The New Normal Teaching and Learning Experience

“Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event.”
– H. Hayes Jacobs

In the past few weeks, all our lives have changed in ways that we never expected and it has made us experience it in ways that we believed was never possible. These tough times have made us think and rethink, create and recreate our responses to the “New Normal” ways of imparting education and expanded the horizons of teaching-learning experiences too. Social Distancing is the new ‘Social Link’ between the Teachers and the Taught. With a will to impart quality learning during these testing times, we have unknowingly explored and implemented all those abilities that, until now, formed the basis of our thoughts for an ideal future for changing dimensions of teaching and learning. Taking online classes, sending video and audio lectures to students, recording YouTube videos and connecting to a hundred students on Zoom, devising strategies to successfully conduct online assessments, etc.,has now become the New Normal, and interestingly, we all seem to be adapting to it quite smoothly. Each such effort is directed towards making this distance learning program a quality experience for the students. These timeshare breaking the myths that quality Online Learning Programs requires a high-end operative mechanism and huge investments.

At the same time, it has also necessitated that Online/Virtual Teaching &Learning should be recognized as a fundamental pillar of every Educational Institutions’ capacity building strategies and techniques.It’s time that Online/Virtual Teaching Pedagogy vis-à-vis Face-to-Face Teaching Pedagogy must be appreciated at an equal pedestal when assessing and evaluating the predetermined learning outcomes. Another positive aspect is that the new technological avenues are opening up and trying to expand its base to further assimilate and refine the future of education system all across the globe. Hence, all the institutes should keep a check on the technological advancements and move towards unlearning and learning during such changing times.

Until now, Online/Virtual teaching and learning was considered as an obstacle to regulating the demeanour and attention capacities of the listener. It has also exposed us to all sorts of noise and clamour that are possibly going on during a regular day in any household, therefore forcing us to rethink the confinements we have placed around the word ‘concentration’.However, at the same time it is to be noted that we cannot avail the liberty of making these distractions part of online learning practices. Virtual Learning exposes all its participants to several issues pertaining to security of one’s identity, threats of cyber offences and intrusions with the Constitutional Right to Privacy. Hence, in order to ensure that the subtle lines of classroom etiquette do not get blurred, it is imperative to follow the commandments of professionalism and be respectful towards to dignity of all those who are a part of it. Practices that may degrade or otherwise hurt the integrity of the Teacher or/and the Taught, must, in all probabilities be avoided. All this would only build up our cynicism against the fact that teaching and learning through Internet Technologies is a substitute for live-classroom discussion and face-to-face interaction. Amidst the excuses for low/poor internet connectivity and faded audio visuals, understanding that Technology is merely a facilitator and not an exponent heading our on-going learning experience is imperative. One must understand that it is purely the need to prevent loss of academia that makes it inevitable to adopt and adapt to virtual learning techniques. All these efforts must be respected in both letter and spirit. In this context it has rightly been quoted by Bernard Bull that “In order to create an engaging learning experience, the role of instructor is optional, but the role of learner is essential.”

In order to better equip ourselves with relevant teaching and learning strategies for further strengthening the learning curve, we must not be completely dependent upon the existing and futuristic technological means. We must remember that Technology and its applications are only a means and not an end to driving our energies towards the vast ocean of learning that awaits our rejuvenation. Somewhere in our unconscious mind, we have also started to realise that apparently the so called “traditional teaching- learning” methods would never be able to replace what the future of teaching and learning beholds. We all are constantly trying to improvise and improve upon our capabilities with each such day passing by. As is our innate tendency as humans- we must learn to adapt the change and keep moving.

Author : Ms Gunjan Arora

Skills You Need to Develop to Become a Successful Lawyer

Every year thousands of students appear for law entrance exams to secure their seats at some of the best law colleges of the country. Out of these thousands of students, few hundreds successfully crack the exams and get into renowned institutes. But only a few students manage to make it big in their careers as a lawyer. So how do they ensure that their career is on the right track and contrive in their legal journey? They do so by acquiring the right skill sets and stepping on the best opportunities required to weave a fruitful career story.

Developing the right set of skills can result in a career of abundance and great success. So, what are the habits that can lead to an inevitable and an inexorable career growth in lawyers? Listed below is a list of skills that you should acquire in order to become a better lawyer-

Industrial awareness–

The topmost skill that an aspiring lawyer should acquire, according to best legal recruiters, is to have an in-depth knowledge about the industry. This means possessing an understanding of recent developments in local, national, and international business. As a lawyer, you will be expected to fully understand how businesses are run and identify social, political, and economic issues that may affect it in the long-run. To gain an extensive understanding of the industry, you can join legal committees, prepare case studies, and read the news regularly. This will empower you to provide pragmatic and business-minded legal advice to clients.

People skills-

In the legal profession, you may often find yourself to be working alongside a variety of people, and winning a case will solely rely on the collective team efforts. You will be expected to collaborate with clients, partners, and the team effectively. Lawyers need to foster a close working relationship with everyone involved in the case. The ability to work in a team and manage people is, therefore, essential to make each case a success story. You should acquire skills to deal with people from all levels of the legal hierarchy. Also, you should be able to maintain a healthy rapport with your clients by remaining personable, polite, and persuasive. This plays a vital role as the clients should be able to trust their representatives and provide the necessary information.

Strong communication skills–

Sharp oral and written communication skills are essential, and without them, you will grapple with executing your duties as a lawyer efficiently. Along with written and verbal communication, you should also possess excellent listening abilities as it helps in building relationships. The right amount of confidence and persuasive language are the key to win any case. While presenting your case in front of the judiciary or settling negotiations and explaining intricate details to clients, it is essential to use clear and succinct language. The same goes for preparing legal drafts as it, too, involves excellent writing abilities and comprehensive knowledge of legal terms. To hone this skill, you can participate in moot courts and group discussions.

Attention to detail–

To win any case or give your clients any legal advice, it is imperative to have a sharp eye for accuracy. A single word or phrase out of place can alter the meaning of a contract, while any misspelled words or grammatical errors can create a poor impression on clients. The same goes while getting information from the client and preparing legal drafts on the same. If you do not pay heed to what the client is saying, you might lose out on critical information that might help build your case. Also, while applying for jobs, it is important to bear in mind that recruiters check for spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and grammatical blunders. While at college, you can volunteer in peer proofreading to improve your detailing abilities.

These are some of the essential skills that you must acquire if you wish to touch the heights of success in the legal industry. However, there are some other abilities that you must possess along with the skills mentioned above that will help smoothen out your time in the lawyering profession.

• Research and analytics
• Creative problem solving
• Quick decision making
• Resilience and self-confidence
• Client servicing
• Perseverance
• Time management
• Logical reasoning

To conclude, a career in law is not only exciting and lucrative but also challenging. Being successful in this competitive environment requires aspiring lawyers to master specific skills apart from gaining a solid understanding of the laws. To ensure that you lead a successful professional life as a lawyer, you should enhance your soft skills. Equipping yourself with these skills may seem like a challenging task, but you will eventually find that proficiency in one area tends to lead to prowess in another.

Author : Dr. Bishwa Kallyan Dash

5 Interesting Myths And Facts Related To Law You Must Know

Being a law aspirant, you might have come across a lot of information and rumors regarding this field. You might have heard things such as that the law is all about politics, argument, and bribes. Some might have given you a strange look when you discussed your aspiration of becoming a lawyer, and so on.

But the reality is that the best law colleges in Ahmadabad or any other city produce many lawyers each year, who are serving the country and abroad.

Today, we'll help you clear out some myths related to the law that will undoubtedly give you a more realistic picture of your dreams.

MYTH 1: You need to have law as your first degree to become a lawyer.

FACT: How can you become a lawyer without having a first degree in law, right? But guess what! You can study different subjects or maybe choose another field and can still become a lawyer.

You need to have a diploma certificate in law, and you are good to go. Having a first degree in law is more advantageous in terms of employability, but you can still fulfill your dreams by a diploma in law too.

MYTH 2: It's a Men's field

FACT: Many young girls who aspire to become lawyers sometimes get demotivated seeing that majority of the population in this field is of men. The fact that most top positions in this field held by men further distort the perception of a female candidate aspiring to become a lawyer.

But now, the scenarios have changed. The intake of female candidates in law schools has almost doubled in comparison with the previous decade. Females are holding up some top positions in this field too.

MYTH 3: Always a winner

FACT: This myth acts as an eye candy of law aspirants who hear the success stories of some famous lawyers. Law is a field where reputation can be built quickly by winning cases, but it's more like a house of cards. One wrong move and your fame might vanish.

So, it's not about the victory that makes a person winner, its about the intelligence and experience that comes with time matters.   

MYTH 4: You are backed up with a job as soon as you complete the course.

FACT: You might have heard that once you complete a law degree, you have a job in your hand with a variety of sectors to choose from.

A law degree provides certain skill sets, including logical thinking, research, public speaking aptitude, and problem-solving. However, both lawyers, as well as non-law employers, will not greet you with open arms unless these abilities are perfectly honed. So, not only the degree will let you get the job, but it's your knowledge too that will make you employable.

MYTH 5: Setting up your firm is almost impossible.

FACT: A common misconception about being a lawyer is that starting up your law firm is an unrealistic dream and requires a considerable amount of investment.

Starting anything new involves cash; however, in this case, you will achieve success by gaining experience and maintaining contacts. Its a time taking process to settle down with your venture, but rewards are incredibly high. So don't lose hope.

With the above facts, we hope that some of your doubts regarding the law field must have gotten clear. 

If you are willing to become a lawyer, then you can enroll yourself in some of the top law colleges in Ahmadabad and other parts of the country to become a qualified professional.