Best practice for is to prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty and students. By fostering an environment where disciplines intersect and integrate, the college can stimulate innovative thinking and problem-solving across traditional boundaries. This approach not only enhances the academic experience but also prepares students for a diverse and rapidly changing world. It encourages faculty to collaborate on research projects that address complex societal challenges from multiple perspectives, enriching both teaching and scholarship. Additionally, interdisciplinary initiatives attract funding opportunities and partnerships with industry and community stakeholders, further enhancing the college's reputation and impact. By promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, arts and science colleges can cultivate a vibrant intellectual community that inspires creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning among students and faculty alike.
Title of the practice
Learning through philanthropy
Concept Note: Any institution will have to address a mainstream education programme and a complementary practice for quality assurance and achievement of its objectives. Value imbibing and the related philanthropic outlook are path of an educational programme that may contribute to the development of the nation. Hence the underlying principles at work is augmenting values for the benefit of humanity. Based on this the following objectives are formulated.
Objectives of the practice
- To learn human values
- To inculcate a value system in a modern life
- To develop a protocol of behaviour in a modern society
- To develop societal commitment among the students for the benefit of the poor
The context
The jurisdiction of the college has a substantial number of orphans devoid of any facility for learning or community life. This has necessitated the college to address their issues for the benefit of the entire society. Further it has become imperative to give value education to the present generation.
The practice
Complementary education and outreach programmes are unique features of higher education in India. Hence the management is running two orphanages (Mannaniya Orphanage, Pangode & Mannaniya Banath, Mukkunnam, Kadakkal) for male and female and thereby linking the college with philanthropic activities. The philanthropic programmes brings each one of the learner of the college directly with the value system expected out of such programmes. The practice includes active involvement of the students, faculty and the management. The following programmes are conducted for value education
- Extension lectures by students and faculty
- Personal counselling and group therapy
- Skill development training
- Socially Useful Work Programme (SUWP) – training in flower making, ornament making
- Ethical guidance
- Developing communication and compassion among the students of the college and the orphanages.
Evidence of success
-Extension classes and learner involvement from the college amplify the achievements of the students of the orphanages and they could reach the targets and benchmarks of good grades in their public examinations.
-Counselling has benefited to abate the maladjustment, anxiety and depression of the inmates.
-Comprehensive and altogether involvement of the students and faculty from Mannaniya college produced a new drive among the orphans for a better societal life.
-The mutual interaction of the students of the college with the orphans provided a quality education, developed ethical values and moral lessons among the destitute children.
Problems encountered and resources required
They encountered problems for goal setting and building a mind set for realistic aspirations of life. The modern social life and cultural being became a problem in many programmes to get assimilated with the inmates. Many modern programmes required ICT resources but the scarcity of fund proved to be a much felt limitation.
Notes
A full-fledged teaching/ learning process will be complete only by the complementation of a best practice outside the curriculum framework. Learning through philanthropy is a best practice that other colleges can follow as it can build up compassion, fellow- feeling and love among human beings. This may add value education possible, so as to augment the development of a full-fledged person.
Mannnaiya college pangode claims a unique feature based on its institutional values and best practices. The core values maintained by the college promote an overall development of the learner and the best practices – practice 1 – TCI within the college and practice 2 – Learning through philantrophy outside the campus- both claim distinctive by its very nature.
Title of the practice
Theme Centred Interaction (TCI), Applied Humanistic Psychology
Objective and Context
-To make the teaching learning process effective and transformative
Context:-Often what happens in the classroom is :dead learning” , ie what is in the text is passed on as through a conveyor belt. As prof Yash Pal (Former UGC Chairman) said, “ a lot is taught, very little is learnt.” TCI is an effective mantra for effective learning.
; -To facilitate holistic personal growth of students
Context: - often what is attempted in schools and colleges is merely cognitive. It is mostly syllabus based and exam oriented. TCI sees the student with a wider perspective – “the whole person – body, mind and soul in the context of the community”
The practice
-What we have done in mannaniya college are as follows
-TCI workshops for teachers to acquaint them with the concept and practice of TCI in the life and classrooms.
-A series of workshops for students as part of induction to degree classes.
-Utilizing the project “Walk With a Scholar” as an opportunity for giving TCI based leadership training to selected students.
-Mentoring based on TCI and interaction with TCI facilitators - Gurukula Session at Kottayam
Underlying these practices there are the TCI axioms which proved to be life changing for us. (1) Reverence is due to every living being, growth happens only in the atmosphere of reverence. (2) Freedom is always within boundaries, but boundaries are expandable.
TCI originated in Germany in 1960s. Ruth Cohn who founded TCI was a Jewish German psychologist who survived the holocaust. We are fortunate have with us Dr.C.Thomas Abraham (formerly Head, Dept of life long Education, Mahathma Gandhi University, Kottayam) as our regular TCI consultant. He has offered more than 1000 workshops in nine countries and authored 17 books on TCI in English & malayalam.
Evidence of success
Students and teachers who went through TCI workshops have undergone visible personal change as evidenced by the following
-The book Chernnu Nadakkam Oppam Valaram (Let’s walk together and grow together)carries personal witnessing by 40 students about how TCI touched and transformed their lives. Also released two other books Ente priyappetta Teacher (My Favourite Teacher) and “Enne Njan Aakkiya Amma (……………..).
-Some of the students like Ashik, Shahanas and Haseena were emerged as social leaders and are continuing their affiliation to the college.
-TCI based group therapy sessions are offered to students who are facing minor challenges like lack of motivation to study.
-Dr Dilshad Bin Ashraf, HOD of Psychology, got equipped as a TCI facilitator and is offering workshops as an extension activity of the college.
-Our library has acquired all available books related to TCI in English and Malayalam, and they are being used by staff and students.
Problems encountered and resources needed
-TCI workshops are best offered as residential programmes of minimum three days duration. Ideally it should be five days. This involves expenditure. We are finding it difficult to mobilize resources for this.
-We need to form a team of facilitators from among our teachers. For this we need to organize a Training of Trainers (TOT) at the earliest.
Notes
-At present mannaniya college is the only college in Kerala University which is making use of TCI as an effectiveness tool. We are with TCI for the past three years. There fore we would like to make our college a TCI hub for at least the neibouring colleges.
-“TCI for Human Meta Morphosis.” Now a days there is a serious crisis happening at plus two level in the state. This is related to the caterpillar instincts that raise their heads in adolescent period. This is appearing in the form of drug addiction, misuse of mobile phones and lack of aim in life. Fortunately, in these adolescent children, along with the negative caterpillar instincts there are the “imaginal cells”, which are responsible for the revolution called metamorphosis, happening inside the cocoon. Mannaniya is a participant in the Butterfly Campaign, which is now transforming many campuses.
-Some books related to TCI and butterfly campaign
--Living Learning – a reader in TCI by Mary Anne Kuebel
--The butterfly effect( in English and malaylam) by Dr C Thomas Abraham
--Butterfly Effect workbook for students
--Chernnu nadakkam, Kai thangavam (Lets walk together and support)- this book is on mentoring.
