Students attend classes and takes note of the lectures delivered by their teachers in the classes not in proper note form, but in haphazard manner. They don’t even attempt to organize the notes in proper format at home and prepare well planned answers to the questions to horn their skill of writing in a systematic and logical manner. Consequently in the semester end examination most of the students fail to answer the essay type questions in an analytical and logical manner. They reproduce memorized answers which are some information only and not sequentially related and logically presented answers. In this context tutorial classes were initiated.
The main objective of the practice is to hone the writing skill of the undergraduate students. It also aims at developing the critical thinking of the students and logical presentation of their ideas on the theme and to discourage the students to produce the readymade answers found in the notebooks haphazardly.
In the class routine a class is allotted as a tutorial class for the students offering a major/ specialty course of studies. In the class the concerned teacher takes up a question for
analytical discussion. The teacher makes a presentation of different aspects of the questions. Students are also free to add any relevant point or express their ideas or thinking on the matter. As the discussion
progresses, students jot down the points. At the end of the discussion the teacher explains and demonstrate the process of note making using signs, symbols and recognized abbreviation etc. the students make notes of
the points and show their notes to the teacher who makes necessary modifications/ corrections in the notes and returns the same to the students. The students are, then, advised develop the notes in a full fledged
answer at home and submit the same to the teacher in the next tutorial class for evaluation and suggestion for further improvement needed, if any.
In the next class the teacher evaluates the answer submitted and points out any aspect/ relevant point left out or mistakes, if any. After evaluation the answer sheets are returned to the students who share one
another’s answer and are mutually benefitted.
The main obstacle in holding the tutorial class is that a period of one hour duration is not sufficient for the purpose. At least two hours are needed to complete the process.
Another obstacle is lack of sufficient number of spacious classrooms with digital facilities to smoothly conduct the tutorial classes.
Sometime a tutorial class is combined with the next class if the students have no classes in the next period. Sometime a tutorial class is split up into two periods taken up in two days. The second obstacle is overcome by allotting only two tutorial classes on a particular day.
It is seen that as a result of attending and participating in the tutorial classes, writing skills of the students improved considerably. They can write answers in language free from silly mistakes. Their answers are more or less free from spelling and grammatical mistakes. They can also present the different aspects of the problem in logical and analytical manner to some extent. Another visible aspect is that as a result of constant practice of writing their hand writing is improved and can be read without efforts.
No financial resources are required for the practice. A well furnished classroom with a projector and screen is required. Teachers use their own laptops for power point presentation.
Most of the students of the institution hail from villages and they have studied in the school where there is hardly any library with multifarious collection of books on different subjects and internet facilities. As such they have no idea as to how rewarding learning experience can be gained by consulting reference books in addition to the books prescribed in the courses of studies. Besides this, in schools they have attended classes at a stretch without any break except for tiffin time. But in colleges they have two to three off periods. In this context the library orientation programme is initiated with a view to acquaint the students with different ways of engaging in reading newspapers, journals, magazines in the library reading room to update their general knowledge. And so at the beginning of every academic session the librarian of the college arranges a few classes for fresher’s to train them on the modes of using the college library and inform them the rules and regulations of the library.
The objective of the Library Orientation Programme is to familiarize the students with ways to spend fruitfully their off periods. It is a strategy to engage the students in reading newspapers, journals, magazines in the library reading room to update their general knowledge. It also aims at acquaint the new comers how to use the library resources for their advancement of knowledge and improvement of skills.
At the beginning of every academic session two classes for every newly admitted student are fixed for library orientation programme by the librarian. All new comers are given the library cards on the fixed dates. Then the librarian conducts the orientation programme by dividing the students into several groups. He welcomes each group separately and explains the objective of the programme. He deliberates on some of the best ways of utilizing the library resources for expanding their knowledge and for cultivating the habit of reading books outside the prescribed syllabus. He gives information on different aspects of the library and the resources available in the library for the benefit of the students. Then they are shown different sections of the library like stack area, circulation section, news paper and periodical section, reference section, processing section, photo coping section etc. They are taught how to use Online Public Access Catalogue to search necessary reading materials. They are also informed about book bank facility, old question paper facility, library caution money, career and employment information corner, best library user etc. At last, they are taken to the Network Resource Center for practical demonstration of using internet to access the e-resources. They are also shown how to avail e-resources like e-journals and e-books through NLIST Consortium provided by INFLIBNET.
The main obstacle is that most of the new comers hailing from the rural vernacular medium schools are not conversant with and feel comfortable in use of English language as a medium of the programme.
To overcome the obstacle the strategies adopted are
The original schedule in the orientation programme is revised and extended for two or three more days. So that no new comer is left out.
The whole orientation programme is repeated in Assamese for the better understanding of the students.
1. The impact of the practice is evident from the fact that number of library users among the students has substantially increased.
2. They are cultivating and developing a reading habit as they are visiting library to borrow book of varied interest.
3. Students are seen reading newspapers, magazines and journal in the reading room.
4. Same students regularly do internet browsing in the Network Resource Center.
Financial Resources to the tune of Rs 1,08,000/- required to install CCTV in the library to keep a close vigil on the increasing number of students visiting the library.
* Goal: To horn the writing skill, develop the critical thinking, logical presentation of their ideas and discourage the students to produce the readymade answers.
* Context: The affiliating University prescribed mandatory tutorial classes in each course of CBCS, the learning of some students is found to be inadequate.
* The practice: Tutorial classes are allotted for the students. The concerned teachers try to develop student specific teaching plan as per requirements.
* Evidence of success: Improved the writing skills and logical and analytical thinking of the students.
* Obstacle: A period of one hour duration is not sufficient and lack of sufficient number of digital classrooms.
Note: Individual weakness can be identified.
* Goal: To encourage the new comers to use library resources for their advancement of knowledge.
* Context: The newly admitted students are not aware about the library resources and its rules and regulations.
* The Practice: Newly admitted students compulsorily attend library orientation programme conducted by the librarian on library use.
* Evidence of success: Increased in number of library users and developed reading habit among students
* Obstacles: One hour class in insufficient. Regular library orientation would be more fruitful.
Note: Students get encouragement to use the library.