Methods of Teaching Institutions of Higher Learning

METHODS OF TEACHING IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING

4.1 INTRODUCTION: TEACHER-CENTRED VS LEARNER-CENTRED

Teaching methods are divided into two classes:

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Teacher centred
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Learner centred
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Traditional (Teacher-Centred) Understanding of Teaching

Teaching, as conventionally understood by a traditional teacher, is the act of disseminating information to another individual or a group of individuals in the classroom.

In this type:

Teaching is focused on narration by the teacher

On the part of learners: listening, retention and recall

The teaching environment is very much formalized and the teacher occupies the central position in the classroom.

Here the learners acquire knowledge or information with practically no opportunity (implied: limited opportunity) to develop understanding, application and skills.

They know the information but cannot correlate it to daily life situations.

This method also fails to draw the total attention of the learner towards learner's abilities.

Why New Methods Arose

Hence there arose the need for new methods, strategies and techniques that are suitably and effectively used in modern days.

 Simple Explanation: In the old way, the teacher talks, students just listen, memorize and recall — like filling an empty bottle. Students know facts but can't use them in real life. So modern, learner-centred methods were developed.

4.2 TEACHING STRATEGIES (Two Styles)

Teaching strategies can be classified under two heads:

(a) AUTOCRATIC STYLE

Teacher-dominant, teacher controls everything

It involves the following strategies:

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Lecture
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Lesson demonstration
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Tutorials
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Programmed instruction
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(b) PERMISSIVE STYLE

Student-free, activity & participation based

It includes the following strategies:

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Question-Answer
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Heuristics
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Projects
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Review
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Group discussion
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Role-playing
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Assignment
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Discovery
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Computer assisted instruction
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Brain storming
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Independent study
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Comparison Table: Autocratic vs Permissive Style

Aspect	Autocratic Style	Permissive Style
Control	Teacher-controlled	Student participatory
Role of student	Mostly listening	Active involvement
Strategies included	Lecture, Lesson demonstration, Tutorials, Programmed instruction	Question-Answer, Heuristics, Projects, Review, Group discussion, Role-playing, Assignment, Discovery, Computer assisted instruction, Brain storming, Independent study

💡 Memory Trick: Autocratic = "Auto" (teacher drives alone) → Lecture, Demo, Tutorial, Programmed instruction. Permissive = "Permission" given to students → discussions, projects, discovery, brainstorming.

4.3 DIFFERENT METHODS OF TEACHING (19 Methods)

No.	Method
1.	Discussion/Debates
2.	Cooperative Teaching
3.	Collaborative Work
4.	Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
5.	Heuristic Method (Problem solving)
6.	Case Study Method
7.	Demonstration Method
8.	Inductive Method
9.	Deductive Method
10.	Analytical Method
11.	Synthetic Method
12.	Verbal or Oral Method
13.	Written Method
14.	Laboratory Method
15.	Practical Methods
16.	Explanatory Method
17.	Activity-oriented Method
18.	Designing and Presenting a Project
19.	E-Learning

💡 Understand a few simply:

Inductive = From examples → rule (see many cases, then form the general principle)

Deductive = From rule → examples (learn the formula first, then apply)

Analytical = Break the whole into parts; Synthetic = Combine parts into a whole

PBL = Learning by first presenting a real problem to solve

4.4 TEACHER CENTRED vs LEARNER CENTRED (Comparison Table)

Concept	Teacher Centered	Learner Centered
Knowledge	Transmitted by instructor	Constructed by students
Student participation	Passive	Active
Role of professor	Leader/authority	Facilitator/learning partner
Role of Assessment	Few tests/assignments — mainly for grading	Many tests/assignments — for ongoing feedback
Emphasis	Learning correct answers	Developing deeper understanding
Academic culture	Individualistic and competitive	Collaborative and supportive

💡 Simple Explanation: Teacher-centred = teacher is the "hero" who transfers notes; Learner-centred = student is the "hero" who builds knowledge while the teacher guides.

4.5 OFFLINE vs ONLINE METHODS (SWAYAM, SWAYAMPRABHA, MOOCs ETC.)

Key Definitions

In offline teaching and learning, students are able to interact with their teachers and peers face-to-face.

Online teaching and learning is the newest and most popular form of distance education today.

Online learning is education that takes place over the Internet.

It is often referred to as "e-learning" among other terms.

4.6 ADVANTAGES OF OFFLINE METHODS OF TEACHING

1️⃣ Collaborative Learning

The classroom environment is important to encourage and motivate collaborative learning.

Collaborative learning increases student's self-awareness about how students learn and enables them to learn more easily and effectively, transforming them into keen learners inside and beyond the classroom.

2️⃣ Critical Thinking

Classroom teaching enhances students' critical thinking skills.

Classroom studying provides an opportunity for students to engage in live discussions where they can better utilise their critical thinking skills to voice opinions or involve in an argument.

3️⃣ Rapport with Teachers and Making Friends

When students are in a classroom, they:

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Learn social interactions with peers
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Make friends
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Establish rapport with teachers
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It is vital for children to develop socially along with their academic education.

4️⃣ Conflict Resolving and Building Team Spirit

Classroom teaching inculcates:

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Conflict resolving skills
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Presentation skills — when presenting their ideas confidently in front of peers

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Team spirit
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Getting along with those from different cultural backgrounds

These kinds of experiences benefit in moulding students' communication and listening skills and help them in growing and maturing emotionally.

5️⃣ Importance of a Teacher

The physical presence of a teacher in a classroom:

Keeps students attentive and inspired throughout the lecture

Initiates participation in interesting activities

Enables students to retain more from what they have learned during a session

Teachers can modify their teaching style based on types of learners in their classroom:

Classroom activities → help visual learners

Interactions → help auditory learners (amongst others)

Through this process, teachers can get an idea whether students are following what has been taught or require further explanation.

Furthermore, students can clarify their doubts immediately after the chapter is over or a topic is over.

6️⃣ Skill Development

Classroom teaching teaches students how to develop organizational skills, beginning with basics such as arriving at school on time.

In a live classroom, students are held accountable for being prepared to do school work, which includes:

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Doing their homework the night before
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Being ready for a quiz or competition
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Submitting assignments in time or before the due date

Preparing for classroom discussion or any group discussion

All these help students in:

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Organizing themselves and their time
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Prioritising their homework, assignments, and playtime

📊 Summary Table: Advantages of Offline Teaching

Advantage	Key Points
Collaborative learning	Classroom environment motivates collaboration; increases self-awareness; makes keen learners
Critical thinking	Enhances thinking skills; live discussions, voicing opinions, arguments
Rapport & friendship	Social interaction, friendships, rapport with teachers; social development
Conflict resolving & team spirit	Conflict resolution, presentation skills, team spirit, cultural adjustment, communication & listening skills, emotional maturity
Importance of a teacher	Attention, inspiration, retention; adapting to visual/auditory learners; checking understanding; instant doubt clarification
Skill development	Organizational skills, punctuality, accountability, time management, prioritisation

4.7 ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE METHODS OF TEACHING

General Benefits (Listed)

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Flexibility of time
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Plenty of choices
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Cost benefits
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Comfortable environment to study
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Career advancement — study even while working

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Gaining skills that are transferable
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No necessity of commuting
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Learning at home
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Online method offers advantages to teachers as well as learners.

1️ Develop Self-Discipline

Helps learners to develop self-discipline.

Also lets them join study groups from different places to understand perspectives.

2️ Convenience and Flexibility

Teaching online offers instructors more options for engaging in instructional activities.

Online faculties have more flexibility in teaching during non-traditional class times.

They can also teach anywhere they have access to the Internet.

Examples: teaching from home or while traveling to a conference.

3️ Getting to Know Students Better

The online environment provides a more comfortable venue for inhibited (shy) students to participate in course activities and discussions.

This increases:

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The pool of participants
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The likelihood of varied perspectives
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The richness of course discussion
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The online environment attracts self-motivated students who are more likely to:

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Initiate conversations
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Pose questions
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Collaborate with peers and instructor
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Since every student is expected to post a response to the discussion board, the instructor gets a strong sense of his/her students' understanding of course material.

4️ Greater Engagement and Learning

In online courses, students' engagement and learning increases.

Since all students are required to participate in discussion threads, every student needs to:

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Work through different problems
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Generate ideas and solutions
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Students who typically don't participate in face-to-face courses are more likely to post to a discussion and interact with their peers in the learning process.

Since students have more time to reflect and respond to the instructor's question, instructors get more in-depth, researched responses from students.

5️  Efficiency

Instructors find increased efficiency in some rote tasks.

Some tools in online teaching automate processes and save instructors' time.

6️  Enriching Experience

By teaching online, instructors reach a broader student population that would not have been otherwise possible.

Interacting with students from different parts of the country or the world enhances:

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The students' learning experience
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The instructor's experience too
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4.8 OFFLINE vs ONLINE — QUICK COMPARISON

Aspect	Offline	Online
Interaction	Face-to-face	Over the Internet (e-learning)
Main strengths	Collaboration, critical thinking, rapport, team spirit, teacher's presence, skill development	Self-discipline, flexibility, knowing students better, engagement, efficiency, wider reach
Best for	Social & emotional development	Flexibility & access

4.9 KEY E-LEARNING INITIATIVES RUN BY MHRD

(MHRD = Ministry of Human Resource Development, now Ministry of Education)

(i) SWAYAM

Full form: 'Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds' (SWAYAM)

An integrated platform for online courses, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Covers school (9th to 12th) to Post Graduate Level.

At present, about 1000+ MOOCs courses are listed on SWAYAM.

About 30 Lakhs students have enrolled in these courses.

Also offers online courses for students, teachers and teacher educators.

(ii) SWAYAM PRABHA

An initiative to provide 32 High Quality Educational Channels through DTH (Direct to Home).

Available across the length and breadth of the country on a 24X7 basis.

Has curriculum-based course content covering diverse disciplines.

(iii) NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY (NDL)

The National Digital Library of India (NDL) is a project to develop a framework of virtual repository of learning resources with a single-window search facility.

There are more than 153 Lakhs digital books available through the NDL.

(iv) E-PATHSHALA

E-books of resources developed by:

NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training)

SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training) / SIEs (State Institutes of Education)

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State boards, etc.
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Available in multiple languages and uploaded on the e-pathshala website and disseminated through mobile app (Android, iOS and Windows).

E-pathshala has been listed/made available on the UMANG App of Govt. of India.

UMANG App was launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on 23 November, 2017 during GCCS-2017 (Global Conference on Cyber Space).

(v) NATIONAL REPOSITORY OF OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (NROER) 

Objectives:

To make digital resources available for teachers and students as free and open source material.

To enable the participation of the community in development and sharing of digital resources.

To facilitate the adoption and creation of digital resources in different Indian languages.

(vi) e-SHODH SINDHU

Consortia for Higher Education e-resources.

Purpose: to provide access to quality electronic resources including:

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Full-text databases
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Bibliographic databases
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Factual databases
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…to academic institutions at lower rates of subscription.




Summary Table: MHRD E-Learning Initiatives

Initiative	Key Facts to Remember
SWAYAM	Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds; ICT platform; 9th–12th to PG; 1000+ MOOCs; ~30 Lakh enrolments
SWAYAM Prabha	32 DTH educational channels; 24X7; curriculum-based, diverse disciplines
NDL	Virtual repository; single-window search; 153+ Lakh digital books
E-pathshala	NCERT/SCERT/SIEs/State board e-books; multiple languages; website + app (Android, iOS, Windows); on UMANG App (launched 23 Nov 2017, GCCS-2017)
NROER	Free & open source; community participation; resources in Indian languages
e-Shodh Sindhu	Consortia for higher education e-resources; full-text, bibliographic, factual databases; lower subscription rates

 Memory Aid: "Students Should Never Escape National education" → SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha, NDL, E-pathshala, NROER, e-Shodh Sindhu.

UGC NET Paper 1 Notes Methods of Teaching Institutions of Higher Learning

UGC NET Paper 1 Notes

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