Your students have praised you for the interesting ways in which you teach your classes to make studies interesting. How important do you think this approach is for the students to cope with the real world out there?
It is important that learners learn to learn on their own. There is an ever-changing world out there, and things change quite fast. The pedagogy used was to engage the students in such a way that they can identify the correct path and learn for themselves. I believe that if we, as facilitators in their learning, can make them independent as far as learning is concerned, our job is done, and done well.
Cases, real-life examples, academic models/theories, projects with peers – Which method, according to you, is most effective in teaching your subject to students?
I do not think that there is any one particular approach which is the most effective. It depends on the topic being discussed, and how the instructor wants to deliver it to the class. The mantra is experiential learning – where the students can be provided with as real-life experiences as possible. In this process, I would love to use multiple options/methods, rather than getting stuck on any particular one.
How has the use of technology transformed the modern MBA classroom?
Technology has been making its inroads to the classrooms in multiple ways. There are, for example, simulated games which are supported through technology. There are pedagogical approaches which would be very difficult, if not impossible, to implement without due technological support.
As an instance, I use peer assessment in my courses, and I would not have been able to do so without the support of the learning management system. Technology also helps us in bringing the world to the classroom, wherein one can get the right persons/topics in class, either through videos or through Skype. MOOCs are also becoming popular among the students, wherein they can take up courses of their choice being delivered by an instructor of their liking. Technology has immense potential; it will depend on how we, the instructors, are able to use it innovatively in our classrooms. This remains one of the biggest challenges.
How do you feel when you see people whom you have taught become successful in their lives and conquer the professional world out there?
That is the motivation to be in this profession. It keeps us going every day. One possibly gets more pleasure in the success of one’s students as compared to one’s own success. The feeling is something that is difficult to express in words.
Give us one student’s story that you have closely followed or tell us about that one student who had amazing growth during their MBA and surprised you.
I have been fortunate to meet a good number of wonderful students with a lot of promise, those who are capable of growing into great leaders, and more importantly, into great human beings. I have met so many wonderful ones in the process that it might not be fair to pick one out of them.
However, a special mention goes to those who unfortunately had to struggle in the initial part and even lose a year, but came out successfully at the end; not trying to hide their failures as they move on, but use those failures to prove that they are beyond those, that they can face failures and yet be successful.
What are the kind of changes/developments that you see in the B-school curriculum in the years to come?
It is something which is difficult to predict, but one thing is sure – it is going to be more and more experiential in its process. B-schools have been and will be working towards bringing more and more of the professional world into the classroom; the success will depend on how much we are able to achieve in the process.
What, according to you, are some of the qualities that an aspiring B-school student must possess?
Humility, perseverance, honesty (this will be the most important one in the long run).
What are your thoughts about InsideIIM’s Professor of the Year initiative?
It indeed feels good to be appreciated by the students, and I would like to convey my gratitude to all those who had echoed the sentiments to make this possible for me.
However, teaching is not about competition. It is not a race where everyone runs the same track, and one completes it first. Each instructor uses different means to get her/his point through. More importantly, sometimes the efforts of a Professor may not be appreciated immediately; it might take years and experience for a student to appreciate what might have been delivered in one of the ‘not so interesting’ sessions, and those might be the ones which can bring out the best in the person years later.
Read all about the InsideIIM Professor of The Year series here.
*Featured image credits - Systems & Analytics Club of IIM Shillong.
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