NAAC

Best Practices (2020-21)

Best Practice I

Title of the Practice – Public Speaking Skills Development Program

Objectives of the Practice

1. To overawe stage fright and gain confidence for facing an audience.
2. To make a laddered progression starting with paper reading and gradually moving to declaiming, debating, and participating in independent thinking exercise and Model United Nations conference
3. To attain sublimity in various forms of public speaking

The Context

Possessing public speaking skills is an icing on the cake, as it enhances the ability to interact with professionals and fellow colleagues in a qualified and composed manner. It makes a person more worthy candidate to move up and succeed in personal and professional life. Despite being academically meritorious, students at times feel hesitant, diffident and reticent in expressing themselves effectively and efficiently in public. For addressing the latent and embryonic issues faced by the student concerning ‘Glassophobia’ and communication skills, the College has a well-designed ‘Public Speaking Skills Development Program’, wherein students of B Com and BBA First Semester are subjected to assortment of public speaking sessions throughout the academic session.

The Practice

For assisting the students in shedding their diffident and reticent approach towards public speaking, the students of B Com and BBA First Semester are allotted one public speaking session per week in the timetable itself under the able guidance of faculty facilitator. Under this initiative, students are given an opportunity to opt for a theme of their choice for presentation. Faculty facilitator helps in correcting the subject matter and in improvising the delivery of the content, voice modulation, diction etc. To mark Sri Aurobindo Birth Anniversary, a ‘Paper Reading Contest’ is organized every year where students are supposed to speak on a topic either related to philosophy propounded by Sri Aurobindo or independence.

For preparing the students for variety of inter college competitions and Panjab University Youth Festival, the College has included the activity of ‘Elocution’ and ‘Debate’ in the ‘Cultural Fest cum Talent Hunt Competition’. For enhancing the debating skills, a unique form of debating activity known as ‘British Parliamentary Debate’ is also carried out rigorously.

For making students comprehend the way international issues are resolved and the in and outs of diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations, the College has initiated the practice of organizing ‘Model United Nations’ (MUN) conferences, which are educational simulation of the United Nations, involving researching, public speaking, debating and writing skills and above all critical thinking. Participants, known as delegates, are placed in committees and assigned countries, or occasionally other organizations or political figures, where they represent members of that body.

Another distinctive activity connected with the context is Independent Thinking Exercise wherein students are given agenda for discussion well in advance, so that they come prepared for discussions and deliberations.

The basic purpose behind this exercise is to make students formulate their independent opinion and express the same with conviction. These college supported activities help students prepare themselves for today’s competitive and dynamic environment.

Evidence of Success

Students of Sri Aurobindo College of Commerce and Management have proved their mettle at every pedestal. Public speaking is one of the hallmarks of SACCMites. Recognizing the significance of Soft Skills, we at SACCM train our students for the real battle that starts after the completion of their studies. Public speaking skills have helped SACCMites a lot in their personal as well as professional lives.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Being a self- financed institution; the college is currently constrained financially to provide for communication lab which can be resourceful for this exercise to be more effective.

Best Practice II

Title of the Practice – E-initiatives

Objectives of the Practice

1. To make unabridged campus Wi-Fi enabled with highest level security, so that all members of the faculty, staff and students have universal access to information and services.
2. To make technology seamlessly fit with SACCM’s teaching, research and administrative operations
3. To bring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the system.
4. To employ teaching methods tailored to numerous categories of students to provide experiential learning experience.
5. To provide speedier, transparent, and effortless way of maintaining records and utilize them for reference.
6. To create and sustain long term, successful relationships with stakeholders through open communication and continuous assessment

The Context

Academic Blend:

ICT integration provides a strong support to the aged old methodology of teaching and complement the classical teaching techniques. For this, teachers need to be involved in the preparation of digital content and multimedia presentations. It was further aggravated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which required the teachers to shift to complete online pedagogy. As ICT blend was already a part of teaching pedagogy, teachers were rather comfortable than resistant in adopting the change.

Administrative Blend:

For addressing the following issues, it was desired to digitize the office operations:

• Systematized record keeping
• Efficient system as compared to manual
• Less time consuming
• Green initiative- save paper save trees
• Less chances of error
• Ensuring transparency

The Practice

Academic Blend:

For ICT integration with conventional teaching techniques, each classroom is equipped with LCD Projectors, each faculty member has been provided with laptop and digitizer with internet connectivity across the campus to enable them in preparation of digital and updated teaching content. The college has put in place high-speed internet connectivity through 1:1 leased internet connection with 60 MBPS bandwidth. During Covid-19 pandemic, the teaching-learning system was on a halt, as a result faculty was left with no other option than to restore to digital teaching through zoom and google meet. Subsequently, to streamline online teaching SACCM subscribed Microsoft-Teams during academic session 2020-21. MCQ module on MS Teams is used for conducting continuous assessment of students’ learning where scores are automatically generated. Students securing lower marks in MCQ are identified for remedial coaching through their mentors. SACCM has subscribed for e-resources with access to faculty members and students.

Through LMS iCloudEMS ERP, faculty members share digital content, assignments, and upload attendance which provide them with platform to interact with the students virtually. Students can access shared e-content for their program through iCloudEMS ERP student logins, submit the assignments online, and keep a track of their attendance.

Administrative Blend:

1. Admission process is fully digitized starting from registration by the prospective candidate to getting admitted to the college.
2. Alumni portal is available on website to provide details of pass out students.
3. Filling of examination forms, obtaining admit cards, uploading of marks etc. everything is done in online mode.
4. The college website mirrors details about the institution which is maintained by expert web developers. Web interfaces are provided for admissions and online transactions.
5. Full supervision of all service units in the office through the ERP software.
6. Official mail ID’s with college domain to communicate with the teaching and non-teaching staff ensuring enhanced security and confidentiality
7. Biometric attendance for all teaching and non-teaching staff members.
8. Fully automated and wireless office with 24×7 internet facility.
9. Use of Google facilities like Google sheet: For data collection from Activity in charge.
10. For monitoring students’ activities, CCTVs have been installed across the campus
11. Creation of class-specific WhatsApp Groups for sharing information with the students and members of the faculty pertaining to copious events organized by the College
12. SACCM’s accounts are maintained via Tally and ERP

Evidence of Success

Academic Blend:

• Effective curriculum delivery even during ongoing pandemic as SACCM was able to have virtual classes well in time and plan for Mid Semester Tests
• Creation of online repository of sessions taken by the faculty members helped the students to revise the content whenever desired
• Enhanced internet bandwidth ensured uninterrupted virtual classes
• For holistic development of students, SACCM by using digital infrastructure arranged for numerous sessions virtually
• Timely and effective communication with students

Administrative Blend

• Better cash management because of realization of payments on a uniform date promptly and efficiently.
• Helps in reducing chances of loss / theft of instruments, likelihood of fraudulent encashment of paper instruments, etc.
• Efficient payment mode ensuring that the beneficiaries get credit on a designated date
• Helps in maintaining digital records of information pertaining to students, teaching and non-teaching staff.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Outburst of pandemic resulted in a new practice of work from home. Initially under ICT integration desktops were provided to the teaching staff. This resulted in difficulty in smooth conduct of virtual classes from home. To resolve this issue, laptops were provided to all the faculty members. Teachers teaching numerical papers faced a difficulty to find alternate to chalk and talk method. To resolve this, digitizers were provided for effective delivery of numeric and diagram-oriented content.