Curious bent of mind is a pre-requisite for the students of Journalism and Mass Communication, says Dr Chakraborty

Dr Gauri D Chakraborty, faculty at Amity University, Noida, talks about the university's pedagogy and curriculum in an interview with Shiksha.com. She goes into great detail on the Learning Management System that the university put in place a few years ago, far before the Covid epidemic. All faculty members are urged to make better use of the LMS capabilities in order to increase student participation.

Dr Chakraborty is a graduate of the Films and Television Institute of India and has over 25 years of rich academic and industry experience.

Read the complete interview below.

Q: What is the difference between the teaching methodology in your institute and others?

A: Over the last decade, Learning Management System (LMS) has become 

mainstream in higher education and is widely used across many Universities.  Amity University has also launched the Learning Management System (A-LMS) with a vision to support teaching and learning initiatives for a better interface and to create a systematic flow of Learning materials to the students from December 2016.  In February 2018, the LMS was merged with Amizone (CRM/ Intranet System).  It is expected from all faculty members to use the LMS features in a way more effective to encourage student participation. Being a student-centric university, the teaching methodology in the institution is always discussion-based. At the commencement of every Academic session, E-content is made available to students over Amity Learning Management System to facilitate group discussions during the class session. The E-content is generated based on the four-quadrant approach as prescribed by UGC. We also ensure maximum students’ participation in every area of academia and demonstration, wherever necessary, is done keeping in mind the special requirements of the students. During discussion sessions, feedback is generated via online tools such as Answer Garden and in order to increase interactivity, the quiz is conducted over platforms such as Quizziz, Mentimeter, Kahoot etc.

Q: How are you preparing your students to be Industry ready?

A: The curricula is developed keeping in mind recent industry trends and the the syllabus is mapped with Industry 4.0 and Education 4.0. Feedback regarding the syllabus is taken from industry experts as well as academia and most of our own faculty members have more than five years of industry experience. Students are also taught compulsory courses of Professional Ethics and Behavioural Science to make them industry-ready. Other than this, each student is allotted an industry mentor for guidance and support. The head of the Corporate Resource Centre of the institute also conducts special skill development sessions with final year students to hone them into the new set-up. The institute also conducts frequent webinars and guest lecture sessions with Industry experts and alumni of the institution to encourage students and also to create an environment of interaction. The idea behind each webinar is to train students so that they can apply academic knowledge in the corporate field

Q: What quality do your students have which other college students lack?

A: Curious bent of mind is a pre-requisite for the students of Journalism and Mass Communication and is ensured and examined during the admission process where students are asked analytical questions. The pre-pandemic admission process comprised of a theory entrance exam on English comprehension and a PI session with the faculty members of the institution. During pandemic all processes shifted online and thus as a part of admission entrance, students are required to upload recorded videos. Deputed faculty members are required to analyse and evaluate the videos.  Students at Amity School of Communication are exposed to varied sources of knowledge. Apart from material provided by faculty, Amity also has a Digital Library which is an online repository of books and journals. Faculty and students’ access is made available through Amizone ‘E-Library’ with the section-wise bifurcation of departments which allows each department to view journals and e-resources pertaining to their own fields. Eg. In the section “Media and Mass Communication”, journals and books on “Film Theory”, “The media in Russia- National Media”, “Understanding Alternative Media issues in cultural context”, “Violence and the Media” are present to name a few. Students are also taught research to create an early understanding of originality and objectivity.

Q: Do you think the curriculum of the courses taught in your institute fits in the requirement of the industry?

A: Curricula of all courses are approved only after mapping them with Industry 4.0. The Area Advisory Board comprises of experts from the industry who ensure that the syllabus is mapped in tandem with industry requirements creating a balance between theory and practice. The Board of Studies frames the content of various courses, reviewing and updating the content from time to time. As mass communication is an ever-evolving field, the BOS is also responsible for introducing new courses of study to satiate requirements.

Q: Is your college receptive to the innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship?

A: Amity University in its core believes in encouraging and motivating research and innovation. The institution has an entrepreneurship cell that guides and supports students who wish to become entrepreneurs. Other than an extensive research output by both faculty and students, Amity School of Communication has also signed MOUs with Daekin University, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, BBC World Service Trust, Community Radio Association, Event and Entertainment Management Association, to create an innovative industry-academia interface