Institutional Best Practices

Objectives: 

The college approaches SMARTURN with two-fold objectives: the first being centered on the digital competency of the students, and the second being oriented on the digitalization of the institution.

Initiatives centered on the students

1. To nurture a growing community of digitally empowered youngsters as envisaged and recommended by the previous NAAC peer team.
2. To make the students independent, confident and discerning users of technology
3. To enhance the proficiency of the students in handling the popularly used professional softwares by offering specifically designed certificate courses
4. To empower students to contribute to and survive in a paperless/cashless digital economy by training them to use online banking and other online transactions
5. To expose students to the digital potential of online courses on Humanities, Science, Technology and Management through the SWAYAM-NPTEL platform
6. To streamline the student learning process through GSUITE for education
7. To enable the students to update their knowledge using e-resources in the library

Initiatives centered on the institution

1. To upgrade the digital infrastructure of the college and introduce WiFi in the campus
2. To digitally upgrade the library and to familiarize the students with KOHA software and online resources such as INFLIBNET, D Space and OPAC.
3. To enhance digitally assisted teaching, learning and evaluation process
4. To integrate digital technology into the administrative system of the college

5. To professionalize the digital users of the college through GSUITE for Education by providing email ids and ensuring data security

Context:

In today’s world, communication and access to information are invariably linked to digital technologies like internet, social media and mobile devices. Digitalization pervades all processes and levels of higher education viz, teaching, learning, evaluation and research. To thrive and push oneself ahead in a society where the digital landscape keeps on changing, one must be able to access, manage, manipulate and create information in an ethical and sustainable way. Rural Kuttanad is an area prone to the problem of ‘digital divide’. The terrain itself poses major challenges in comfortably accessing digital technology. A majority of the students of our college hail from a rural background where digital literacy is almost non-existent. A large number of the students face the socio-economic disadvantage of being less able to access high speed internet or broadband facilities in their own home or locality. This often hinders their academic activities such as accomplishing projects, applying online or appearing for online courses from home. In a bid to bridge the gap between the digitally privileged and underprivileged, the college has launched “SMARTURN” in hopes to help its students reap the full benefits of a digitized world.

Practice:

1. E-Samvijnan

Even before the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic and at a time when digital literacy was relatively less, the college initiated a digital literacy programme entitled “e-samvijnan” in an attempt to develop ICT literacy skills among students. An expert committee of teachers designed a detailed syllabus to expose the students to computer and its functions, fundamentals of MS Office, Internet banking, emails, online banking and e-commerce. The entire student community is divided into small groups for the successful implementation of the programme. Such groups are allotted specific sessions and the trainers under the supervision of respective class teachers ensure the active participation of every student in a class. Recorded video lectures covering the various topics in the syllabus are also given at regular intervals.

2. Certificate Courses

The departments of the college also conduct many certificate courses in computer and its related applications for the benefit of students. A large number of students lack the practical knowledge of handling the desktop/laptop computers or using various softwares. Most of their digital knowhow is limited to the use of smartphones, that too after the strike of the pandemic. The college takes pride in its farsightedness whereby various certificate courses based on computer knowledge were imparted even in the years before the pandemic struck the world. The major ones are listed below:

1. CPP Programming
2. Computer Hardware and Software Installation
3. Basics of Origin Software
4. MS Office
5. Basic Course in MATLAB
6. Type setting using LATEX
7. C++ Basics

3. SWAYAM/ NPTEL: Local Chapter
The National Programme on Technology and Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), a project funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), provides e-learning through online web and video courses in Engineering, Sciences, Technology, Management and Humanities. Our college has been recognized as a SWAYAM-NPTEL local chapter and our teachers and students are encouraged to enrol in SWAYAM-NPTEL courses. The college, under the aegis of the library, organized awareness classes for students regarding the relevance and significance of NPTEL/online courses. Such initiatives began as early as 2018, at a time when the knowledge about online courses was relatively less. The various departments of the college, under the leadership of class teachers, also encouraged students to register for SWAYAM-NPTEL courses. As a result of these initiatives, during the last two years, almost 296 of our candidates enrolled themselves on various courses. 

4. Online Curriculum Delivery
The digital literacy programme came into full swing when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in 2020. The entire teaching-learning process switched over to the online platform. Our students were then given special training in the use of online learning platforms such as Google Meet, Google Classroom and Zoom. The college has Google Workspace with exclusive accounts for all its stakeholders including students. The students submit their assignments online via Google Classroom. The exams were conducted on quizziz.com and the parent meetings were also held online. Many international webinars and conferences were organized on online platforms. 

5. Infrastructural Facilities
In terms of infrastructure, the institution provides digital resources and ICT-enabled tools to support the teaching, learning and administration processes here. 300 Mbps bandwidth of Asianet internet connection and 24/7 Wi-Fi facility are available on the campus. 

There is an ETNL software-based language lab for training in communication. Classes in phonetics and the screening of movies are done with the aid of the language laboratory. 

A MATLAB set up in association with the Department of Mathematics helps students in technical computing and also in solving many problems related to different mathematical subjects. 

6. Administration
The college implemented digitalization in administration through the installation of Linways software. Students’ admission and fee details, work arrangement, attendance, updating the details of the staff etc. are done through Linways. Individual emails in the domain and exclusive social media pages and groups are used for the dissemination of information.

7. Examination Cell
The college has digitalized the Examination Cell as a result of which circulars and notifications regarding examinations are circulated only through official WhatsApp groups. 

8. Library
Our library is fully automated with Koha (Version 21.05) and thereby offers a customizable search facility. D Space, the software used in the digital library, provides easy access to materials through listing as well as searching. The library is also equipped with a machine-readable catalogue facility. A voicebank and studio viz, DHWANI functions as part of the college library for the benefit of visually impaired students. 

Evidence of Success:

At the end of the “E-Samvijnan” course, the students were given practical assignments and it was found out that all the participants in the course had familiarized themselves with the basic usage of computers and their related applications. It enabled them to carry out everyday activities such as browsing, banking and so on with ease. 
The increased use of online learning platforms, applications and resources provide testimony to the success of the digital learning resources provided by the institution. The regular use of online learning platforms such as Google Meet and Google Classroom help our students clarify their doubts, brainstorm ideas, conduct seminars, submit assignments and attend examinations more systematically and conveniently. The students of the college are now empowered learners who can use the internet in their lives in a     constructive manner. 

Problems Encountered and Resources Required:

1. Technical issues confronted during the usage of ICT.
2. Shortage of gadgets for economically backward students.
3. Even though a large majority of our candidates enrol themselves for NPTEL courses, the busy academic schedule prevents many from pursuing and promptly completing the course. 
4. Security issues exist as online platforms are prone to cyber-attacks.