NCT SDU holds seminar on Innovative Methods of Teaching: Team Play

The NCT Staff Development Unit (SDU) conducted a workshop on Team Play last 22 February at the MPH. This is part of SDU’s series of seminar-workshops on Innovative Methods of Teaching, which is envisaged to assist college staff in being acquainted with various forms of teaching methodologies that they can practice in their classes. The said workshop was attended by staff from various academic departments, including some college officials. Ms. Vardhani Dasika, lecturer from Business Studies department, facilitated the event. She was assisted by Ms. Ramani James, SDU Coordinator and also a Business Studies lecturer. Dr. Imran Hameed, Business Studies department HoD, served as overall speaker for the event.

During the workshop, two game play activities were done by the participants. First, Ms. Vardhani introduced the game “Team Chain” to the workshop participants by describing them the mechanics of the game. Then, after the participants were grouped in two, they were asked to form a circular chain and were given a task to do without breaking the chain. After one group successfully did the task given, the facilitators discussed the roles played by members of the group in solving the task at hand, and how teamwork played an important part in it.

The second game involved dividing the participants into three groups, then selecting one member of each group to be blindfolded and then asking them to draw something. The facilitators gave the groups 10 minutes to do the task, explaining to the participants that other members of the group not assigned to give instructions to the “painter” on how to draw the required object, can “distract” the painter of the other groups. After the time elapsed, the facilitators scrutinized the work of the three groups and asked them how they attain the outputs.

Dr. Imran gave a short explanation on the implications of the roles played by the members of the group in coming up with an accurate drawing. He also delved on the methods and strategies employed by the groups to do the required task accurately. Furthermore, he provided links/relationships between the game played by the participants and the teaching they do in their classes.

Dr. Imran also encouraged the participants to share their ideas on the games played during the workshop as a form of summarization and generalizations of the lessons learned during the activity. He then thanked everyone who participated in the event, especially those who facilitated it. /junlontok