The hallmark of any Educational Institution is its academic excellence. Academic excellence stems from the pedagogy followed by the Institute, the types of learners therein and the academic ambiance that is imbibed by the teachers. MBA education has now gone beyond simple methodologies like chalk and talk, guided instructions and the like. All premier MBA institutes have standard teaching practices such as, case study evaluations, discussions and in depth analyses by the students and faculty alike. The faculties of business schools are evolving with the technological advancements and shift in the approach of industry towards recruiting MBA graduates.
Dr. Preeta Vyas, Full-time Faculty at Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management, Ahmedabad, is one of those names who have crafted students into business leaders. She holds MBA (Marketing) and PhD in Business Management from Gujarat University. She received a Gold Medal for scholastic performance in B. Com and has worked for more than three decades in the Marketing Area at IIMA. She has taught courses like Marketing Management and Advertising & Sales Promotion Management at IIMA and also at other B-schools in India including IIM Indore as Visiting Faculty. Dr. Vyas has written a number of case studies in Marketing which are registered with IIM-A case unit. She has participated in several international conferences and presented research papers in US, Singapore and IIM. She also has many publications in the area of sales promotion, loyalty programs and mobile advertising.
Building Strong Foundations
Every method of learning has its own merits and if used with the right orientation, it is bound to produce results. However, it is widely acknowledged that traditional classroom teaching is the most preferred method that will give the students opportunity to interact more with their teachers and classmates to be motivated and well organized. Dr. Vyas follows the traditional classroom teaching by emphasizing case based learning, encouraging students to ask questions and challenging them to think. She believes in making the students learn the practical applications of concepts through assignments/projects; for the improvement of characteristics like team building.
Professors who are passionate about teaching and keep up with the trends in the field are needed at the present management education sector. Dr. Vyas believes that it is difficult to motivate the students with an attitude of 'know it all'. To counter this she takes efforts to make the class interesting by using illustrations during the lecture, conducting surprise quizzes, assigning reading on case and concepts are some of the strategies that Dr. Vyas has executed on her class for students to utilize their knowledge. "I encourage and motivate them by involving them in class discussions and asking for their opinion or to draw parallels from their experience," says Dr. Vyas.
Traversing through Typical Teaching Techniques
Professional education requires more case based learning and the instructor should be able to collaborate case writing, analyzing and teaching. In Dr. Vyas's point of view, the tutor ought to be a keen observer, learner, humble, honest, hard working and diligent, thorough, good communicator and disciplined overall to be like a role model for the students. Some teachers fail to remember these vital qualities and are unable to incorporate technological innovation in the classroom. "A teacher should be able to provide relevant illustrations which students can relate to in order to understand the concepts and be able to motivate them," says Dr. Vyas. Innovations in IT have made a cardinal impact on the content and delivery of programs. Now multiple courses are effortlessly accessible free of cost over the internet. Students from different parts of the globe can attend online and web-based lectures by sitting in their bedroom. In a year or two, student can earn a diploma without even knowing their teachers or classmates.
Conventional teaching methods are often less utilized as modern subjects require the integration of technological progress in modern training methods. However, one cannot take away traditional methods entirely to accomplish an efficient education. Students and teachers will gain more if both traditional and contemporary methods are merged to generate a more effective and interactive learning experience. Dr. Vyas believes the same and she uses some of the common modern coaching techniques like Microsoft Power Point Presentations and yet she enjoys teaching her students with the chalk and board. Her methods have been continuing successfully since the past three decades.
Dr. Preeta Vyas is a Marketing professor from Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management, Ahmedabad. She has over 30 years of teaching experience. The PhD holder believes that traditional methods of teaching combined with modern technologies will help the students in forming a better foundation of the subject.
.png){kind=logo}