What
is the Multi-Modal Methodology?
The
curriculum and its methodology have been designed based on the industry
survey. It is to prepare the student for handling the demands of the coming
century. This approach is very clear in its purpose - that of providing
the student with a better employment opportunity at the end of the course.
The
methodology employs more than one (multiple) mode of training and is therefore
called as Multi-Modal methodology.
This
methodology comprises of:
-
Concept Class: This is a theory class that will focus
on the concepts. Wherever required, this session will also demonstrate
how these concepts get translated into computer applications using the
tool that they will use in the lab. This is especially true for programming
modules.
- Practice
Lab: This lab session follows the concept class. The students
learn to implement the concepts learnt in the concept class using a
popular tool.
- On-Line
Training Lab: In this on-line lab session the students obtain
extra knowledge on the tool by surfing through web-based pages and Lab
exercise will be solved at the end of the session.
- Directed
Learning Class: In this theory class, students learn how to
handle interview style FAQ’s, clear their doubts and get some practical
tips.
This
is referred to as the Multi-Modal methodology. The entire purpose of this
methodology is to make the student more:
- Concept
focused and tool independent
- Adapted
to real life work environment
- Confident
The
Objectives Of the New Methodology
The
objectives that have been kept in mind, while developing this curriculum
are -
-
Industry orientation
- Removal
of redundancy between lab and class
- Concept
focused rather than tool based, to offer life-time learning supported
with diagrams and examples
- Practical
use of tool and concepts
- Learning
that is fun based
- Preparing
students for the future by including sessions on the latest technologies
Description
and Objectives of Each Component
- Concept
Class Session (CCS)
Tool
independent concepts will be taught in the class. These aim at laying
a strong knowledge foundation. It also aims at removing redundancy
between tool related teaching in class and lab. However, wherever
required the tool has been used to explain features which are specific
to the tool. Further, industry-oriented applications where a concept
can be applied are discussed at length. In programming subjects, it
lays a strong foundation of logic development. The session focuses
on answering the ‘why’s and ‘what’s behind a concept.
Objective:
The main objective of these sessions will be to strengthen the student’s
grasp of the fundamental concepts behind any application or tool that
he may need to use in his career. This makes students more adaptable
to using just about any tool based on that particular concept.
-
Lab Session
In
the lab session, the student is given a detailed, illustrated lab
guide for 2 hours. This takes the student through all the steps that
are to be followed to learn the tool. The concept class session has
already explained to him the need for that software tool and the lab
guide describes how to use it. It further provides retention value
by providing a snapshot of what the student tried out in lab, thereby
enabling revision at home, even if the student does not own a machine.
The lab guide also provides ‘try-your-self’ exercises for ½ – 1 hour
that a student can try out in the lab. This helps the student in consolidating
what he has just tried out with the help of the instructions provided.
Objective:
The lab session allows the students to follow the detailed steps in
the lab guide on his own. After doing about two or three sessions,
the student will feel confident about handling the computer on his
own with the help of a Lab Guide. This will increase his ability of
self-learning and problem handling. It is this confidence that will
help him the most when he starts working in a new place and a new
job.
-
Online Session
Online
sessions are conducted in the lab. The student guide contains instructions
for the students, which are to be executed on the computer. Slides
may be provided to the teacher to teach this session. This session
is like teaching concepts, which has many instructions. Such a session
would be best taught in a lab wherein the student has access to the
computer.
Objective:
The lab session allows the students to actually see the output of
the instructions given in the lab guide while the teacher is teaching.
Subjects, which have lot of coding and instructions, raise the anxiety
of the students to see the results while the teacher is teaching.
Therefore, such subjects can be best taught with live implementation,
which is achieved through online sessions.
-
On-Line
Training Lab Session (OLTL)
These
lab sessions are made up of ‘Simulated Surfing’, Solving exercises
for ½ to 1 hour and “Explore the Tool”.
Simulated
Surfing comprises of HTML based simulated surfing to build on the
knowledge the student has gained on the tool. It discusses more examples
of the tool-based application. The student learns more about the features
and functions of the software in a focused manner.
A
student is expected to surf or explore the tool in the first part
of the session. The rest of the time the student attempts exercises
based on his learning.
Quizzes
are used to assess the student’s understanding of the surfing component.
Answers to the quizzes will make the assessment also a learning process.
The student will also be required to solve exercises directly on the
tool.
Objectives:
This session gives the student a lot of extra information, which,
as a student of computer studies, would be great for him to know.
This extra knowledge is a plus point of the new methodology. Besides,
the information is made available to him using the interactive technology
of HTML, which makes the reader an active component of the session.
The student has to point and click at words and diagrams and not just
passively stare at the computer screen. The text has been interspersed
with colorful diagrams to hold the student’s attention. This will
improve his reading capacity. These sessions will also make him realize
that reading is one of the most common sources of gathering extra
information, a habit that will ensure that he will remain well informed
all his life, wherever he is.
-
Directed Learning Class
This
class session should be used to invoke student interaction. Besides
this, these class sessions may be used for practical aspects like
showing the students how to connect different parts of a computer,
giving a demonstration of how software is installed and encouraging
students to give presentations, participating in group discussions
and debates. This class also gives more information on what is latest
in the industry relevant to the concept that is under study.
Objectives:
The objective is to create an environment for student relationship
building and built in development of communication skills & personality
through student interaction. This class will consolidate all the knowledge
that the student has gained in the previous sessions of concept class,
lab session and the on-line training lab session.

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