Which is more important for universities and colleges-Teaching or Research?

In universities here, research is the main criterion for appointment as well as promotion and  good researchers generally pay less attention to teaching. However, I feel one cannot remain abreast with recent developments in the field without being involved in research and the teaching will be very dogmatic. Also, only researchers can infuse a spirit of enquiry and innovation in their students.So, there is a need to balance the 2, not their separation. Quality of teaching must be an equal, if not more important, criterion for grading and promotion of teachers. What do you say?

A Guide to the Alternatives to Animal Experimentation

Authors: Dr Syed Ziaur Rahman, MD, Dr Mohd Tariq Salman, MD
Publisher: Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences
1st Edition: 2009, ISBN 978-81-906070-8-7

We teach animal experimentation in all science disciplines. However, since it is now not possible to sacrifice and demonstrate the effects of drugs on animals in large numbers due to ethical considerations; we in medical colleges in India are either shifting or planning to move to alternatives of these experiments. Simulations of many conventional experiments through CAL are now available. "A Guide to the Alternatives to Animal Experimentation” helps students to handle these softwares and see the effects of drugs. This is a remarkable achievement as there is still no such specific guide available in India as far as I know. In the guide, softwares including ExPharm have all been explained very well.While the book by InterNICHE entitled "From guinea pig to computer mouse" is an excellent one meant for faculty and research scientists, this particular guide by Dr Rahman (and myself as co-author) is basically aimed at undergraduate students in pharmacology to help them use the freely available downloadable softwares such as ExPharm, Ep_Dog, Organ Bath Simulation and ReMe independently and learn the effects of drugs. When the students are themselves able handle the softwares (with an instructor nearby to troubleshoot), learning becomes so easy and interesting.

To get a copy please contact me.

Web 2.0 tools for Teaching

For teachers who are net-savvy, want to be on the cuttiong edge of new teaching methodologies and collaborative learning and are enthisiastic about developing their teaching skills in a new and dramatic way, this blog gines a description of Web 2.0 websites and webtools which have potential for use college and university teaching.
http://web20teach.blogspot.com/

Effective teaching: Make your teaching more interesting and enjoyable

Students usually learn best when they're motivated. Although you can't make someone learn, you can create an environment that supports and encourages learning success. Use an effective teaching style that allows people to participate in their learning. Find ways to emphasize the benefits of learning new skills, and make learning relevant to people's jobs. Encourage them to take control of their own learning, and allow them to set their own objectives. The more you develop motivation to learn, the more successful you'll probably be. Start today to recognize the value of learning, and see the many learning opportunities around you!

As well as increasing the motivation to learn, there are many ways to make your teaching sessions more interesting and enjoyable. These ideas can be used for formal lessons, or for spontaneous learning opportunities that present themselves.

You can help the learning process by doing the following:

• Use pre-instruction questions - These can get students to think about why they should be learning this new skill, as well as to appreciate the benefits of learning.
  

• Use conceptual models - These are often a useful way for helping students to store and retrieve information. Mental models (which can be in the form of diagrams and charts) are often helpful for learning the details of a lesson.
  

• Vary the learning material - This will help you deal with the different ways in which people learn. You can vary your material for different learning styles as follows:
  
  

  • Visual Learners - Charts, graphs, or images are useful for representing the information being conveyed, as well as information in books or reports.
    

  • Auditory Learners - Lectures, presentations, and group discussions help auditory learners 'talk through' what's being presented.
    

  • Kinesthetic Learners - These learners like hands-on practice that's either real or simulated.
    

  We all have our own preferred learning styles. If you provide as many different learning experiences as sensibly possible, you'll be more likely to connect with each learner.

• Group students together - Encourage learning and understanding by having students work together while learning the same skills. By helping one another, they can all reinforce what they're learning. Everyone in the group will then benefit from the strengths of the individual members.
  

• Provide opportunities for reflection and thinking - Learning journals are a popular and effective way for people to write down their thoughts about how the learning process itself has been helpful to their overall development.
  

• Actively review the lesson at the end - What progress did the students make, and what difficulties did they encounter? By revisiting the lesson, you have an opportunity to learn from the experience yourself - and hopefully figure out how to improve the content or approach next time. Reviews also give students opportunities to analyze their performance, and increase their commitment to continuous learning.
  

• Use all of your emotional intelligence and communication skills - This means establishing a connection with students, listening actively, using empathy where appropriate, being patient, and showing genuine interest in the students and in your teaching. Your attitude toward learning has a huge impact on the learners' attitudes, so make sure you're a good role model for continuous, active learning.