Make Them Learn : An Innovation In Teaching

Mukesh Srivastava, Faculty Member

Department of Information Technology,
INC, ICFAI University, Dehradun
e-mail : mk_sri@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Training at higher levels like MBA and other professional courses should be
done as a fisherman trains his kids for swimming. He does not teach them
the basics of swimming but throws them directly into the water to learn
swimming on their own by practical reflexes. Although, the fisherman
makes sure that the kid does not drown. A person trained like that is more
likely to become a great swimmer than one who undergoes a routine
coaching. What is the difference …… the former was Trained while the
latter was Taught.

The same approach can be adopted for training the students who are
pursuing some professional studies using MTL (Make Them Learn) model.
After all it is to be kept in minds …… we are training them to Run and not
to Walk.

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INTRODUCTION

Teaching methodology has been changing since the time immemorial with the changing
needs and objectives. Training at higher levels, where students are prepared for joining
some industry of initiating some entrepreneur of their own, should be imparted in a
different way. In most of the cases it is the post graduation level and students have already
gone through almost 15 years of education based on conventional teaching. The revolution
in the Communication and Information Technology has turned the world into a global
village and requirements of this era expect innovative ideas in all the spheres of
knowledge. In this context, the responsibility of a teacher has increased many folds. The
teachers have to be more practical in their approach specially in professional education.
The corporate sector has presented great demands for managerial skills. This need cannot
be fulfilled only by class-room lectures and bookish knowledge. The students should have
to be made more creative, analytical and decisive in their outlook. For this purpose the
students will have to be made to work and learn on their own under the guidance of
teachers instead of spoon feeding.

The MTL (Make Them Learn) model envisages a platform to students to learn themselves
by reading, referring, preparing, interacting, reporting, presenting, evaluating, brain
storming, designing, creating, realizing, leading and acting under a little fabricated stress.
Students are exposed to application areas for the first hand experience under observation of
teachers. This paper presents an innovative indirect way of teaching where students are left
into self learning mode after showing them the right path.

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The MTL Model

The MTL model consists of 6 modules –

1. Make Them Read – Refer – Prepare

2. Make Them Interact – Report – Present
3. Make Them Evaluate – Assess – Appraise
4. Make Them Design – Create – Innovate
5. Make Them Feel – Realize – Respond
6. Make Them Guide – Preside – Lead

Each of these modules is intended to make the students independent self learners and
achievers. They are prepared for taking up new challenges, coping with the pressure,
working in a team, time lined reporting, self assessment, design & innovate, realize & learn
from errors and become a good leader. Brief description of these modules follows –

1. Make Them Read – Refer – Prepare

This module aims at encouraging the students to read books and find out the different
information resources. Students are given assignments / live projects with time lines based
on very new topics just after giving a brief introduction. The introduction may include the
core concepts, relevant chapters, reference books and web resources. The teacher should
form Learner Groups among the students and allocate different topics to them. The idea is
to make them read, refer and prepare and become independent self learners instead of
depending on the notes given by the teacher. The faculty members have to be well versed
and fully prepared on the topics for guiding and clarifying the doubts of the students as and
when required.

Outcome : Inspiration for Studies, Self Confidence , Problem Solving Aptitude, and
Resourcefulness.

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2. Make Them Interact – Report – Present

This module suggests that the Learner Groups should be encouraged to interact with each
other in form of Group Discussions, resource sharing and exchange of ideas relating to
given assignments. They should be given dates / time lines for reporting the progress of the
project and mean while seeking the support and guidance from the teacher.

Finally these groups have to submit their work through reports and presentations. Every
member of a group should be ensured to participate in presentation by explaining his part
of assignment. When one group is presenting others will learn, take notes and cross
question. It is well proven that people learn better when interacting rather than listening
passively.

Outcome : Coordination, Team Spirit, Responsibility and Presentation Skills.

3. Make Them Evaluate – Assess – Appraise

This module calls for the requirement of students being involved in the process of
evaluation and assessment. The Learner Groups will award grades / marks to each other
based on their performances in assignments, projects, presentations and other activities.
The criteria for grading should be coverage of topic, contents, presentation techniques and
level of understanding. This will improve their confidence over the subjects and help them
greatly in self assessment, as when they do it for others the same works equally for them.

Outcome : Self Assessment and Improvement.

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4. Make Them Design – Create – Innovate

This module emphasizes on motivation of students to widen their creativity and ideas. The
students should be asked to design session plans, learning sequence, test papers, and
questionnaires for the chapters they have covered. They have to plan in what order the
topics should be discussed in the class. They will be extracting questions out of the
chapters instead of the answers. This approach helps them to explore the books to a greater
extent and find out the important facts. The students should also be encouraged to come up
with new and creative ideas after discussion on any concept and technology in the class.
They should be asked to perform a same job in multiple different ways using different
techniques e.g. Mathematics students may be given assignments to solve a same problem
using different formulae or Computer Science students may be assigned to write a program
to count number of characters appearing in a text file using different functions in C
language or using different programming languages.

Outcome : Analytical skills, Subject knowledge, Creativity.

5. Make Them Feel – Realize – Respond

This module concentrates on the emotional quotient of the students for helping them to
learn from errors, realize their potential and work with patience. The teachers should keep
challenging the students, giving them quality feedbacks, presenting them with problems
which help them think, modeling good thoughts, exploring the things until the
understanding is reached. We have to make them feel that learning takes time and efforts
and only they will have to strive hard for it.

Video Recording of classroom presentations, Group activities and Interviews should be

prepared which may be used later for self assessment and improvement of the students in
light of teacher’s comments and suggestions.

Outcome : Self Realization and Improvement in learning through experience.

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6. Make them Guide – Preside – Lead

This module helps to inculcate leadership skills in students. The teacher frequently selects
students from a senior section to give presentations in junior sections on selected topics.
The selection of students should be based on their knowledge and performance in a
particular topic. This will not only increase their confidence level but also enhance their
comfort level in those subjects.

The students should also be given opportunity to work as group leaders for certain projects.
They should be responsible for managing the whole project and its successful completion
within time lines with the help and coordination of the group members.

Outcome : Leadership and Managerial skills, Sense of Commitment and Responsibility.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper outlined that the MTL model of teaching can ensure full utilization of potential
of the students and development of their hidden talents. In the class lectures and book
studies, generally, the students learn whatever they can grasp from the material provided by
the teacher. They are unaware .of their analytical and creative abilities. If this method is
sincerely adopted by the able teachers it will go a long way in effective teaching and the
overall development of the personality of the students which is the sole aim of education.

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REFERENCES

[1] Armstrong, E. (1991). A hybrid model of problem-based learning. In

Boud D and Feletti G (editors): The challenge of problem-based
learning, (pp137-149). London.
[2] website : http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/ceebl/
The University of Manchester, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry Based
Learning.
[3] website : http://www.scribd.com/
[4] website : http://www.Google.com/
[5] website www.nuigalway.ie.celt/pblbook

DECLARATION

It is certified that the contents of the paper are based on the author’s own experience as
well as information gathered through interviews / discussions with teachers, parents and
students. Exploratory qualitative research methodology was used. Sample size was 35
selected randomly. Contents are original and based the analysis of the author. Further it is
declared that the paper under reference has not been published in any other publication till
date.

P.S.
Paper has been debated in the Faculty Development Workshop at INC Dehradun conducted
on November 29, 2007 and also published in ICFAI University Press publication. The
paper got wide expectation from around 50 participants from teaching fraternity.