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Academic Experimentation @IITH

Academic Experimentation @IITH. Ashok Kumar Pandey ashok@iith.ac.in. Wilhelm von Humboldt on the future University of Berlin (1810, cited by Elton, 2005, 110) “ .. universities should treat learning as not yet wholly solved problems and hence always in research mode”.

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Academic Experimentation @IITH

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  1. Academic Experimentation @IITH Ashok Kumar Pandey ashok@iith.ac.in Wilhelm von Humboldt on the future University of Berlin (1810, cited by Elton, 2005, 110) “ .. universities should treat learning as not yet wholly solved problems and hence always in research mode” http://www.rationalargumentator.com/index/page/5/ Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai, Director, IIT Hyderabad director@iith.ac.in

  2. Gradient … • Societal Gradient • Rate of change in Society was very slow from 50s to 90s • Since 90s, and in particular since 95 the rate of change has been phenomenal • Gradient in Teaching Methods since 50s • Very small • Sure we use ppts and latest tech-gizmos, but that is not real change • Lack enthusiasm among students to learn • Complete mismatch between the two rates! Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  3. Changing Times . . . • Present system has worked for a long time • Internet has been a game changer • The world is flat (Thomas Friedman) • A lot of education involved imparting information • But today that does not work with lot of online information / explanation that is available • Role of educator as a teacher is diminishing and will diminish further • Teacher should become mentors, advisors, … Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  4. AN AVALANCHE IS COMING, Higher Education and the Revolution Ahead by Michael Barber, Katelyn Donnelly, Saad Rizvi, March 2013 • Does the curriculum need complete overhaul? • What are the right models of teaching and learning now that the traditional lecture seems obsolete? • Which students should be targeted? • Just as we’ve seen the forces of technology and globalization transform sectors such as media and communications or banking and finance over the last two decades, these forces may now transform higher education. • The traditional university is being unbundled Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  5. Philosophy: The new program should capture … Breadth • T-Education • Breadth with Depth • Flexibility • Foster Interdisciplinarity • Wider choice of electives • Foster Research at undergraduate level • Synergy in projects – hopefully leading to products • Students can pace their program • Greater choice for knowledge acquisition and specialization • Encourage creativity • Bouquet of courses in Creative Arts (Music, Movie making, fine arts, photo journalism, performing arts, etc.) Depth Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  6. 1 Credit Courses … • A balance is sought between technical and non-technical courses to reduce stress when students enter IIT Hyderabad • The first two semesters expose students to all the basic tools required for the rest of their Bachelors program • The curriculum potentially makes students ready for internship right after the first year IC’13 Symp on Smart Learnign for Next Gen - Abu Dhabi

  7. Basic Building Blocks Atomize the courses and programs • 1 credit courses for breadth • Core courses • 1.5, 2, 2.5 credit courses for depth • Specialize courses • Electives • Projects and building prototypes / products • Bridging gulf between theory and practice Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  8. Initial Attempts: Fractional Credit courses • Strong industry interaction • A typical lecture course has 3 credits leading to 42 lecture hours in a semester. • Fractional credits can be 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 having 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 lectures hours respectively. • Some examples of fractional credit courses that were offered in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 academic year are: • Trends in Storage Systems (by NetApp) • Mobile Applications (by Adobe) • Data Management and Computing on the Cloud • Empowering Three Billion (taught by former President Dr.Kalam) • Finance and Economy • Sales and Marketing • Photo Journalism • Movie Making • Courses by Visiting Faculty in Math and EE from USA Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  9. Independent Project in 1st Sem. • IITH introduced a single credit independent project (IDP) course for the 1st year B.Tech students in the year 2011. • In 2012, we introduced certain modifications to the course structure. We specifically encouraged the students to select a design project of their choice, select their own teams, and further provided the students the option of taking advisory help from any faculty member or fellow senior students. • The results are impressive. Most groups developed a working model of their design and successfully demonstrated the project along with a poster presentation on 26th Jan. • Now, it has become an annual event! http://www.iith.ac.in/administration/indepproj.html

  10. B.Tech. in Engineering Science First of its kind in IIT system • To give more holistic exposure to engineering education • Fits into the T-Education Model • In order to ensure good job prospects, they will specialize in the discipline of their choice in the final year • Such programs exists at only a few leading institutes in the world (UC-Berkeley, Harvard, Cambridge, UIUC, …) • Nevertheless, our program is fundamentally different because of the provision for specialization in any discipline • For the first 2 years the student does basics courses in Math, Physics, Chemistry, and different fields of engineering. • In the last 1.5 years (3 semesters) the student then specializes in any field of his / her choice -- specialization is open • It could be any branch of engineering -- Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, Material Science, BioTech, Biomed -- or Physics, or Mathematics, or Chemistry, or Economics, or Psychology, or Design, etc. • The final degree will read: B.Tech. in Engineering Science with Specialization in XXX. Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  11. B.Tech. Minor in Entrepreneurship Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  12. Fractal Academic Program • A novel academic program launched at IITH (Another such attempt is at Univ. of Chicago – The Institute of Molecular Engineering – Matthew Tirrel) • At present only for Electrical Engineering and by 2014 for all B.Tech. Programs • Courses of only 1 or 2 credits • Departmental courses in the very first year • Inherently Multidisciplinary • Promotes R and D from an early stage • Courses in Liberal Arts and Creative Arts • Holistic Education Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  13. Semester I for EE Started Aug 2013 • Signals and communication • Electric and magnetic circuits • Boolean Algebra • Data Analytics • Computing • Matrix Analysis • Computer Organization • Physics • Single Variable Calculus (math) • Chemistry lab • Environmental Chemistry • Concepts in engineering • Bioengineering • LA 1 – Modernism • CA 1 – Sociology of Digital Media • Independent project • All 1 credit courses • Total credits in the first sem is 16 Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  14. Semester 2: Started Jan. 2014 • Smart grid • DSP • EM Field Theory • Semiconductor Fundamentals • Basic Control Theory • Embedded programming • Data structures in C • Differential Equations • Physics (2) • Physiology for Engineers • Virology: Basic concepts • LA 2 –Research Methods and Statistics • CA 2 • Workshop (2) • Project (independent) Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  15. 4th Year (Final Year) 7th Semester • Core Elective 6 • Core Elective 7 • Core Elective 8 • Free Elective 1 • Free Elective 2 • Project (independent) • LA 7 - Qualitative Research Methods • CA 7 8th Semester • Core Elective 8 • Core Elective 9 • Core Elective 10 • Free Elective 3 • Free Elective 4 • Project (independent) • LA 8 - Financial Markets and Institutions • CA 8 All Electives and projects are of 2 to 2.5 credits Courtesy: Prof. U B Desai

  16. Many Thanks

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