
a) Physical aspect
Under this aspect various sessions to create awareness about the importance of diet and nutrition in the holistic well being of the individual were conducted. Following sessions were conducted under this aspect:
1. Expert talk on menstrual Health and Hygiene by Ms. Ankita Sukhwal- 22nd July, 2021
2. Expert talk on Happiness by Tina Roy – The Science behind it – 31st July 2021
3. Expert talk on Diet for Wellness by Ms. Jennifer Dhuri – 20th August 2021
b) Mental aspect
To create awareness about the importance of mental health and wellbeing, enhancing happiness, nurturing relationships, etc were conducted.
Following sessions were conducted under this aspect:
1. Expert talk on Happiness by Tina Roy– The Science behind it – 31st July 2021
2. Expert talk on Mental Health about Healthy Living by Dr. Sheryl Senthilnathan– 24th August 2021
c) Social aspect
To sensitize student teachers about various social issues and mental health sessions on mental health and well being were conducted.
Following sessions were conducted under this aspect:
1. Expert talk on Happiness by Tina Roy– The Science behind it – 31st July 2021
2. Expert talk on Mental Health about Healthy Living by Dr. Sheryl Senthilnathan– 24th August 2021.
5. Impact of the study:
This study will focus on developing the teacher competencies among the student teacher enabling them to deliberate upon the strategies towards alleviation of societal ills.
6. Resources required:
Experts from various field such as psychiatrists, counsellors, professionals from academic and medical background will be invited for delivering the talks with the objective to sensitize student teachers about various measures towards social issues and mental health.
7. Feedback mechanism and future plans:
Comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator on the sessions conducted.
Sessions conducted under the Best Practice – RISE
1. Expert talk on menstrual Health and Hygiene by Ms. Ankita Sukhwal- 22nd July, 2021
On the 22nd July, 2021, an Expert Talk on the topic ‘Menstrual Health & Hygiene’ by Ms. Ankita Sukhwal, CSR Executive – Unicharm India, was conducted under this initiative. The hour-long online session from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the topic was broadcast live over PCER Chembur’s YouTube channel.
Ms. Sukhwal emphasised the importance of the menstrual cycle and how everyone should be open about this topic. As a background, she divided adolescence into 3 phases, early adolescence, middle adolescence and late adolescence. She then elaborated the role of hormones and the bodily changes which takes places in the human body during the entire lifetime right from pre-menopausal stage right up to menopause.At the end, she answered the queries put by the participants which were addressed to her via the live chat function.This activity was conducted under SDG # 3: Good Health and Well Being and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-5KCvegTKE&t=2290s
2. Expert talk on Happiness by Tina Roy– The Science behind it – 31st July 2021
On the 31st July, 2021 an online Expert Talk was conducted on the elusive topic ‘Happiness – The Science behind it!’ from 4:00 pm – 5:00 p.m. The talk was delivered by Dr. Tina Roy, an alumna of PCER Chembur from the Batch of 2009-10. Developing happiness modules was a part of Dr. Tina’s doctoral thesis and she has conducted several workshops which help a person enhance their happiness. She spoke to the audience about what happiness is and how one can enhance their level of happiness.
According to her, there are five ways to enhance happiness. They are 1) Actively seeking happiness 2) Giving oneself the permission to be human 3) Nurturing Relationships 4) Giving to others and 5) Expressing gratitude. Dr. Tina encapsulated the major research findings on happiness and also added her experience from conducting Happiness classes and encouraged all participants to try following these steps. This activity was conducted under SDG # 3: Good Health and Well Being and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JPprLubuV4&t=1901s
3. Expert talk on Diet for Wellness by Ms. Jennifer Dhuri – 20th August 2021
The session on 20th August was on the topic “Diet for Wellness”. The resource person for the session was Ms. Jennifer Dhuri, Consultant Dietician. The session was very smoothly anchored by the General Secretary of the Student Council of PCER. Ms. Dhuri gave a very comprehensive and relevant exposition on the importance of diet and nutrition in the holistic wellbeing of the individual. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session wherein Ms. Jennifer provided clear and needful information to the participants. The link for the session is given below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKEp__hpV-A
4. Expert talk on Mental Health about Healthy Living by Dr. Sheryl Senthilnathan– 24th August 2021
The topic for the session on 24th August was on Mental Health-“Let’s Talk about Healthy Living”. Dr. Sheryl Senthilnathan, Consultant Psychiatrist was the resource person for the YouTube Live session. Dr. Sheryl gave a very pertinent presentation on the contemporary scenario highlighting the factors that affect the mental health of people and what lifestyle changes and habits one needs to cutivate to address the issue. The session was very confidently anchored by Ms. Beverley DSouza. After the presentation Dr. Sheryl clarified the queries presented to her by the host. The link for the session is given below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtKItTg8RBU
Best Practice in Practice Teaching – VENTEL for Holistic Learning
1. Title of the practice: VENTEL For Holistic Learning
2. The context that required the initiation of the practice:
Education in Mahatma Gandhi’s view encompassed physical, spiritual and intellectual growth of students. It should give not merely the three R’S and some skills to students to earn their livelihood but also help them to become healthy and happy individuals who understand their place and roles in the society, country, nation and the world and contribute to its growth. Gandhi said education is the all round drawing of the best in the child and man in body, mind and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education, not even its beginning. It is only one of the means whereby man and woman come to be educated.
Student teachers are prospective teachers who will be absorbed in various schools and will touch the lives of millions of children. So it is important that they are made aware of Gandhi’s ideas on educational values, basic education, vocational education which has a significant impact on today’s educational context too. Some of the activities conducted as a part of this practice included.
The following sessions were conducted :
NaiTalim Week:
3. Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice are as follows:
1. To create awareness of Gandhian Values among student teachers
2. To enhance teamwork and interpersonal skills of student teachers
3. To promote basic skill development among student teachers
4. To develop dignity of labour among student teachers.
4. The practice:
5. Impact of the Best Practice: Through this activity student teachers were oriented towards Gandhian thoughts and values. They learnt new skills and the need to disseminate Gandhian values to society. They learnt the value of dignity of labour, protecting the environment, interacting with school students and developing their creative talents.
6. Resources required:
Experts from various fields to conduct sessions, stationery, digital devices, internet connectivity,institutional premises.
7. Feedback mechanism and future plans:
Comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator on the different activities and remediation.
Best Practice in Innovative Practices – Edu- 2030
Title of the Practice: Edu- 2030
The context that required the initiation of the practice: The United Nations is 2015 gave the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call of action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success. These goals have become the key indicators in schools, colleges, educational institutions etc. Since the B.Ed course caters to the needs of the students in school and colleges we need to align the Course structure to the SDG’s Since the mission and vision of PCER focuses on global challenges, this best practice can be included in Criteria VII as Edu-2030 an attempt to cater to the needs of the global society.
Objectives of the practice:
The practice:
The students will be oriented about the need for Sustainable Development Goals to be addressed in meeting our global challenges. This will include a detailed understanding of the 17 SDG’s and their impact on the society. The key competencies for sustainability will be focused through activities which will make each of the student teacher to take decisions judiciously.
Competencies are:
Critical Thinking competency: The ability to question norms, practices and opinions, to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions and to take a position in these situations.
Anticipatory competency: The ability to understand and evaluate multiple, possible and desirable actions and assess the consequences of these actions in dealing with risks.
Normative competency: The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underline one’s actions and to negotiate sustainable values, principles and goals.
Strategic competency: The ability to design and develop social initiative towards SDG’s
Collaborative competency: The ability to learn from others, respect their needs, be sensitive to other’s needs and facilitate collaborative problem solving.
Self-awareness competency: The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community towards SDG’s and witness the global impact.
Problem-solving competency: The ability to apply different problem solving approaches and develop viable solutions to promote sustainable development.
These competencies will be addressed through movies, role play, scenario based learning, drama, field visit, expert talk, case study etc. All the 17 SDG’s will be catered and the student-teachers will be given an in-depth understanding by focusing on the specific learning objectives – cognitive learning objective, socio-emotional learning objective and behavioral learning objective.
Impact of the study:
This study will focus on developing the student teacher competencies about the SDG’s through the various learning objectives
Resources required:
The resources such as the arrangement of movies, role play and other teaching methods that will be needed in fostering the competencies of SDG’s.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
A comprehensive feedback will be taken on the competencies of SDG’s inculcated by the teacher educator.
Best Practice in Student Support and Progression – TQM
1. Title of the practice: PCER’s TQM – Based on NEP 2020 Perspective
T – Teaching through Interdisciplinary Approach
Q – Quality and Equity in Education
M – Outcome Based Education
2. The context that required the initiation of the practice: The B.Ed. course aims to develop the highest of quality teachers. In order to do this, student teachers who enroll are assessed for the basic competencies and the gaps are filled to equip them with the necessary skills. They are taught through an interdisciplinary approach by focusing on student outcomes as they are expected to do the same in their subsequent roles as educators. This best practice in student support and progression – TQM is a structured plan to cater to the various baselines of student teacher competency differences while ensuring an experiential learning environment.
3. Objectives of the practice: The objectives of this practice were:
1. To assess students on basic competencies to check for those who may require additional support.
2. To provide mentoring and support for those students who may be functioning at a sub par level at the start of the course.
3. To orient students to STEAM education.
4. To develop the teacher competencies for STEAM education.
5. To model outcome based education
4. The practice:
T – Teaching through Interdisciplinary Approach
Q – Quality and Equity in Education
M – Outcome Based Education
4. Impact of the study:
This practice aims to ensure equitable teaching learning practices that emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of STEAM while focussing on the programme and course objective.
5. Resources required:
Teacher educators to prepare the assessment tools, plan for intervention activities and materials, Library resources, institutional premise as a resource.
6. Feedback mechanism and future plans:
Comprehensive feedback collected from the various stakeholders involved to check progress and effectiveness of the practices.
Best Practice in Practice Teaching – VENTEL for Holistic Learning
Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and ideals had a great impact on our freedom movement. His ideals and values were with respect to education was focused on the whole development of a child and not just the mind. Mahatma Gandhi believed in the physical, spiritual, and intellectual growth of students. According to him education should inculcate skills in the students to earn their livelihood as well as help them to become healthy and happy individuals who understand their place and roles in the society, countryand the world and contribute to its growth. Gandhi said education is an all-round drawing of the best in the child and man in body, mind, and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education, not even its beginning. It is only one of the means whereby man and woman come to be educated.
Student teachers are prospective teachers who will be absorbed in various schools and will touch the lives of millions of children. So, it is important that they are made aware of Gandhi’s ideas on educational values, basic education, vocational education which has a significant impact on today’s educational context too.
Due to Covid -19 lockdown all the activities were planned on a virtual platform.
The following sessions were conducted :
Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education, Dept of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt of India and University of Mumbai – BOS in Education in association with MES’s Pillai College of Education & Research organized a Workshop on VENTEL (Vocational Education NaiTalim Experiential Learning) on 27th September, 2020 from 3.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.. The program began with a formal welcome to all to the Workshop on VENTEL followed by the University Song.
Dr. Sunita Magre, Chairperson- BOS in Education, University of Mumbai welcomed all the participants and thanked the patrons of MGNCRE, University of Mumbai and PCER, Chembur for collaborating and making this workshop possible for all the participants. Dr. Reni Francis, Principal, PCER, Chembur also stressed upon the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi which is so relevant in today’s times. She spoke on the coordination of Head, Heart and Hand for being self-reliant in life.
Ms. Manisha Karape, Organiser MGNCRE, MoE, GOI emphasized the various initiatives under VENTEL and highlighted the objectives of the workshop.
The resource persons for the workshop were:
Dr. Ketki Satpute, Assistant Professor, Sree Narayana Guru College of Education
Dr. Dnyaneshwar Magar, Principal, Navjeevan Education Society, College of Education
Dr. Rajeshri Joshi, Assistant Professor, Seva Sadan College of Education
The workshop was highly appreciated by all the participants and it laid the foundation and gave direction for VENTEL activities to be adopted and practiced by each institution.
There were 80-90 registered participants who had filled the form mentioned below for their confirmation: https://forms.gle/AK2qw4KjUWjjGCaQA
The participants had joined the program in Google Meet Link with the following details:
meet.google.com/mwy-ktwd-aqh
NAI TALIM WEEK
University of Mumbai, Thane Sub Campus, Thane in collaboration with MES’s Pillai College of Education & Research, Chembur organised NaiTalim Week from 1st October – 7th October, 2020. There were a variety of sessions conducted for students of Chembur English High School.
Day 1: 1st October, 2020
Knowing our Mahatma (Online Quiz)
This quiz focused on Mahatma Gandhi,Father of the Nation whose values, ideals and leadership provided direction to the Indian Freedom Movement. The objective of this quiz is to create awareness about Mahatma Gandhi. Each question carries one mark. There were 15 questions in all.
Day 2: 2nd October, 2020
Session on Swachhata Diwas
The objective of this initiative was to highlight the Life of Mahatma Gandhi and the philosophy that our young students need to imbibe in their lives. The students were oriented on Waste segregation through a detailed activity and gave them an understanding of dry and wet waste. The 10 Golden rules of maintaining and practising Swachh Bharat were also shared. Slogan writing competition and Knowing our Mahatma Quiz was also done with the students.
Ms. Annamma Paul – Principal, Chembur English High school congratulated the efforts of the Student teachers of PCER, Chembur and emphasized the importance of Clean City Green City. She also said that cleanliness begins from us and we need to take the right steps in keeping our city and country clean. Dr. Reni Francis quoted the words of Gandhiji ‘the future depends on what you do today’ and told the students that our actions today will lead to a bright and beautiful future tomorrow. Be wise in using our natural resources and careful in protecting our resources for the well-being of mankind. She thanked Dr. Sunita Magre, I/C Director Thane Sub Campus- University of Mumbai and the Management of Mahatma Education Society for their support and encouragement. The programme ended with a motivational song and vote of thanks. The teachers of both the institutions and student teachers had conducted the programme effectively. The participants enjoyed the event and gave positive feedback of the programme.
The session can be viewed by clicking the below link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_c–0SUUE6KpVFKYeBcjbCKewML5VKXu/view?usp=sharing
Day 3: Late Principal Mathews Chacko Online Elocution Competition
Elocution Competition
The Late Principal Mathews Chacko Online Elocution Competition was conducted as part of the activities held during the NaiTalim Week on 3rd October at 11.00 a.m.. The elocution competition was conducted by the student council of PCER, live online via Google Meet and the participants comprised of Second Year B.Ed students. The theme for the elocution competition was ‘Role of a Teacher with respect to Gandhian Values’. The competition was judged by Ms. Suma Lerin and Ms. Sivaranjini Ganeshan. The winners received e-certificates. The winners of the competition were :
First Prize: Ms. Shivani Mayekar
Second Prize: Ms. Benazeer Jamadar
The anchors for the programme were student council members Ms. Jeni James and Ms. Alisha Memon who ensured the smooth flow of the event. The judges appreciated the efforts of the participants, the smooth conduct of the programme and also encouraged the audience to take up such opportunities as good communication skills were an important aspect of a teacher’s competencies. Principal Dr. Reni Francis motivated the students to keep learning and take part in such events which would enable the holistic development of their personalities. The activity was in alignment with SDG 4 Quality Education. The Google Meet Link for the competition:
https://meet.google.com/grp-sbbt-zcg
Day 4: 4th October, 2020
Sessions on Yoga
The yoga practitioners, Ms. Hansa Mamtora and Mr. Anup Thomas had pre- recorded warm up sessions and basic yoga sessions. These videos were sent to 5th-9th standard students who benefited a lot. Due to the COVID_ 19 pandemic, people across the world are in a lockdown stage. So this was a big opportunity for the students to understand and practice yoga staying back home and relate it with Gandhiji’s principles.
The following links were shared with the students:
Session 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_WoVRlJEL4
Session 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4apW88bmKQ
Session 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMMu754zedY
Day 5: 5th October, 2020
Session on Health Guide and Post Covid-19 Sanitization
The session included games, quiz, videos on precautionary measures against Covid-19, importance of precautionary measures on Covid-19 and managing mental health. The various activities to foster physical and mental health were also provided during the session. Posters related to Post Covid health Practices were also shown to students. Ms. Rimita who recovered from Covid-19, shared her story which was very useful to the participants as it gave insight to various things to be taken care of during this pandemic.
The session can be viewed by clicking the below link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JAuySkYtROnW04ChLPYeKFg4MX2fcppL/view?usp=sharing
Day 6: 6th October, 2020
Story Telling Competition
Story Telling Competition was organised for 5th-7th standard students of Chembur English High School on 6th October, 2020. The theme of the competition was ‘Gandhian Values’. There were 21 participants in total. Each participant was given a platform to showcase their story telling skills. The stories were narrated with a lot of confidence. The judges were Ms. Sherry Jose, Ms. Benazeer Jamadar and Ms. Rashmi Shinde. The judges shared their expertise after the participation from the students. The winners of the competition were:
7th Grade, First position : Miss Bhargavi Sonawane
7th Grade, Second position : Master Anurag Gaikwad
6th Grade, First Position: Miss Azeen Hashmi
6th Grade, Second Position : Miss DrushtiKarkar
5th Grade, First Position: Miss Arya Shinde
Dr. Reni Francis, congratulated all the participants, winners and the organisers of the programme.
The session can be viewed by clicking the below link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zzzMeAYnsMVAz0tw1z4cO6efAnbHU9xq/view?usp=sharing
Day 7: 7th October, 2020
Mask Making Session
Students from the tutorial group of Dr. Swasti Dhar conducted a session on Mask Making with the Ninth standard students of Chembur English High School. After welcoming everyone, the students threw light about the importance of masks with a talk on General Awareness about Masks which answered questions such as why one should wear a mask, where the mask is worn, who should not wear masks and general do’s and don’ts about mask-wearing. This was followed by a talk on the different types of masks and who should wear them.
Students of CEHS were then taught how to make a simple unstitched mask from a piece of cloth at home. Instructions were given and the students followed the instructions and made the mask side by side. A video on how to make a cloth mask was shown and shared with the students.
Students were also told about the correct way to maintain and/ or dispose of a mask after its use. A quick recap test was taken via Google Form.
The session ended with a vote of thanks to all the patrons, Principals, teachers and students.
The session can be viewed at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OwjtKVMHOjOsLL-Lpv4hR6T3bb0KiA-Q/view?usp=sharing
The responsibilities of conducting Nai- Talim experiential learning were shared among the student teachers. So if any one student teacher faced any connectivity issue then her peer took over the task. The sessions included various activities, videos, pictures and learners were constantly encouraged to share their views and their creative work.
Through this activity student teachers were oriented towards the importance and necessity of acquiring new knowledge and skills that were productive. They learnt new skills that would enable them to be self-reliant, as it had economic value and that would also develop their creative talents, and were environment friendly.
Formative Feedback was given on a regular basis to the student teachers as and when they conducted the session. Moreover feedback was also sought from the Principal and teachers of Chembur English High School . These holistic feedback gave an impetus to the students to face the camera and conduct meaningful activities with confidence and precision.
Since we were in a period of COVID-19 lockdown, all the activities were carried out in virtual mode. Our future plans are to have more number of activities spread to more schools on a physical platform. This will give more exposure to our student teachers as well as the impact of Gandhian week will be to a larger audience.
Best Practice in Innovative Practices – Edu- 2030
Title of the Practice: Edu- 2030
The context that required the initiation of the practice: The United Nations is 2015 gave the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call of action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success. These goals have become the key indicators in schools, colleges, educational institutions etc. Since the B.Ed course caters to the needs of the students in school and colleges we need to align the Course structure to the SDG’s Since the mission and vision of PCER focuses on global challenges, this best practice can be included in Criteria VII as Edu-2030 an attempt to cater to the needs of the global society.
Objectives of the practice:
The practice:
The students will be oriented about the need for Sustainable Development Goals to be addressed in meeting our global challenges. This will include a detailed understanding of the 17 SDG’s and their impact on the society. The key competencies for sustainability will be focused through activities which will make each of the student teacher to take decisions judiciously.
Competencies are:
Critical Thinking competency: The ability to question norms, practices and opinions, to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions and to take a position in these situations.
Anticipatory competency: The ability to understand and evaluate multiple, possible and desirable actions and assess the consequences of these actions in dealing with risks.
Normative competency: The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underline one’s actions and to negotiate sustainable values, principles and goals.
Strategic competency: The ability to design and develop social initiative towards SDG’s
Collaborative competency: The ability to learn from others, respect their needs, be sensitive to other’s needs and facilitate collaborative problem solving.
Self-awareness competency: The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community towards SDG’s and witness the global impact.
Problem-solving competency: The ability to apply different problem solving approaches and develop viable solutions to promote sustainable development.
These competencies will be addressed through movies, role play, scenario based learning, drama, field visit, expert talk, case study etc. All the 17 SDG’s will be catered and the student-teachers will be given an in-depth understanding by focusing on the specific learning objectives – cognitive learning objective, socio-emotional learning objective and behavioral learning objective.
Impact of the study:
This study will focus on developing the student teacher competencies about the SDG’s through the various learning objectives
Resources required:
The resources such as the arrangement of movies, role play and other teaching methods that will be needed in fostering the competencies of SDG’s.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
A comprehensive feedback will be taken on the competencies of SDG’s inculcated by the teacher educator.
Best Practice in Practice Teaching – VENTEL for Holistic Learning
Education in Mahatma Gandhi’s view encompassed physical, spiritual and intellectual growth of students. It should give not merely the three R’S and some skills to students to earn their livelihood but also help them to become healthy and happy individuals who understand their place and roles in the society, country, nation and the world and contribute to its growth. Gandhi said education is the all round drawing of the best in the child and man in body, mind and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education, not even its beginning. It is only one of the means whereby man and woman come to be educated.
Student teachers are prospective teachers who will be absorbed in various schools and will touch the lives of millions of children. So it is important that they are made aware of Gandhi’s ideas on educational values, basic education, vocational education which has a significant impact on today’s educational context too. Some of the activities conducted as a part of this practice included
The following sessions were conducted :
Best Practice in Innovative Practices – Edu- 2030
Title of the Practice: Edu- 2030
The context that required the initiation of the practice: The United Nations is 2015 gave the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call of action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success. These goals have become the key indicators in schools, colleges, educational institutions etc. Since the B.Ed course caters to the needs of the students in school and colleges we need to align the Course structure to the SDG’s Since the mission and vision of PCER focuses on global challenges, this best practice can be included in Criteria VII as Edu-2030 an attempt to cater to the needs of the global society.
Objectives of the practice:
The practice:
The students will be oriented about the need for Sustainable Development Goals to be addressed in meeting our global challenges. This will include a detailed understanding of the 17 SDG’s and their impact on the society. The key competencies for sustainability will be focused through activities which will make each of the student teacher to take decisions judiciously.
Competencies are:
Critical Thinking competency: The ability to question norms, practices and opinions, to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions and to take a position in these situations.
Anticipatory competency: The ability to understand and evaluate multiple, possible and desirable actions and assess the consequences of these actions in dealing with risks.
Normative competency: The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underline one’s actions and to negotiate sustainable values, principles and goals.
Strategic competency: The ability to design and develop social initiative towards SDG’s
Collaborative competency: The ability to learn from others, respect their needs, be sensitive to other’s needs and facilitate collaborative problem solving.
Self-awareness competency: The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community towards SDG’s and witness the global impact.
Problem-solving competency: The ability to apply different problem solving approaches and develop viable solutions to promote sustainable development.
These competencies will be addressed through movies, role play, scenario based learning, drama, field visit, expert talk, case study etc. All the 17 SDG’s will be catered and the student-teachers will be given an in-depth understanding by focusing on the specific learning objectives – cognitive learning objective, socio-emotional learning objective and behavioral learning objective.
Impact of the study:
This study will focus on developing the student teacher competencies about the SDG’s through the various learning objectives
Resources required:
The resources such as the arrangement of movies, role play and other teaching methods that will be needed in fostering the competencies of SDG’s.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
A comprehensive feedback will be taken on the competencies of SDG’s inculcated by the teacher educator.
Best Practice in Teaching, Learning and Evaluation – iLEARN
1. Title of the practice: iLEARN.
i : Identifying the learning styles among students.
L : Leveraging innovations in teaching- learning.
E : Engage learning through constructivism
A : Assessing the learning process.
R : Remediation through peer tutoring/mentoring.
N : Norming new standards/ benchmarks of learning.
2. The context that required the initiation of the practice: The B.Ed course grooms the student teacher to be competent at school. Today teachers’ face a lot of challenges in schools hence the B.Ed course should model innovative practices to keep the teachers abreast with the current learning needs. The best practice in teaching, learning and evaluation – iLEARN is an attempt to cater to the different teaching, learning and assessment in schools.
3. Objectives of the practice:
The objectives of this practice was:
1. To understand the learner profile and diverse learning styles among the student teachers.
2. To cater to the diverse needs of the learner.
3. To focus on different Teaching Learning process.
4. To focus on improving the Teacher quality
5. To implement different Evaluation process
4. The practice:
i : Identifying the learning styles among students.
L : Leveraging innovations in teaching- learning.
E : Engage learning through constructivism
We used different teaching methodology to engage our students in the learning process.
Using innovative teaching learning strategies such as
A : Assessing the learning through RBT.
R : Remediation through peer tutoring/ mentoring.
N : Norming new standards/ benchmarks of learning.
Was done in the form of extended remediation and tutorials to understand the student need and support for further achievements in learning.
5. Obstacles faced if any and strategies adopted to overcome them:
The obstacle faced during the practice teaching programme was time. To arrange the venue and plan for all the student teachers to participate together at a fixed time was difficult, however efforts were taken to undertake these activities on Saturday and arrange it in the multi-purpose area.
6. Impact of the study:
This helped to remain abreast with the latest technology used in schools. It was a great opportunity for our student teachers in getting acquainted with the use of innovative, creative methods of teaching in class. It highlighted the importance of peer mentors. The positive feedback boosted the morale of our student teachers towards iLearn approach.
7. Resources required:
Teacher educator as a resource to prepare the checklist, plan for different teaching methods, Library resources, institutional premise as a resource.
8. Feedback mechanism and future plans:
A comprehensive feedback was taken by the teacher educator, with respect to methodology adopted, learning styles, teaching styles, assessment methods and resources adopted.
Activities conducted through iLEARN
Symposium: Curriculum is the core of an educational system. The interior decoration and the artefacts that constitute it reflect the philosophy of life and the personality of the designer to a great extent. Similarly the subjects included in the curriculum in general and the units of the syllabi reflect the characteristics traits not only of the designer of the curriculum but gives a global picture of a notion
Objective of the symposium:
Traditionally the curriculum refers to some amount of knowledge and some skills taught to the child.
The modern concept is more child centered and activity oriented.
Seminar: The B.Ed course grooms the student teacher to be effective citizens of their country. Every citizen has rights and duties, hence it becomes important for teachers to take responsibility in acquainting our young children on Democracy, Effective Citizenship, Human Rights and Secularism. Bridging Education and Society assists in enabling people to make their own decisions and to take responsibility for their own lives and their communities.
Gallery Walk was a major highlight for Course I – on the topic Educational Thinkers. The topic were assigned to the student group which dealt with Indian and Western philosophers. The topics were sub divided into – Philosophy of Life, Aims of Education, Curriculum, Methods of teaching, Textbook, Role of teacher, contributions, achievements. The student teachers group presented skits on the life of each philosopher, their contributions and events that highlighted their philosophy of life, their unique charismatic school of thought. Charts were made on each philosopher highlighting on the sub topics. Creative ideas of exhibiting the charts and write up was witnessed. Each student of the group were assigned tasks and they took individual responsibility and assumed the role of social cohesiveness by the group activity. The student teachers prepared power point presentation on the topic assigned to them and also provided the class with study material of the concerned topic. An assessment consisting of MCQ was done at the end to review the understanding gained by the student teachers on the different thinkers.
Mind mapping is a beneficial learning tool to help students brainstorm any topic and think creatively. Mind mapping is a visual form of note taking that offers an overview of a topic and its complex information, allowing students to comprehend, create new ideas and build connections. This methodology was used to teach the topic ‘Role of Education towards Individual Development’ in Course I – Philosophical Foundations of Education. The various aspects of Individual development and how education caters to Individual development was mind mapped for easy reference. The students were arranged as per their Tutorial groups. they were asked to imagine themselves as an identity or any personality and that individual is groomed through Education. Students were aptly prepared the charts of the same.
Blended Learning was a right blend of Online and Offline mode of learning. In the unit II – Professional Ethics of Course I – Philosophical Foundations of Education Blended Learning was very meaningful. The students were shown YouTube clippings, movie clipping and short stories of different teachers and how they impact in a student life. the positive and detrimental effects of student- teacher relationship was highlighted. this made them think positively and effectively on code of conduct and professionalism in teaching was emphasised. The students came their thoughts and experiences of different teachers in the life.
Best Practice in Career Cell – Job Perfect
1. Title of the practice: JOB PERFECT
P: Identify Potential of each student through SWOT Analysis
E: Expand content knowledge
R: Create Readiness to face interview
F: Focus on personality development
E: Enhance Communication Skills
C: Career Counseling
T: Test Yourself
2. The context that required the initiation of the practice:
B.Ed. is a professional course which trains the students to be adopted in various schools. The course provides both theory and practical knowledge to students. But still when it comes to choose their desired jobs and how to groom themselves for it sometimes become a challenge for student teachers. So the initiative of the best practice ‘JOB PERFECT’ will give them opportunity to explore the real working world and accordingly train themselves.
3. Objectives of the practice: The objectives of this practice are as follows:
1. To identify the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats in choosing a job
2. To cater to the diverse needs of the student teachers based on the above analysis
3. To create readiness to face interview
4. To focus on personality development
5. To enhance communication skills
6. To have sessions on career counselling
7. To have a review and give feedback to student teachers
4. The practice:
P: Identify Potential of each student through SWOT analysis. B.Ed. is a two year program. This best practice will be practiced in their second year when many placement schools and colleges are invited for campus recruitment. So it is important that each student is trained first to understand their individual potential and accordingly groomed to give their best in interviews and their demonstration lessons. SWOT analysis will help in self analysis and will help the teacher educator too to plan activities according to the need felt.
E: Expand content knowledge. We have content enrichment program throughout our B.Ed. programme. To strengthen the idea of rich and updated content, sessions will betaken on more reading practice, relevant content discussion from newspaper, magazines etc. which will help in up gradation on current topics relevant to their subjects.
R: Create Readiness to face interview. Facing an interview is a nightmare for few student teachers. So lot of emphasis will be given to have mock interviews involving and engaging the student teachers. It will give practical experience of what to do and what not to while facing any interview.
F: Focus on personality development.Personality Development is very important aspect of an effective teacher. Workshop will be taken to enhance their personality so that they develop confidence within themselves.
E: Enhance Communication Skills. Effective verbal and non verbal communication helps in healthy interaction with people. Sessions will be taken to ensure that student teachers communicate with clear, concise, complete, and correct language.
C: Career Counseling. Career counseling will help student teachers to be aware of wider scope of pursuing B.Ed. Course.
T: Test Yourself At the end of all the sessions’ student teachers will once again do the SWOT analysis to find out the improvement in each one.
5. Impact of the study: This practice will boost the morale of our student teachers and they will develop into more promising and confident applicants for any job.
6. Resources required: Teacher educator as are source to analyze the SWOT analysis, plan different activities, check student teacher’s progress, give regular feedback, invite resource person for interactive sessions etc.
7. Feedback mechanism and future plans: A comprehensive feedback will be taken by the teacher educator, with respect to effectiveness of each activity conducted.
Best Practice in Innovative Practices – Edu- 2030
Title of the Practice: Edu- 2030
The context that required the initiation of the practice: The United Nations is 2015 gave the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call of action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success. These goals have become the key indicators in schools, colleges, educational institutions etc. Since the B.Ed course caters to the needs of the students in school and colleges we need to align the Course structure to the SDG’s Since the mission and vision of PCER focuses on global challenges, this best practice can be included in Criteria VII as Edu-2030 an attempt to cater to the needs of the global society.
Objectives of the practice:
The practice:
The students will be oriented about the need for Sustainable Development Goals to be addressed in meeting our global challenges. This will include a detailed understanding of the 17 SDG’s and their impact on the society. The key competencies for sustainability will be focused through activities which will make each of the student teacher to take decisions judiciously.
Competencies are:
Critical Thinking competency: The ability to question norms, practices and opinions, to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions and to take a position in these situations.
Anticipatory competency: The ability to understand and evaluate multiple, possible and desirable actions and assess the consequences of these actions in dealing with risks.
Normative competency: The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underline one’s actions and to negotiate sustainable values, principles and goals.
Strategic competency: The ability to design and develop social initiative towards SDG’s
Collaborative competency: The ability to learn from others, respect their needs, be sensitive to other’s needs and facilitate collaborative problem solving.
Self-awareness competency: The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community towards SDG’s and witness the global impact.
Problem-solving competency: The ability to apply different problem solving approaches and develop viable solutions to promote sustainable development.
These competencies will be addressed through movies, role play, scenario based learning, drama, field visit, expert talk, case study etc. All the 17 SDG’s will be catered and the student-teachers will be given an in-depth understanding by focusing on the specific learning objectives – cognitive learning objective, socio-emotional learning objective and behavioral learning objective.
Impact of the study:
This study will focus on developing the student teacher competencies about the SDG’s through the various learning objectives
Resources required:
The resources such as the arrangement of movies, role play and other teaching methods that will be needed in fostering the competencies of SDG’s.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
A comprehensive feedback will be taken on the competencies of SDG’s inculcated by the teacher educator.
Best Practice in Innovative Practices – Edu- 2030
Title of the Practice: Edu- 2030
The context that required the initiation of the practice: The United Nations is 2015 gave the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal call of action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success. These goals have become the key indicators in schools, colleges, educational institutions etc. Since the B.Ed course caters to the needs of the students in school and colleges we need to align the Course structure to the SDG’s Since the mission and vision of PCER focuses on global challenges, this best practice can be included in Criteria VII as Edu-2030 an attempt to cater to the needs of the global society.
Objectives of the practice:
The practice:
The students will be oriented about the need for Sustainable Development Goals to be addressed in meeting our global challenges. This will include a detailed understanding of the 17 SDG’s and their impact on the society. The key competencies for sustainability will be focused through activities which will make each of the student teacher to take decisions judiciously.
Competencies are:
Critical Thinking competency: The ability to question norms, practices and opinions, to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions and to take a position in these situations.
Anticipatory competency: The ability to understand and evaluate multiple, possible and desirable actions and assess the consequences of these actions in dealing with risks.
Normative competency: The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underline one’s actions and to negotiate sustainable values, principles and goals.
Strategic competency: The ability to design and develop social initiative towards SDG’s
Collaborative competency: The ability to learn from others, respect their needs, be sensitive to other’s needs and facilitate collaborative problem solving.
Self-awareness competency: The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community towards SDG’s and witness the global impact.
Problem-solving competency: The ability to apply different problem solving approaches and develop viable solutions to promote sustainable development.
These competencies will be addressed through movies, role play, scenario based learning, drama, field visit, expert talk, case study etc. All the 17 SDG’s will be catered and the student-teachers will be given an in-depth understanding by focusing on the specific learning objectives – cognitive learning objective, socio-emotional learning objective and behavioral learning objective.
Impact of the study:
This study will focus on developing the student teacher competencies about the SDG’s through the various learning objectives
Resources required:
The resources such as the arrangement of movies, role play and other teaching methods that will be needed in fostering the competencies of SDG’s.
Feedback mechanism and future plans:
A comprehensive feedback will be taken on the competencies of SDG’s inculcated by the teacher educator.
Implementation by
Dr. Reni Francis
Best Practice in Innovative Practices – IDEAL
The B.Ed. course grooms the student teacher to be competent at school. Today teachers face a lot of challenges in schools hence the B. Ed course should focus on enriching the competencies – Professional and Core Competencies. The best practice in student support and progression – IDEAL is an attempt to cater to the competencies for a teacher.