IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell)

Summary of the initiatives and vision for the future 2018-2023

Contents

1. Curricular Aspects
2. Teaching – Learning – Evaluation
   • Teaching – Learning
   • Evaluation
   • Communication and Feedback
3. Research, Innovations and Extensions
   • Outreach and Collaboration
4. Infrastructure and Learning Resources
   • Digital Infrastructure
   • Physical Infrastructure
5. Student Support
6. Accessibility
7. Energy efficiency and Green campus initiatives

 

Teaching – Learning

Choice Based Studio System

Description – For second, third and fourth year students, the design studios are offered as a choice of four different studios to choose from. The policy was implemented as a pilot project for fourth year students in 2018-19. Expanded to include all years from 2019-20 (except for the year 2020-21) till date.

Objective

• Increase student engagement
• By learning to choose, student choose to learn
• Address student diversity of interests and learning goals

Process – Each group of design studio teachers identifies distinct projects with distinct objectives and teaching methods. Teachers present their studio plan to students. Students opt for the studio they feel interested in. The same process is repeated every semester such that students can change from one team to the other.

Benefits

• Increased participation in class
• Students have reported a better control over learning

Coordinated semester calendar

Description – Academic coordinator holds a week long co-ordination activity to put on calendar all the class assignments, out-of-class activities, remove overlaps, and ensure a smooth work-flow for students.

Objective

• Remove overlaps in various activities and submission schedules.
• Ensure a predictable semester for all stakeholders
• Ensure optimum utilization of physical infrastructure such as auditorium and seminar room

Benefits

• Results in a well-planned semester that largely adheres to the published schedule thereby reducing unplanned work and overload of assignments for students.
• Encourages better participation in out-of-class activities.

Annual Teachers training workshops

Description – Every year training workshops are held for our faculty. The workshops are specific and outcome oriented. Since Architectural faculty is not formally trained in the craft of teaching; these workshops are an essential feature of our academic year

Objective

• Training teachers to better their teaching practice.
• Introduce teachers to teaching and learning theories
• Handholding of junior / new faculty and equip them to become better teachers
• Exchange good practices, classroom strategies and teaching innovations amongst peers

Process – The workshops are structured to include theoretical components, working session and feedback/exchange time. One day is common working followed by subject specific groupings and collaborative working. The workshop closes with a summary session

Progress of the workshops during the last five years

• 2018-19 – Workshop on Bloom’s Taxonomy and designing activities and assignments based on it
• 2019-20 – Defining course objectives, outcomes and designing relevant assignments.
• 2020-21 – Faculty Training for –
• Using the Learning Management System
• Capacity building for online teaching
• Effective usage of synchronous teaching sessions
• Seven of our faculty members attended and completed the AICTE mentorship training workshop.
• 2021-22 – Writing course outcomes, A policy for Outcome based education was prepared.
• 2022-23 – Course outcomes, Assessment rubric and CO attainment

Centre for Teaching and Learning

In the year 2021-22, IQAC – BNCA decided to consolidate various activities related to teaching and learning under a dedicated ‘Teaching – Learning Centre.

Objectives

• Faculty training in teaching methods
• Prepare and provide learning resources students
• Facilitate development of online courses
• Review the content of design studio proposals
• Participate in review and preparation of curricular frameworks.
• Facilitate performance improvement and enrichment programs for students
  

   

Evaluation

My Card System

Description – A ‘My Card’ system to incentivise students for participating in out of the –class learning activities (introduced in 2018-19).

Objectives

• Evaluating out-of-class activities to promote wider participation

Process

• Consolidation and categorization of existing out-of-class learning activities
• Setting of bench mark for each student’s participation in these activities across the semester
• Maintaining individual student records and incentivise participation by award of extra marks

Benefits

More participation from students in Out-of-class learning activities, marks acted as incentive to achieve the benchmark thereby ensuring participation in a varied array of activities

Assessment Rubrics

Description – Continuous internal evaluation has been a practice of the institute however it was observed that if the evaluation is done through marks or grades it has a limited utility in improving student performance. Also the grading standards were observed to be non – uniform across the four divisions. Development of assessment rubrics for all subjects is seen as a possible solution to both these concerns.

Objective

• Achieve parity in assessment since a number of teachers teach the same subject.
• Provide constructive feedback that helps in improving student performance rather than just grades which are not very helpful in telling the students how and what needs improvement

Benefit – Assessment rubric was used for the final year projects in the academic year 2022-23. The rubric was used to set learning goals, help in internal assessment as well as for semester end evaluation.

 

Communication and Feedback

Parent Communication

• All teachers are instructed to identify and communicate performance defaulters by mid-semester. The performance is further communicated through email to the parents of such students.
• Open Day – Parents visit the college to talk to different teachers, know the progress of their wards and get to know teachers’ expectations and college systems.
• Summary of internal marks of all subjects for each student are collated and displayed in the college in common areas.

Benefit

No complaints about making from students. Students could improve on their performance before the external marking.

• Whatsapp groups of all parents have been created to enable easy and fast communication of various activities happening in the institute. Such communication goes beyond the routine communication regarding students defaulting in their studies.

Feedback system

• Students
  • Student feedback on quality of teaching
  • Student feedback on the choice based studio system
  • Annual student satisfaction survey
• Faculty
  • Peer feedback amongst the faculty – The peer feedback provided insights into strengths and weaknesses of faculty members. This was communicated to each individual and self-action was expected.
  • Teachers could voice their opinions about fellow and co-teachers. This is very important for the Architecture program as many important subjects are taught by a group of teachers rather than individual teachers.
  • This feedback also helps to assess interpersonal relationships between teachers and their performance in various other assigned roles.
• Professionals
  • Feedback from professionals. The Architects employing institute graduates during internship or after graduation are requested for a feedback regarding student competencies

Academic performance audit for teachers

• The peer feedback and self-appraisal report by each faculty is used as the basis of faculty review by the IQAC.
• Separate sessions with individual faculty are conducted to discuss feedback and jointly chalk out a plan of action in order to enhance their capacities.

 

Mentor Mentee

At BNCA we understand the importance of mentoring and that every student in the institute should have access to a mentor. To address several student problems including stress related issues, the college has assigned full time faculty as mentors to the students. With a healthy mentor mentee ratio we have developed a culture of mentoring.

The mentor functions like a ‘life teacher’. With guidance from the mentor, students learn to maximize their potential , develop their skills and improve their performance. They are taught to accept responsibility for their own learning experience.  Mentors understand and allow for differences in personalities and determine how each girl learns best and give them the foundation and room to grow.

The students in the respective mentor groups not only bond with the mentor but also become a support system for each other, often solving each other’s problems and becoming buddies through this system. It is not that a mentor is required to always solve issues and problems. Students who are doing well and do not have any major problems can get a boost through this system that propels them to excel at their endeavours.

A full time Counsellor is appointed at BNCA , functioning as an important link in this system, where the mentor can refer the student.

Besides this, a hierarchy system is also embedded in the BNCA  culture to address problems at the initial level itself.  Starting with the class teacher, subject teachers, head of department, academic head and the principal, all are accessible to the students.

Mentor Mentee list 2018-19
Mentor mentee list 2019-20
Mentor mentee list 2020-21

Mentor Mentee Circular

Teachers Training Workshop

• TEACHING – LEARNING FOR TEACHERS OF ARCHITECTURE 2018