To develop ownership among students, I emphasise on hands-on exercises and class activities, says KBS HOD

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, HOD Professor PK Mishra at Kohinoor Business School talks in detail about their ‘Learner Centric Approach’. Describing students as important stakeholders in the learning process, Mishra informs how teaching methodology is focused on imparting quality education to students and also to make them industry-ready.

Mishra has vast experience of over 33 years. He has spent 17 years in the Pharmaceutical industry in a leadership position.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What are the salient features of the teaching methodology adopted by your college? How does this differ from others?

A: At KBS we have always believed in the novelty of teaching-learning outcome. Teaching methodology being the bedrock of any educational delivery system finds a prominent place in our learning management system. My teaching system is deliberately oriented towards the learners, i.e. Learner Centric approach, as I firmly believe that being the biggest stakeholder community of students must be the beneficiary of the educational system – not the other way round. While I ensure teachers are the authority figure in my approach, students play an equally active role in the learning process. My primary role is to coach and facilitate student learning and overall comprehension of the material. Student learning is measured through both formal and informal forms of assessments, including group projects, student portfolios, and class participation. Teaching and assessments are connected; student learning is continuously measured during teacher instruction. Commonly used teaching methods may include class participation, demonstration, recitation, memorisation, or combinations of these.

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

A: Having represented industry for a long time it doesn’t really come as a big challenge for me at least. The effectiveness of any management education can only be tested in the laboratory of the industry itself – be it employability, employment readiness, skill to sustain in the industry, or corresponding attitude towards work, apart from the functional and technical efficiencies of the students. Industry tests everything – ruthlessly. So while teaching, my case examples, concepts, and situational analysis are always drawn from the industry experiences, my contemporary readings on the matter, and the changing demands of the industry in terms of knowledge, skill, and attitude. I also frequently ensure to share some real-life incidences pertaining to the topic on board, so as to mentally prepare my students to any similar situation in future.

Q: What are the qualities you are looking for in student applicants? What qualities do they need to do well in your course?

A: Management is all about taking ownership. It’s all in the mind. More than the technical expertise, I prefer to look for their bent of mind. The ability to comprehend is another skill that I look forward to. Enjoying responsibilities, adept at taking and giving commands, ability to do multiple tasks at the same time, and not yield to pressure are some qualities that I think are useful for the managers in the making.

My course requires a bit of attentive observation and kinesthetic learning. I emphasise more on hands-on exercises and class activities. Learning by doing is the key. In my class, if the student is attentive and mindful of their tasks in hand, they won’t find it difficult and enjoy the course. In anyways, I like to keep class ambience simple, stress-free, with a bit of humour around.

Q: How do you ensure that your course curriculum is up to date and meets industry requirements?

A: This is a dynamic process and the biggest challenge for any management educator. I being an active member of many professional bodies such as NHRD, SHRM, and Institute of Management Consultants have the advantage of keeping myself updated on the ongoing trends. Current trend notwithstanding, I have to keep an eye on the things to come in future as well, in this VUCA world. Continuous reading, and referring research journals also help me to be updated. I also keep on attending assorted conferences, seminars, and workshops being conducted by credible institutions.

Q: Is your college receptive to innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship? How? Could you cite some examples of these?

A: My college is very proactive in these areas. Our leadership has always been into institution building. In accordance to this philosophy, we have invested in establishing Smart Class Room equipped with the latest digital gadgets, remote learning facilities and ultramodern teaching-learning tools. We have already integrated the Internet of Things (IoT), and Usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our curriculum. Quantitative HR and HR Analytics are the latest subjects that we have incorporated in our bouquet of courses. I am actively involved in providing learning inputs through various social media platforms, particularly Linkedin wherein I am a premium contributor.

I have been sponsored by KBS to undergo seven days of training and workshop each for Foundational and Advanced Courses of Entrepreneurship. Now I am a certified facilitator of entrepreneurship courses of the Wadhwani Foundation (NEN). As a result of which we have been able to start full-fledged credit courses in Entrepreneurship, and established KBS E-Club, our own innovation and incubation cell. These are the few testimonies of the vision of our management.