Trends in Improved Teaching and Learning

There has been a lot of discussion going around improved education and learning in engineering domain. This is one area that has been transforming continuously over decades and today we are leveraging technology to bring in modern tools and methods into teaching. We are listing the trends in improved teaching for the benefit of the teaching community.

Training the trainers

Learning is never ending not only for students, but also for the faculty/ professors. To stay on top of the modern methods, teachers are relying on courses and certifications to raise themselves above the bar every time. In these trainings, the points that are covered in general are:

  • Identify the learning and employability needs of 21st century learners – what they are like – how they learn?
  • Define the Learning Process – how learning happens & how to use that knowledge to transform our teaching methodology.
  • Explain key components of Course Design and learn to write modify course learning objectives.
  • Create a vibrant classroom – so that students are motivated to learn and enjoy being there.
  • Design and deliver an effective lecture to ensure student engagement and motivation
  • Identify advantages of partnering with  technology to enhance classroom instruction
  • Create a course website
  • Create good questions
  • Create rubrics to provide transparent and constructive feedback
  • Evaluate yourself as an engineering educator and define your personal and professional goals as an engineering educator

Outcome based education

Designing the course outcomes and analysing assessment data from time to time towards the outcomes is important.

  • Incorporate formative assessment into courses to guide adaptive instruction
  • Measure student learning through direct and indirect assessment
  • Develop a list of measurable course outcomes
  • Develop and implement a program assessment cycle
  • Measure higher level learning outcomes by direct assessment
  • Incorporate rubrics for effective instruction and outcomes assessment

Design experiments for students

Experiments based learning is a trend today.

  • Explain the inquiry scale
  • Convert a cookbook lab into a structured or challenge lab experiment
  • Utilize the design of experiments rubric to guide students to develop an effective experiment
  • Interpret and present experimental results
  • Write an effective lab report

Project based learning

Introduce ethics into education. To better explain the concepts, involve students in groups for small scale projects.

  • Explain the instructional benefits of project-based learning
  • Design a project for your course with appropriate scope
  • Write learning outcomes for course project
  • Design a system for assessing the student achievements with the project
  • Utilize a system for peer assessment of team functionality

Research and paper presenations

Technical education is all about research. The faculty has to continuously innovate and prepare their research reports effectively to stay in touch with industry. Participate in symposiums, events and present advanced technical papers.

  • Complete a literature search for a research project
  • Describe the impact of the research
  • Write the methods for the research
  • Write all of the measurable outcomes for the project
  • Determine and articulate the potential risks/pitfalls of the project
  • Identify a funding source for your project
  • Edit a research proposal
  • Write a budget for the project
  • Write the timeline for the research
  • Write an effective executive summary of the project

These are some of the trends we could gather, in due course we would be publishing more articles around the same. For more information, please mail us at info@l4g.in

Importance of Technical English in Engineering Domain

Globally there are 743 million non-native English speakers in the world. 56% of the content over internet is in English. Over 50% of journals, research papers in engineering and technology discipline are in English. English is spoken in 118 countries in the world and 90 percent of the corporates which hire engineers communicate in English. These statistics drive home the point the importance of English in engineering domain.

As per oxford dictionary, there are 1,71,476 words in current use and overall about 7,50,000 words. Out of these a native English speaker uses on average about 25000 to 30000 words. The point to be noted is even native English speaker uses only 3 to 4 percent of total words. For a non-native English speaker, a vocabulary of 2500 to 3000 words would do a world of good. For technical people, a vocabulary of 1250 to 1500 words should be a decent game to play with.

Knowing English will enable people in their professional and personal life no matter where they are. For engineering students whose mother tongue is not English, mastering the language is now more important than ever for a prospective technical career around the globe. Most of engineering professors in India conduct their lectures in English, most of the research and technology papers are published in English. Mastering Technical English is of prime importance to budding engineers today.

Understanding this gap, L4G in collaboration with Sinha Research, Switzerland had introduced an innovative course in technical English for engineering students. This short course makes the participants realize the power of communication and gives them the right methodology and tools to master communication skill specifically designed for technical students and professionals in the shortest possible time.

The course is focused on the following six points:

  • Importance of Communication Skills for Engineering and Science Students.
  • A quick test to assess the current level of students,
  • Tips and tools for quickly fixing the problems related to English and communication.
  • Important tips of technical presentations, group discussion and job interviews.
  • Non verbal communications and body language
  • Motivating students to continue practising on their own, self-evaluation of their progress and gain self-confidence and be successful in their career.

The course is designed on a mobile app, and is an interactive one with self-help for self-learning. To know more on the course, please mail us at info@l4g.in or call us at +91 – 9553770066

Need of Special Skills Training to Engineering Faculty

Empowering our colleges, faculty with advanced technology skills and best training practices always enable them to innovate their best and teach the students accordingly. Faculties particularly from engineering domain always need to stay on top of their subject from time to time, plus upgrade to latest teaching trending practices that helps them become from a good teacher to a great teacher.

L4G enables faculties to move technically ahead by establishing advanced research skills in them to help ignite the young minds on campus. L4G brings in technology giants to collaborate and work with colleges, hence creates additional learning spaces for faculties to stay in touch with the industry expectations.

Teaching science and engineering is difficult and different from teaching literature or arts. Unfortunately, this skill is hardly imparted to lecturers and assistant professors. This affects the product, namely the graduates. It is possible to quickly train the faculty members to become excellent teachers by showing them a systematic methodology and the best practices thorough a step-by-step process and making them practice on their own. The results can be seen in the overall improvement of the students within a semester.

As part of this training the trainers on special skills, L4G in collaboration with Sinha Research focus on the following:

Essentials of teaching science and engineering

This gives you a basic understanding of what are the bare minimum things that play a key role in teaching engineering subjects to students.

Self-assessment & problem identification

Not very often in engineering domain, the faculty has an opportunity to self-assess his/her knowledge or teaching capabilities. We create a situation for you to self-assess and understand if you have any problems that needs to be fixed.

Communication skill for technical instructions

It is very important to speak the concepts easy to the level that students understand and communication skills play a vital role. It becomes even more vital when it comes to imparting technical education. We work with you on this area during the course.

Best teaching practices for technical education

We help you understand the best teaching practises gathered from the industry. This will help you to draw inspiration from the top notch professors in this space.

Modern tools and methods

Mastering modern teaching aids and methods will transform the way you deliver your lecture for the students. Here you will very clearly understanding the difference between modern tools vs traditional methods in teaching.

Bringing quality into technical education

Learn how you can bring in more quality into your lectures. Sharpen the necessary skills.

Witness a sample lecture

We deliver a sample lecture to enable you understand the step by step process involved in delivering a technical lecture.

Innovation & Project based learning

Motivate your students to innovate. Lead by example in innovation. The best way to master engineering education is through project based learning. Learn to assign small projects in groups to students.

Hands on practice

We give you sufficient exercises for you to practice what you learnt in the course. You can make mock lectures/ presentations.

Continuous Improvement

Note that you can’t master all skill overnight. It has to be a continuous transformation over a period of time.

To know more on the course, please mail us at info@l4g.in or call us at +91 – 9553770066