AUG 11
Prof RajKiran Bilolikar has Kindly consented to pen down his experiences with ARMSASCI. I think After Prof Mahadik he is the second to do so. His narrative is quite gripping and in a way a reflection on our reticent behaviour . Very well and lucidly written...
The Narrative
I was apprehensive right from the beginning. When Dushyant told me that I had to take classes for the armed forces students I was right away wondering "what should I Teach them? They might know everything or for that matter know nothing. How will I compress the entire subject of Business Research Methods into eight sessions? When I voiced my fears to Dushyant he laughed heartily and said " Don't worry; I had similar apprehensions in the beginning . But when I went in to teach them I found them quite receptive and curious. What I could gather from my classes was that they are like a blank slate. You can write anything on it and it will be the truth". I took this piece of advice from Dushyant with a pinch of salt. I sat up half the night preparing for the class. I knew from what Dushyant told me that I would have to teach as I would a teach a class of freshers. Six years at ASCI rubbing shoulders with the best of management cadre , teaching them at a level which was high made me a bit lazy in my outlook. I had to go back to the basics. It was quite challenging relearning what I had forgotten while opening up my horizons to more challenging things in life.
While I was preparing for my class at home my two year old daughter ran in to my room shouting something in her lisping cute voice. I automatically corrected her thinking little about it . Then Like Buddha who received enlightenment at Bodh Gaya , Suddenly everything became clear to me . Just as I would teach My Daughter so would I the class - in simple and clear language leaving no room for ambiguity in making the class understand what I would like to say. Thereafter preparing for my lecture became that much more easier and simple. Nevertheless I still had butterflies in my stomach when I entered the empty syndicate room . Empty ? It was already nine in the morning and no one was in the class save Dushyant and myself. For a moment I was worried that the class was on strike like the other one which was on. Then I dismissed such absurd thoughts . Dushyant was also flummoxed. Before we could react further they entered as a group. Things became clear when they explained that the tardiness was the result of some minister travelling somewhere....
Then Dushyant left and I was all by myself. I could feel some undercurrent in the class. It was as if they were trying to judge me, without a word having been spoken as yet . My first question to the class was " what is Business Research?" All I got was blank stares from the audience. I nearly gave up then "it is no use guys and lady '; I said to myself " you might as well do self study and if you have any doubts I will clarify them". I felt that my preparation for the class, the powerpoint presentation - all were in vain. For once I did not listen to my gut feeling. I persisted. Speaking about business research I slowly sensed a shift in the attention of the class. Replies came in a trickle at first and soon within the first half hour there was full participation of the class. This interaction became even more animated when I started relating the various theories labour process theory ( use of man power in the army is also objectified) contingency theory ( you always have a back up / alternate plan) Middle Range theory ( as to how it involves both inductive and deductive empirical research)- slowly but surely the class was warming up to my teaching. It was as if the class was forming a theory collecting data , coming to findings and revising their theory about me and my abilities.
And so the class meandered towards a both satisfying and positive end . I am happy that I had been able to make a difference to the class. In the end it was my reliability and validity of my teachings which came to the fore in a totally unambiguous fashion. As far as the officers were concerned it was like no class that I had taught before. It felt good....
Prof RajKiran Bilolikar has Kindly consented to pen down his experiences with ARMSASCI. I think After Prof Mahadik he is the second to do so. His narrative is quite gripping and in a way a reflection on our reticent behaviour . Very well and lucidly written...
The Narrative
I was apprehensive right from the beginning. When Dushyant told me that I had to take classes for the armed forces students I was right away wondering "what should I Teach them? They might know everything or for that matter know nothing. How will I compress the entire subject of Business Research Methods into eight sessions? When I voiced my fears to Dushyant he laughed heartily and said " Don't worry; I had similar apprehensions in the beginning . But when I went in to teach them I found them quite receptive and curious. What I could gather from my classes was that they are like a blank slate. You can write anything on it and it will be the truth". I took this piece of advice from Dushyant with a pinch of salt. I sat up half the night preparing for the class. I knew from what Dushyant told me that I would have to teach as I would a teach a class of freshers. Six years at ASCI rubbing shoulders with the best of management cadre , teaching them at a level which was high made me a bit lazy in my outlook. I had to go back to the basics. It was quite challenging relearning what I had forgotten while opening up my horizons to more challenging things in life.
While I was preparing for my class at home my two year old daughter ran in to my room shouting something in her lisping cute voice. I automatically corrected her thinking little about it . Then Like Buddha who received enlightenment at Bodh Gaya , Suddenly everything became clear to me . Just as I would teach My Daughter so would I the class - in simple and clear language leaving no room for ambiguity in making the class understand what I would like to say. Thereafter preparing for my lecture became that much more easier and simple. Nevertheless I still had butterflies in my stomach when I entered the empty syndicate room . Empty ? It was already nine in the morning and no one was in the class save Dushyant and myself. For a moment I was worried that the class was on strike like the other one which was on. Then I dismissed such absurd thoughts . Dushyant was also flummoxed. Before we could react further they entered as a group. Things became clear when they explained that the tardiness was the result of some minister travelling somewhere....
Then Dushyant left and I was all by myself. I could feel some undercurrent in the class. It was as if they were trying to judge me, without a word having been spoken as yet . My first question to the class was " what is Business Research?" All I got was blank stares from the audience. I nearly gave up then "it is no use guys and lady '; I said to myself " you might as well do self study and if you have any doubts I will clarify them". I felt that my preparation for the class, the powerpoint presentation - all were in vain. For once I did not listen to my gut feeling. I persisted. Speaking about business research I slowly sensed a shift in the attention of the class. Replies came in a trickle at first and soon within the first half hour there was full participation of the class. This interaction became even more animated when I started relating the various theories labour process theory ( use of man power in the army is also objectified) contingency theory ( you always have a back up / alternate plan) Middle Range theory ( as to how it involves both inductive and deductive empirical research)- slowly but surely the class was warming up to my teaching. It was as if the class was forming a theory collecting data , coming to findings and revising their theory about me and my abilities.
And so the class meandered towards a both satisfying and positive end . I am happy that I had been able to make a difference to the class. In the end it was my reliability and validity of my teachings which came to the fore in a totally unambiguous fashion. As far as the officers were concerned it was like no class that I had taught before. It felt good....
👍👍
ReplyDeleteThat was a thumbs up symbol, couldn't be printed here.
DeleteThanks Prof Rajkiran for your blog. Good to see the scope and participation of blog expanding.GJ Rao
DeleteLike they say in cricket- 'don't play the Bowler, play the Ball'; Here too, sometimes, it helps if one shifts focus on to the subject from the audience.
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