As an academician in a university, one’s role spans multiple dimensions—teaching, research, service, and professional development. Each domain carries specific expectations depending on the institution’s policies, e.g., teaching-focused vs. research-intensive. However, the primary focus needs to be on teaching.
To accomplish a teaching activity, at least at a satisfactory level, the key responsibilities are:
- Course Design and Delivery—Develop syllabi aligned with program outcomes (CLOs, PLOs, and Washington Accord standards). Incorporate modern pedagogies such as flipped classrooms, problem-based learning, blended learning, and AI-assisted feedback systems.
- Student Assessment—Design fair and outcome-based evaluations (quizzes, projects, labs, portfolios, rubrics).
- Curriculum Innovation—Integrate industry-aligned digital tools and ensure accessibility/inclusivity in course materials.
- Mentoring and Advising—Guide students in academic progress, final-year projects, and careers or higher studies.
One needs to think beyond these formal statements to enable students to practice the 5Es in science education, such as Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate, and every class is a stepping stone. It is very much essential to introspect what was taught in your previous class (for teachers, as much as for students) as well as plan what needs to be done in the next one. When you stop being a student, teaching ceases.
When students don’t reciprocate, we often shrug it off by saying, “Oh, they are like that.”
When CHANGE is the only thing that is consistent—WHY CAN’T THIS CHANGE????? CAN’T WE CHANGE IT????????? What have you done to move them from their latency phase to a slightly dynamic one??
These days, it’s not unusual to see students checking their phones even in the middle of a class discussion — a reality many teachers can relate to. No matter how engaging the topic or how real-world the problem is, their attention seems to flicker away into those glowing screens. It is frustrating—not because they are distracted, but because of the worrying aspect as to how much potential is being lost. And getting their attention back , is indeed a losing battle.
So, I decided to try something simple. At the end of three consecutive sessions in my teaching Praxis, I added a tiny feedback activity—just four quick questions about the key ideas we’d discussed that day. It took barely five minutes. To my surprise, something shifted. The same students who once seemed distant now leaned forward, curious to see how much they actually remembered. They whispered to each other, compared answers, and even laughed when they got things right. For the first time in a while, the room felt alive again. (Just to spice it up—I added some introspective questions for them as well, like “I am confident/not confident on the topic 1.”)
That small step reminded me of a big truth: students don’t always need grand changes, just small moments that make them feel involved. Those quick feedback questions turned into our little ritual—a way to close each class with energy and connection.
Feel free to let me know your experiences.
