2023-24

 Value Added Courses held in 2023-24

Students of FYBEd completed the following value added courses organised by IQAC and Pushpadeep

(i) Value added Course on E Content development: The course was held from 2 to 31 December 2023. Students of SYBEd were resource persons for sessions on creating E books, Padlet, Video editing, Wordwall for evaluation, use of  E discussion Boards, use of Canva for art work and Kahoot for quizzes. Dr Agnes Dcosta coordinated the course.

(ii)Value Added Course on Apps in Education: The course was held from 4 to 31 January 2024. Students of FYBEd were the participants . The content included AI Tools ,Creating Mindmaps, Creating Crosswords with Crossword Labs, Exploring OERs through DIKSHA, Exploring Virtual laboratory  Olabs, Creating Educational games with Educaplay, Classtools.net and Creating interactive  worksheets on Worksheetzone.org.  

(iii) Value Added Course on Mental Health of Secondary School Students: The course was held in Blended Mode from April 2024 to July 2024. Students accessed modules related to different aspects of mental health of adolescents. These modules were prepared based on Manodarpan, an initiative of Ministry of India under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Canvas.instructure was used as the LMS to share resource material in form of videos, pdfs, discussion exercises and quizzes. 

TET Training for SYBEd students

Students who had registered for Central TET were oriented about the nature of the examination. They were guided on various aspects of the TET. Dr Agnes Dcosta and Ms Sonia Bombacha conducted sessions to revise various content based questions related tot he TET syllabus. Material for revision was posted on the Google classroom. Online guidance was given for Mathematics.

Workshop on AI in Education

On 4 and 6 January 2024, a workshop on AI in Education was organised for the benefit of students and faculty. Dr Agnes Dcosta oriented the participants to various AI tools that can be used for teaching,learning and evaluation. GitMind was explored for creating AI based mindmaps. Conker.ai was used to create evaluation activities. Curipod.com was explored for interactive lectures and AI based feedback. The platform magicschool.ai was used to create lesson plans, Depth of knowledge Questions, learning material to enhance classroom effectiveness. The participants were also oriented to cautious use of AI so that errors are eliminated. Ethical use of AI was advocated.

Guest lecture on Cyber security

On 5 Dec 2023, Sr Sabeena G. delivered a lecture on Cyber Security. She enlightened participants on the responsible usage of social media, the importance of being vigilant in the cyber space, and highlighted essential precautions to safeguard personal and organizational data. The program also delved into legal issues surrounding cyber activities. The speaker emphasized the ubiquitous nature of social media and its impact on personal and professional lives. Participants were educated on the potential risks associated with oversharing personal information, the importance of privacy settings, and the need to scrutinize friend requests and connections. Many case studies were discussed by the speaker to emphasize the intricacies of the topic. Sr Sabeena also elaborated on the role that parents and teachers need to play so that young students learn the wise use of cyber platforms.

Workshop on AI in Education

A workshop on AI in Education was organised by IQAC and PUSHPADEEP on 3 Feb 2024. The workshop was sponsored by Bassein Catholic Co-operative Bank. At the outset, Principal In Charge Sr. Delicia Fernandes said a short prayer and welcomed the participants. Associate Professor Dr. Sheetal Chaudhari introduced the Chief Guest Mr George Dabre, an alumnus of the college and a Director in Bassein Catholic Cop-operative Bank. Mr George Dabre emphasized the need for teachers to be abreast with contemporary trends in education. He said that technology can enhance the effectiveness of teachers but it cannot replace the human touch which is the core essence of the teaching-learning process.   Sr Sharlet Xavier, Manager of Pushpanjali College of Education, graced the occasion offering her steadfast support to the endeavours of the faculty.

The workshop coordinator, Associate Professor Dr Agnes Dcosta, spoke briefly on how AI is a fast-emerging technology influencing us in all aspects of life. The use of Google Draw an AI tool served as an ice breaker. She then elucidated the features of magicschool.ai a free platform that offers multiple tools to help teachers plan their teaching learning. Assistant Professors Ms Sonia Bombacha and Ms Steffi Dcosta, demonstrated how AI can be used for lesson planning and for generating content-based questions. Dr Agnes Dcosta continued to demonstrate other features of magicschool.ai platform such as designing Depth of Knowledge Questions, creating songs, AI based feedback etc.

After a short break, Ms Sanika Asolkar demonstrated Conker.ai, an AI tool that can help design and generate quizzes for evaluation. Participants were then led into the amazing world of curipod, an AI tool that can create slides with interactive elements. A presentation was created and participants logged on to the platform indulging in some hands-on experience of the use of Curipod. The versatility of the platform was explored.

The workshop winded with a brief discussion on the expected impact of AI on future education. Participants shared their views on the ethical use of AI. They expressed satisfaction at being exposed to AI based platforms that can be used to leverage the effectiveness of their teaching.

Workshop on Neuro Linguistic Programming

On 5 and 6 February 2024, a workshop on Neuro linguistic programming was organised. Dr Angelina Nunes, Counsellor was the resource person. The workshop included inputs on Understanding the Mind-Body Connection, Techniques for effective communication, including rapport-building and language patterns,Understanding and utilizing triggers to access desired states, Techniques for refining mental representations and altering perceptions. Dr Angelina Nunes provided participants with valuable insights and practical tools for personal and professional development. By understanding the connection between language, thoughts, and behaviors, participants learned how to gain greater control over their lives and interactions.

Workshop on Vedic Mathematics

Indian Knowledge Systems(IKS) have evolved out of experience,observation and experimentation. IKS is visible across many disciplines. To familiarize students about IKS in Mathematics, a workshop on Vedic Mathematics was organised on 18 May 2024. Prof Dr Cindrella DMello , St Teresa's Institute of Education, Santacruz was the resource person. She elucidated the 16 sutras of Vedic Mathematics to help learners learn quick methods of calculation. The workshop also helped to appreciate the contribution of India to the world of Mathematics. 

Session on Intellectual Property Rights

World Intellectual Property Day which was observed on 25 April focused on the theme "IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity". Resource Person Ms. Bliss Pereira highlighted the importance of intellectual property (IP) rights in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She also spoke on various forms of intellectual property, legal frameworks, and the benefits of securing their innovations and creations. A detailed explanation was provided on the different types of IP—patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. Examples were given to clarify how each form protects specific creations, inventions, or brands. Real-world case studies were presented to show how businesses and individuals have benefited from securing their intellectual property and how infringement has to be handled.