TAL-4 (2018)

Background

With increased recognition that skilled teachers are perhaps the most fundamental resource for improving student learning, there is growing interest in figuring out how to recruit and retain competent teachers, especially in private universities of Bangladesh. Evidence shows that high quality teachers play an important role in facilitating interactive teaching and learning. So attracting the best people to teach in the higher education is a great challenge.  Moreover, getting them to stay in teaching profession is even more important.  But ensuring both of these are really a challenge for private universities in Bangladesh.

Ensuring quality teaching and learning has become an issue of importance as the landscape of higher education in Bangladesh has been facing continued changes: increased competition, increasing social  and geographical diversity of the student body, increasing demands for value of money, introduction of Information, Communication and  Technologies (ICT), etc.  Modern educational technologies have entered the classroom and demand the appropriate interactions between students and teachers. Effective teachers have empathy for students, they are organized and expressive. They have passions for learning, for their field, for teaching and for their students. But research also demonstrates that effective teaching depends on what is being taught and on other situational factors.

 The Foundation for Learning, Teaching and Research (fLTR), which has been recently created by nine Vice Chancellors of private universities, has taken an initiative to offer a certificate course on Teaching and Learning designed especially for the new instructors of private/public universities of Bangladesh.  The course will be facilitated on workshop mode and will run for three full working days (3 days X 8 hours=24 hours) which deals with fundamental requirements for teaching and learning at the university level. However, the fLTR is also planning to offer a long duration Diploma course both on teaching, learning and research.

It is commonly observed that while the new instructors are comfortable with their subject matter, but to be successful teachers for effective classroom teaching, they need more support for ensuring quality teaching and learning. The new instructors ( through a survey conducted earlier) expressed  that they believed there was a “generation gap” between them and their students, and they wanted to have a better understanding of the students and the way they think, act and express themselves.

The founders of fLTR strongly felt that the newly recruited faculty members must be oriented about the teaching philosophy, organizational culture, values and academic teaching and non-academic management practices of the university. So the agenda for the program was developed based on the new instructors’ needs.

 

Program Schedule with venue

Teaching for Active Learning (TAL-4): An Initiative of fLTR

05-07 April, 2018

Venue: University of Asia Pacific

 

Registered University

1. Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
2. Bangladesh Open University
3. Bangladesh University of Professionals
4. Begum Rokeya University
5. BRAC University
6. Daffodil International University
7. Eastern University
8. Green University Bangladesh
9. Independent University, Bangladesh
10. Notre Dame University Bangladesh
11. University of Asia Pacific
12. United International University
13. University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh

 

List of Participants

 

Learning Reflection

• Bitan Bhattacharya
• Dr. MD Parvez Sattar
• Dr. Mohammad Hannan Mahmud Khan, CE, DIU
• Laila Ferdousy
• Liton Chandra Biswas
• Md. Arif-Uz-Zaman
• Md. Ashraful Goni
• Md. Mashfiqul Islam AUST
• Md.Roni Hossain
• Sayem Ahmed
• Sheikh_Adilina_Final_Report
• Tamim Al Mahmud pdf
• Tanzia Rahman
• Towhidul Islam Khan
• Zerin Nasrin Tumpa

 

Short Comments

The course will tell you how to become an artist in teaching

Md Ashraful Goni

Lecturer, BUP

Teaching for Active Learning (TAL) is not just like another certificate course where we went to get a certificate. If teaching is an art, then this course will tell you how to become an artist. As a newly recruited faculty member, I felt that this course will help me to apply fundamental teaching philosophy into my classroom. This course also taught me about the organizational culture and academic teaching practices of the Universities. And the most important thing this course gave me an opportunity to share my classroom experience with other University faculty members.  In a word, I must say the three-day journey of TAL-4 was “awesome”.

 

 

TAL course is certainly needed as a teacher or facilitator.

M H M Mubassir

Lecturer, BRAC-U

I really can’t remember when was the last time I learned such important things within very short period of time. These 3 day’s course (TAL-4) really improved my vision, area of thinking and knowledge that I certainly needed as a teacher/facilitator. I am really grateful to everyone including organizers, mentors and faculty members for taking such initiative.

 

 

The course wonderfully enlightens soul to be truly a teacher.

Md. Mashfiqul Islam

Assistant Professor, AUST

In my more than 10 years of teaching career, it was indeed one of the best training I have attended. This course was really very great for me to improve myself to become a great teacher. The training was an absolute delight and all the instructors were excellent in teaching and discussing all the topics. This course was an eye opening for me and it wonderfully enlightens my soul to be truly a teacher.

 

 

The session is quite innovative, extremely, effective and over-whelming satisfying

Bitan Bhattacharya

Assistant Professor, Eastern University

The three days long teacher’s training program titled ‘Certificate course on Teaching for Active Learning (TAL-4) during 5-7 April, 2018 is a uniquely, well-structured and well-designed set of guidelines aiming to focus on the professional development of university teachers have shared their expertise and experiences with us. We have been able to find an opportunity to assess our teaching strategic and enrich them.

I for one, have found the session quite innovative, extremely, effective and over-whelming satisfying. I have been immensely benefited by the program and I would like to request the authority to continue to organize such sessions in the future as well.

 

 

The Course taught us to be a learner-centered teacher.

Sayem Ahmed

Assistant Professor, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology

The course was fantastic and well organized. The instructor was skilled, knowledgeable, and made the class enjoyable overall. It was extremely helpful to understand the differences between “teaching style and learning style”, “course objectives and students learning outcomes” and “pedagogy and andragogy”. The workshop provides some very concrete and eye-to-follow strategies and tools to ignite our students to achieve academic and life success but more importantly, it would reignite our passion for teaching and learning. I liked the in-class assessment for evaluating one’s ego state, personal life position and the examples related to the process of how to work towards finding a solution and explore classroom issues that impede student success and learn how to deal with them. This course taught us to be a learner-centered teacher who facilitates student’s success.

 

 

The course is essential for every teacher.

Towhidul Islam Khan

Senior Lecturer, Department of English and Humanities

University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh

The TAL-4 course was an eye-opener. It not only gives a teacher an opportunity to know about the vocation, but it also offers the participants an insight into themselves. The heart of this course is formed with intense cross-discipline discussions on how to tackle problems in the classroom and passionate arguments on how to improve teaching strategies. This course is essential for every teacher who wants to be ready for a 21^st century classroom. The facilitators and resource persons promote the innovations of andragogy, leaving behind the stagnation of pedagogy – making the program crucial for the preparation of the future.

 

 

I find a new ‘Me’ after completing the TAL course.

Zerin Nasrin Tumpa

Lecturer, Daffodil International University

Teaching is not a profession, it is a noble service. It is a noble service. It is easy to talk about teaching but hard to be a teacher.

I believe TAL-4 course is like an eye opener for me and I find a new ‘Me’ after completing the course that is now in the process to be a ‘Great teacher’. Those who want to see themselves in the group of this noble service; they should attend this course for enjoying the real essence of teaching. Thanks to organizer for wonderful arrangement.

 

 

We need this kind of workshop more.

Md. Arif-Uz-Zaman

Assistant Professor, Bangladesh Open University

Very few would agree that modern man is trying to gain domination over natural environment by the use of technological power while remaining completely ignorant of the latent spiritual capacity of the soul (Book: The true way by Mahfuzul Huq). If we want to regain the latent spiritual capacity of soul, in my opinion, we need this kind of workshop more.

 

I have a complete idea on how to make a learner-centered learning environment in the classroom.

Md. Roni Hossain 

Lecturer, Notre Dame University Bangladesh

“The most relevant workshop I have ever attended. It gave both theory and nuts and bolts. I especially appreciated all the practical tips, which I will be able to put to immediate use. The most helpful thing about the workshop for me was the presenter’s style-open, approachable, positive and supportive. My nervousness and apprehension were immediately defused. Some sessions were the eye openers for me like socialization, effective habits and behavior of high performing teacher, Bloom’s Taxonomy and its application for active learning, the documentary on reasons of disruptive behavior of students in the classroom etc. Now I think that I have a complete constructed idea on how to prepare course syllabus, course curriculum, and my portfolio and finally how to make a learner-centered learning environment in the classroom- all credit goes to fLTR (Foundation for Learning, Teaching and Research) for organizing workshop on “Teaching for Active Learning (TAL)” and giving me the chance to take part in.”

 

 

The course has sufficiently equipped me with the updated and innovative techniques

Liton Chandra Biswas

Lecturer, Independent University, Bangladesh

Attendance in the ‘Certificate course on Teaching for Active Learning (TAL-4) during 5-7 April, 2018 has proved to be noteworthy, remarkable, value-adding, thought – provoking and refreshing. The course has sufficiently equipped me with the updated and innovative techniques, skills, strategic that I would be able to utilize in making my teaching career more outcome focused and meaningful, resourceful and energetic resource persons with their utmost sincerity have taught us how can I make my classroom environment more interactive, purposeful and fascinating both for the teachers and the students. The course has given me an opportunity to get idea about the inevitable teaching concept, theories as tools like the Andragogy, Bloom’s Taxonomy, developing teaching portfolio etc.

 

 

This is very effective training program.

Laila Feredousy

Lecturer, Green University of Bangladesh

I’m not a teacher by chance, I’m born to be a teacher. I believe that student- instructor relationship is one of the unique relationship. The bad side of an instructor can adversely affect the future of students. In the very first beginning of my teaching career, I have faced lots of barriers. When I attend my first class as a teacher or facilitator I didn’t know how to prepare lesson plan, course syllabus or how to deliver effective lecture. I was really nervous in front of those 60 students. I had a feeling that, if I got some facilitation training about teaching, I must be a positive deviant teacher. After joining Green University of Bangladesh (GUB), It opens that opportunity to me. GUB trains me up, “Don’t think about teaching without thinking about learning.” To continue this my University has sent me in TAL-4, which has become very effective training program for me. Those sessions were conducted by Prof. Dr. Md. Golam Samdani Fakir Sir, Prof. Abdur Razzaque Sir, Prof. Syed Manzoorul Islam, Prof. M R Kabir Sir helped to improve my teaching strategy, teaching quality. I realize that if every teacher attains such training that is why, they will get clear idea about how to prepare quality question using Bloom’s Taxonomy, how to prepare effective PPT for students, which will make students more interactive in class, haw to manage disruptive behavior and very important thing the art of preparing quality course syllabus and lesson plan. Teaching portfolio is the eye opener for me. Sessions like social capital, behavioral ethics in teaching and learning have made me enthusiastic.

 

 

The workshop will help me to become a better teacher.

Jillur Rahim

Lecturer, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB)

I have participated in more than twenty workshops and training on classroom management and effective teaching methods in the United States. But the Certificate Course on Teaching Active Learning is one of the finest workshops I have attended. The ambiance of the training was such that learning on an extended weekend became fun. The course objective was clearly stated and achieved through a series of ice-breaker, debate, exercise, group work, hands-on session, panel discussion, and reflection session. I thoroughly enjoyed bouncing off ideas with the facilitators and the fellow participants, 22 faculty members from 13 different universities. Surely this workshop will help me to connect with my students in the class and to become a better teacher.

 

 

In brief, excellent!

Dr. Parvez Sattar

Assistant Professor, Independent University Bangladesh

I wasn’t sure, before I actually came to the course, if it would be worth attending the training. Thanks to my decision to participate, I clearly knew by the end of the very first day that the course is truly beneficial and worth attending.

In addition to the affluence of informative knowledge and real life experiences shared, the course is also a great source of motivation for me. I learnt multiple aspects of the training that I wasn’t aware of, but moreover, there were things that we go through in the professional life as teachers but don’t get the opportunity of assessing or discussing those issues in an organized facilitated manner.

 

 

TAL-4 course greatly expanded my understanding of meaningfulness.

Dr. Mohammad Hannan Mahmud Khan

Assistant Professor, Daffodil International University

I am glad to have this privilege of participating in such a wonderful course. TAL-4 course greatly expanded my understanding of meaningfulness and gave me background to facilitate a higher order level of education to the learners. It gave me innovative idea on how to facilitate students when they are unable to seek advice or ask questions. It was very informative and I feel I can use this to reconstruct myself, my class room activities and would share it with my fellow peers. Most important statement for me was that effective teaching and learning higher education demands moving from Pedagogy to Andragogy at the earliest. My performance assessment method would be a reflection a Bloom’s Taxonomy. I learnt how to produce course syllabus, lesson plan considering the learners demand. The sessions were well organized, the contents were very rich and all the resource persons facilitated us with utmost professionalism.

 

 

I hope the mission and vision of fLTR is obviously admirable.

Md. Saddam Hossain

Lecturer, Dept. of Chemistry

Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur

I am a newly appointed lecturer, Dept. of Chemistry, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur. Firstly, I would like to thanks Prof. Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, honorable VC Begum Rokeya University to provide such opportunity. I hope the mission and vision of fLTR is obviously admirable. This type of program is always help the faculties in many ways to gain the success. I have learned many eye opening things from the program. I hope it will help to change my outlook, my ideas, my strategic and other relevant things to teaching and learning. Finally, I wish the betterment of fLTR.

 

 

Pictures

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Media Coverage

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