Best Practice 4

Student Centred Teaching Learning System

Management of the College, from the time of its inception considered the latest techniques in teaching and learning as the most successful channel to impart knowledge and learning experience thus to provide a learner centric curriculum delivery.

Objectives

• To implement student centric teaching learning methodology in curriculum delivery and promote self-directed learning. 

• To incorporate a common portal of learning for students and teaching faculties in order to use gadgets in a productive way.

• To enhance the pedagogy and learning outcomes with total involvement of teachers and students.

• To provide the best learning resources and cater different level learners.

Context:

As emphasised in institutional vision statement and moto of producing dental professionals with skills, knowledge and values, the newer adaptations of learner centric teaching learning are to be implemented to produce global dentists of tomorrow.

Accordingly a genuine shift from passive learning to self- directed learning process have to be cultivated among the students.

In order to provide a better learning experience to the students, a small group teaching system-micro lecture system was implemented by incorporating teaching learning activities in 2017 for II BDS students which showed 100% promotion rate for that batch.  Hence further implementation of an activity based teaching methodology was initiated batch wise since then.

Finally an Activity Based Learning Education (ABLE) system is implemented which is actually a blended mode of teaching methodology incorporating both student centric and teacher centric mode of curriculum delivery.

Practice:

This system is aimed at managing various learning related issues of the students such as lack of concentration, inability to comprehend, analyse, apply and evaluate the subject taught.

Accordingly each theory class is planned to have 4 components.  A mid class activity to engage and sustain the students’ concentration throughout the lecture and also to provide a platform for participatory learning. 

This is followed by the post evaluation test to ensure and evaluate the achievement of learning outcome.  An assignment as a homework reinforces the topic.  The student feedback regarding the topic and the class ensures the complete topic delivery.

Teacher centric mode practiced in this system is a modified version of the conventional teaching methodology with incorporation of small teaching learning activities and exercises in order to break the monotony of conventional lecture system.

Dental Education Technology Department monitor the classes, collect feedback forms from students, subject in-charges, HODs for improving, updating and upgrading the system.

Evidence of Success

• Participatory learning is highlighted.

• Students are able to perform better in their examinations with high scores.

• Students are accomplished with self-centred learning practice.

• Teaching has become more effective and learning more interesting instead of a tiresome repetitive exercise.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

1. Familiarizing the student centric mode of teaching- learning to students and faculties.

2. Evaluation of learning outcome.

3. Infrastructure and digitalization.