Tools in the Tool-kit of 21st Century Teacher | UGC - HRDC | Mumbai University
Introduction:
The University of Mumbai's HRDC department of English is pleased to welcome Dr. Dilip Barad, an accomplished academician and talented communication expert from Bhavnagar. This is not the first time that Dr. Barad has graced the classrooms of Mumbai University as a guest speaker, and the department is thrilled to have him back.
Dr. Barad has made a name for himself as a teacher who has embraced digital technology to enhance the learning experience for his students. He has been a vibrant presence in the academic world in his home state of Gujarat and has been instrumental in the development of digital communication tools and teaching techniques. With over two decades of teaching experience, Dr. Barad has taught students from a variety of disciplines including literature, management, social sciences, science, and commerce.
In addition to his teaching experience, Dr. Barad has also been involved in several UGC research projects, including the development of e-content for the government. He has been a shining example of innovation and creativity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when he trained teachers on how to use digital tools to reach their students.
Today, Dr. Barad will be speaking about the topic of "Teaching in Contemporary Times," connecting it to the overall theme of the refresher course on contemporary literature and reading. He will be discussing the impact of the digital age and the information society on the way information is shared, preserved, and passed down to future generations. He will also touch upon the concepts of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom, and how they are interrelated.
The department is honored to have Dr. Dilip Barad as its guest speaker and looks forward to learning from him once again.
Summary of the session:
The video titled "Tools in the Tool-kit of 21st Century Teacher" was recorded during a refresher course on contemporary literature and its teaching, organized by HRDC University of Mumbai UGC Department of English. The speaker, Dr. Dilip Barad, is introduced as a communication expert and a vibrant presence in Gujarat's academic community. He has taught various courses ranging from literature to management, social sciences, science, and commerce, and has worked on numerous projects, including developing e-content for the government.
Dr. Barad's session focused on teaching in contemporary times, which involves digital culture and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution. He mentions how digital tools have transformed the way we share and preserve information, from oral tradition to printing and now to digital means. He highlights the importance of distinguishing between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom, and the role of teachers in helping students process information to gain knowledge and eventually apply it as wisdom in real-life situations.
Dr. Barad emphasizes the need for teachers to adapt to the changing times and integrate technology into their teaching methodology to keep up with students' digital fluency. He shares several tools that teachers can use to enhance their teaching, including Learning Management Systems (LMS), Google Classroom, blogs, podcasts, social media, and online quizzes. He highlights the benefits of using these tools, such as increased student engagement, personalized learning, real-time feedback, and easy tracking of student progress.
In conclusion, Dr. Barad encourages teachers to embrace technology as a tool to enhance their teaching and engage with students better. He emphasizes the need for teachers to continually learn and upgrade their skills to stay relevant in the ever-changing digital world.
Teaching English Literature in Digital Age | UGC - HRDC | Mumbai University | Nagpur University
Abstract:
In this video, a professor discusses the integration of digital technology in teaching English literature. The focus of the discussion is on the concept of "generative literature," which explores how machines can write and generate literature. The professor shares a link to a collection of poems written by humans and robots, and asks the audience to identify which ones are written by machines. The professor emphasizes the importance of exploring this area of digital humanities, and notes that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between human and machine-generated literature. The professor also highlights the idea of the mechanization and robotization of human beings. The audience response to the poems is divided, with some able to distinguish between human and machine-generated poems and others unable to do so.
Detailed Summary:
The video is a recording of a lecture on "Teaching English Literature in the Digital Age" conducted by UGC-HRDC and Mumbai University, which discusses the role of digital humanities in literature education. The speaker begins by acknowledging the huge gap between traditional teaching methods and the current digital age, but highlights the potential of digital integration in classrooms to enhance teaching and learning.
The lecture then focuses on the emerging field of digital humanities, which aims to explore how literature can be read and written in the digital age. The speaker recommends an article by Matthew Christian Bom on digital humanities and its place in English departments, and highlights the importance of digitizing literature and generating literature through technology.
To illustrate this point, the speaker introduces an activity where participants are asked to identify whether a poem is written by a human or a machine. The participants are provided with a link to a collection of poems written by humans and machines, and are asked to provide their responses in the chat.
The lecture emphasizes the idea of "generative literature," which refers to the creation of literature by both humans and machines. The speaker poses the question of whether a computer can write poetry and suggests that this is an interesting area to explore in literature education.
The lecture concludes with the speaker discussing the potential implications of this topic, including the mechanization and robotization of human beings, and encourages further exploration of digital humanities in literature education. The speaker notes that despite the responses to the activity being divided among human and machine-generated poems, the importance lies in engaging students in innovative ways and encouraging critical thinking about the role of technology in literature education.
[Note: This presentation and video recording are of Prof. Dilip Barad's session in the Refresher Course for College / University teachers. The Refresher Course was organised by UGC-HRDC, University of Mumbai.]
Modern Literary Theory and Criticism refers to the examination and interpretation of literature using various theoretical frameworks that emerged in the 20th century. This approach encompasses diverse schools of thought such as Marxist, Feminist, Psychoanalytic, and Deconstructionist theory that offer a critical lens to analyze literary texts and reveal their deeper meanings and societal impact. The purpose of this introduction is to provide a comprehensive overview of the key concepts, influential figures, and historical developments in Modern Literary Theory and Criticism, highlighting its significance and impact in the field of literary studies.
Literary criticism, the evaluation and interpretation of literature, is an important aspect of literary studies. Over the years, various theories of criticism have emerged, each offering a unique perspective on the reading and interpretation of literature. This presentation outlines some of the major theories of criticism, starting from Matthew Arnold’s “A Study of Poetry” (1888) and T.S. Eliot’s “Tradition and Individual Talent” (1919) to the latest theories of digital humanities.
The earliest theories of criticism include the works of I.A. Richards, who presented the practical criticism approach in his book “Practical Criticism” (1929). William Empson’s “Seven Types of Ambiguity” (1930) also played a significant role in the development of criticism. Later, William K. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley introduced the concepts of intentional and affective fallacies in their work.
In the 1930s, Allen Tate introduced the theory of “tension” in poetry, which dealt with the extension (literal meaning) and intension (metaphorical meaning) of a text. Cleanth Brooks, in his works “The Language of Paradox, The Well Wrought Urn” (1947) and “Modern Poetry and the Tradition” (1939), focused on the language of paradox in poetry.
Archetypal criticism, which is concerned with the study of archetypes and symbols in literature, was developed by Maud Bodkin (1934) and Northrop Frye (1940-50). Frye’s theory of the mythos grid, which outlines the universal themes and patterns in literature, is an important contribution to the field of archetypal criticism.
In the latter half of the 20th century, structuralism and semiotics gave rise to stylistics, which deals with the study of style in literature. Deconstruction and poststructuralism, as propounded by Jacques Derrida, also had a major impact on the field of criticism.
Eco-criticism, which looks at the relationship between literature and the environment, and eco-feminism, which critiques the patriarchal values embedded in society, also gained prominence.
Postcolonialism, which deals with the study of the cultural, political and economic effects of colonialism, was developed by thinkers like Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Homi Bhabha. In recent times, the focus has shifted to globalization and climate change, which has given rise to contemporary theories of cultural studies.
Digital Humanities, a field that uses technology to analyze and process literary texts, has also emerged as a significant area of study. The rise of generative literature, where texts are produced by computers, has raised new challenges for critics. The principles and processes of generative literature have been outlined by Jean-Pierre Balpe. The use of AI in digital humanities has raised questions about unconscious bias and the morality of robots, which require further study.
In conclusion, the field of criticism has undergone several transformations over the years, each adding to our understanding of literature. From the earliest works of Arnold and Eliot to the latest theories of digital humanities, the field has constantly evolved to keep pace with changing times. The new challenges posed by AI and the increasing influence of technology on the field only serve to emphasize the ongoing relevance of criticism in our rapidly changing world.
