Very good discussion is going on , but all this will come true only when the teacher is having love and affection towards his profession. I am saying this because, now a days many people are joining this profession, only because of the salary and also by thinking that this is a easy going profession. Now a days all institutions are facing the lack of good teachers. Am i correct??????????

Freedom shall be given to the teachers to select the subject because they choose the subject/s of their interest and expertise. so They will give full justice to the subject. But there are some subject/s which no body wants to teach that subject HOD can enforce on the teacher/s.

I hope this will help you.

---Complete freedom to teachers/faculty may not be a good idea---

The faculty will stick to one or two 'favorite' subjects for many years ( as they would need little or no preparation). This ends with the faculty 'rusting' up. It would be good to rotate subjects every 2 years. Also the faculty should be given one subject of his/her choice (for a 2 year period) while the other can be decided by the HOD (depending on the situation).

During allotment of subjects it would be good to ask for preference of subject from the faculty members (1, 2, 3)... depending on the seniority of the faculty at the same time if the faculty has not been taking the same subject for the last 2 years , his/her first choice can be granted.

I personally believe that during the life time of a faculty member in the department , he/she should have taken almost all the course subjects. This actually helps in preventing the faculty from 'rusting'.

Another suggestion would be for faculty taking tough subjects, their workload could be balanced by an easy one (example - Engineering Drawing - where the faculty needs very little preparation - depending whether he/she has a good grasp of it)

In case you have 2 faculty members with the same specialization, and both of them want to teach the same subject, if nothing works out between them, then the subject can be split (I really do not favor this one but if it helps in satisfying the members then fine). In any situation the students should not suffer by this.

Finally all the above subject rules should apply to the HOD also. As head of the department, the faculty looks for inspiration. One cannot enforce rules without following it.

I also personally feel that the HOD position should be a 3 year post on rotation basis (as in the IIT's). But its the management who has to decide. Hope this helps your decision making process.

-luckman

You can ask the faculty members to submit 5 or 6 subject preferences. Then it is easy to allot the subjects from the preferences. Then you can satisfy some more faculty members.

The subjects are to be divided into two categories, which are theoretical and mathematical. Then, the faculty members are requested to give their preferences (at-least 3 subjects) in each category. With that list, the HOD can play his role to finalize the subjects by considering the specialization of the staff, experience and other workload of staff etc. Hope this method will give respect for everyone.

Girish!

It all depends on the total number of offered courses and the number of faculty available in your department. There are several scenarios:

1-The number of faculty exceed the number of courses offered - This is a tough call!

2-The number of faculty equals to the number of courses offered - This is a better situation.

3- The number of faculty is less than the number of courses - This is a comfort zone.

Should you be in situation (1) or (2) and the concerned faculty members - assumed to be two - are both qualified then you will have to exercise a win-win situation - perhaps alternate the course choice between them in successive semesters or try to find course loads for them in allied departments if possible. The options are numerous...

Usually, courses are allocated to faculty members depending on their expertise in a specific domain and not on whether they know how to teach a specific course. This is where I would start.

I hope that that answers your question!

Regards,

ZAF

This question is related to management and administration. There are two types of faculty, regular and adhoc or visiting or tenure based. Generally HOD offers subjects to regular faculty of their choice and rest are shared among adhoc faculty. Subject allocation is also an art, one should consider many parameters like other assignments given to faculty, full semester availability, Projects undertaken by faculty, medical considerations, problems at home, expertese , expereince in teaching etc. HOD should make a system based on these parameters other parameters can be included, so that max faculty feels satisfied. Subjects can be put on rotation. Preference should be given to teachers to select subjects of their choice seniority wise, but it all depends on HOD's general behaviour, cooperation among teachers, environment of institution, facilities provided to teachers etc. HOD's should feel free in deciding best in favour of their department, best in favour of students and best in favour of academics without worrying about anything else, if they are not biased then teachers will accept the subjects allocated by HOD's. All the best. Regards, Naresh

We are designing our curriculum as outcome based for our newly formed Faculty of Engineering. this will give a very good guidance to any teacher to select the module or topic to be lectured by him

Subjects can be alloted to the teachers taking into account the Q & Q of research that has been undertaken by them.Senior teachers within a dept. can be given the harder subjects,as they would be in a better position than the others.The HOD can also give a few research topics from among the tough subjects to each of the juniors- who will be exposed to the subject & then would have to prepare them selves for the future.Juniors today will become seniors tomorrow,& hence it becomes a moral responsibility on their part to chip in. Juniors could also be encouraged to undergo trainings/schools in the topics of the tough subjects.

Heads of departments should allocate courses based on teacher's area of specialisation depending on the number of available courses

There should be a trade off between choice of teachers and their experiences. Difficult subjects must be given to experienced/specilized teachers

The love for the subject is most important.If a teacher has devoted his several years for teaching the course which he loves to teach then that course should be given to him. The most important is students feedback and their understanding which make the professor favorite for that course and the head of department should play the key role in considering these factors.

these following options you can follow-

1. you check specialization of teacher at level of M.Tech / Phd and related subjects with their specialization, you want to allot to teachers.

2. you can organize 10-15 days special classes for all teachers by expert guest faculty and then can conduct some exams to judge their ability for concerned subjects.

3. you can arrange weekly/monthly special guest lectures for difficult subjects, teachers don't want to teach.

4. you can arrange some perks/special incentives for difficult subjects to encourage faculties.

5. you can arrange some special discussions by experts to motivate faculties for those difficult subjects.

6. as per distinctions in subjects at level of B.Tech/M.Tech, you can allot subjects.

The Head of Department should do a 360 degree check before allotting subjects to the teachers.

1. he should take preferential choices from faculties

2. he should consider the specialization of the faculties

3. he should analyze the efficiency of the teacher in handling same subject in previous semesters/ similar subjects.

4. take a feed back from student community - but the weightage given to this paramater should be given considering on the strata of students selected to offer feed back

5. last but not least, he can form a forum of senior Professors and can take their opinion also.

if a particular difficult subject is not chosen by any one, the HOD can allot it to the senior most staff with the corresponding specialization, or to someone he thinks can do justice to the subject.

I used to follow the following methods.

When I was not heading the Department I used to wait and volunteer to take one or two subjects as required from left over subjects. I also used to undergo Short Term Courses and Volunteer to take them to improve my Proficiency in those areas.

As Head of the Department ,I used to ask the relatively Junior Faculty to have their pick first,as I am of the opinion that if they are given Subject of their choice they would bring out their Best.

Next Seniors would have their pick from among the left over Subjects.

If some more subjects are there left overr as H.O.D. I would insist on those Faculty who had specialized in that area or have undergone any Refresher course in that area to choose that subject.

As H.O.D. I would take one or two subjects that are left over in the end.

Even when I Was the Principal and H.O.D. C.S.E & I,T,. I would take one subject each for C.S.E. and I.T. Branches, as I am of the Opinion that only if you teach Subjects students would respect you and you can be familiar with them and have necessary rapport with them and have effective control.

A Student may stop learning after Graduation,but Faculty has to be a perennial Learner,to keep abreast of latest Developments in the Area.

Also, I feel that the more subjects you learn,the more effective you will be in your Profession and Research. If you get stuck up in your work,.a Knowledge of Tools and Techniques used in other areas will come to your rescue in Proceeding further,

Also it is a Fact that Students Respect Teachers who have sound knowledge in their subjects.

P,S.

subjects should be allotted based on the willingness of the faculty. Stiil no faculty prefers the subjects it should be given based on their specialization and experience.

Some teachers may only wish to teach subjects they can deliver well and prepare less. This is OK. However, if you need to resolve the matter, call a meeting with all of them to allocate the remaining and here you may base on individual specializations. But why should this situation happen?

All suggested methods may work well in the private organizations/colleges. But when it comes to government college, it will be done by the seniority. that is the seniors will select the subject first.

This method is wrong, because the juniors should be given first choice. It all depends on the coordination between the staff in the department. if co ordination is not there , then what to do, which is the best way to give justice to the students and for the teaching profession.... Please tell me...

Not all Govt. Colleges follow the Principle of Seniors having their First Pick.JNTU College of Engineering,Anantapur,Which was under Govt.earlier and then became a Constituent College of JNTU,where I was a Faculty for a long Period, followed more or less the Method I have mentioned.

One or two Senior most Faculty Members would like to have their Choice First,so that it may reduce the burden of Fresh Preparation in view of their Heavy Administration Work they have and also to have a good name among students by Teaching the same subject again and again as their performance would have refined much by doing so.Such cases have to be taken in our strides.

Also,in view of the constant upgrading/Revision of the Curriculum and Syllabi by the Universities,this phenomenon gets reduced to the minimum.

For any Rule or Approach there will always be some Exceptions which we cannot avoid.We have to put up with it.

P.S.

There are some courses that form the core of an educational discipline in a department. All teaching persons should be able to undertake these basic courses. However, when a teacher has a long and successful presence on a subject then the Head of the Department should assign this course to him. This is good for the instructor, for the students and eventually for the Department.

Regarding the Point made out by Theodore Costopoulos,"However, when a teacher has a long and successful presence on a subject then the Head of the Department should assign this course to him. This is good for the instructor, for the students",Permit me to narrate an incident I came across in my Career.

One of our Professors,also H.O.D.,was having a very Good Name among the students that he was the Best Teacher in a Particular Subject.Once,one of my Senior Colleagues, casually remarked during our conversation that if one teaches the same topics and the same subject year after year,he is bound to be branded as 'The Best Teacher'. Probably getting wind of that criticism,the Professor took a different subject next tear and was still praised by the Students that he taught that subject very well.

In some cases,the Remark made by the Senior Faculty may be True. In such cases,the teacher may not explore new areas, and his Capability may, by force, be restricted to that subject and not allowed to expand.

In my view,ant staff member should be capable of taking any subject and handling any Laboratory class at Undergraduate level.This is possible by Volunteering to take new subjects and by teaching the same subject two,,three or Four times. At Graduate Level one may excuse himself saying that the subject does not belong to his Specialization.But,that also, I I personally do not agree .Because you will find no one willing to take new subjects. Also,it restricts the Person from expanding his knowledge to newer areas. In Engineering and Technology,Rapid Developments are taking place and Exponentially.

One should be prepared to meet this challenge and only then the student community can be made to get benefited by us.

P.S.

Dear Dr. Girish

The Number of Answers to your question are infinite.

In my view Senior People should not always teach the subject in which he/she might have proven excellence.

If i am teaching same subject from the past 15 years. what does it mean?

does it mean

reluctance by remaining faculty to take up that subject

no faculty is willing to work hard to teach that subject

no chance provided by me to encourage jr. people.

____

sir,

in my perspective this is the administration to be executed by the Head of the department like,

he might have created groups of faculty based on their specialization consists of senior, middle and jr. levels of faculty.

and

Instead of assigning the subject to senior person. Subjects may be assigned to jr. people and these jr's should always be mentored by sr. & middle management( experienced) people.

during this process

jr. will learn how to teach the subject to students since he is directly attached to the student community

middle will get a chance to continue his/her research and can communicate the fruits of research with jr. and might have taken suggestions from sr. people.

Sr. People may be involved and administration and research.

Head of the department should peer review this process and should provide suggestions to these groups.

on my view

comments/suggestions are appreciated

Raja Bhushan

@Girish,the purpose of assigning subjects to professors is not only the coverage of all the subjects, but also a better quality of teaching and its results expressed through the knowledge of students. (exam results)! Such statistics from previous years should be taken into account in the subjects allocation! There are many constraints that have to be respected in this process. The solution is never optimal, it is the case of multi-criteria optimization!

Subjects should be allotted with the willingness of the faculty because they themselves know better about their own expertise.

@sana

I completely accept your words

@Ljubomir

i think allotment based on exam results may be the criteria to allot subjects, when the result is 90% allot the same.

the probability of these two cases is very low.

for any industry Final Result is the criteria for evaluation

But in Teaching Result is one of the measure of but it is not only the one.

HOD is the only person can do justice in this tough situation.

He should not only experienced and a wise person, he should take smart and justified decisions sometimes.

Very good discussion is going on , but all this will come true only when the teacher is having love and affection towards his profession. I am saying this because, now a days many people are joining this profession, only because of the salary and also by thinking that this is a easy going profession. Now a days all institutions are facing the lack of good teachers. Am i correct??????????

exactly arun, the % is very high

since this profession has no targets and hardly 1 or 2 lectures per day.

this industry need committed people

before that a standardized method of evaluation process is required to evaluate the property "Commitment"

thanks.

@ Raja Bhusan,

The University Grants,Commission,Indian Council of Agricultural Research & such other governing bodies have specifically set hours for teaching/research/extention/administrative targets for each categories of the teachers,whether at the university or the college level.It is not 1 or 2 lectures per day. It is different if the teacher doesn't want to put in the amount of work assigned to him or the organisation is lax about this,but the story is different especially in professional colleges & universities.

@Chandravadhan sir, there are many governing bodies, to monitor the efficiency of the teaching/research of the teachers in the professional colleges. But one thing i would like expresses, you just take a view on the profile of the people in the inspection committees..... you will definitely feel vary bad , where is the quality?

As an engineer who spent 25 years as a practitioner before returning to academia, it is not good to have the same person do the same task year after year, whether in the professional or academic would, as one tends to become close-minded and jaded after a while. It is always good to try new things and get fresh perspectives. The best solutions to any problems are those that are a hybrid of many different strategies.

@Michael, agree with Your comments!

Another comment to this thread is a question of mobbing in higher education! I do speak in terms of absolute will of Head of department regarding the assigning the subjects to professors without objection! Unfortunately it is a common practice!

Usualy, a Head of Department was not parachuted in his work place. Historicaly, members of the staff have contributions to the courses development and convenient research. In my oppinion, there are less then 10 % of the curricula courses that are not wanted by the Department members and should be mandatory assigned by the Head.

Here the practise is that department academic staff "vote" (not as plain and simple but to a degree at least) to appoint the Head of Department for a term. So if they do not like the subject/course appointments, he/she will (probably) be replaced after his/her term ends. Any good leader (HOD) should negotiate workload with each staff member before making final assignments.

In my opinion subject allocation should be handled by the Panel of teachers and

In my opinion there must be subject allocation panel of teachers and it must be governed by policy also...and the policy should consider the Complete focus of development of Thrust Areas and Maximum transfer of knowledge to student with more clarity of thoughts... And this clarity will come only if the subject is taught many times... New person assigned to specialized subject may give only bad results . every college / institute must try to establish the true centers if subject authority and that can be only possible if the same subject or subject of interest is given to that staff members... Thus changing subjects every year will yield scattered developments and no college will survive in this random, scattered developments... In tomorrow.... Authority can make some compulsion on the faculty that development of lab experiment with some innovations , complexities or more real life applications should be done.... And thus way the laboratory, teaching will be improved towards the Centers of Subject Authority ...

So in my opinion changing of subject can be done by implementation of COLLECTIVE TEACHING model rather than one person ...but colleges do not implement that...Subject Allocation Teachers Panel and Subject Allocation Policy are basic driving modules for quality teaching and quality transfer of knowledge to students as Products of Institutes ...

Uday CHHATRE

KJ Somaiya COE BOMBAY

Usually, the course assignment should be based on chair meeting discussion and the academic staff previous experience, profession or interests of the staff has to be priority.