Human Excellence Development (HED)

It is our responsibility to mould our PG students not only in intellectual skills but also in personal and social skills. With the ever rising conflicts among people, groups, states and countries  and declining family values  and human values is it not our duty to help our students know the tool and learn the skills in various coping skills such as problem solving, effective communication, negotiation, influencing to name a few?  An exposure in handling such skills in the campus will equip the students to face life with more confidence.
If guided missiles are  to be operated by unguided youth the causality would be peace and stability in the world; therefore the need arises to implement Education for Sustainable Development(ESD) and observe all the programmes of UNESCO in the  context of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005-2014)

The conflicting interests and anxieties as I perceive at the Higher Education portals:

They are for: – – They need to pay attention to:
Idealism – Vs – pragmatism
Core knowledge – Vs –  Core Human excellence values
Reception – Vs –   production
Knowledge – Vs –  skills
Practicality- Vs   – acceptability
Status  Quo – Vs – change
Exclusive approach – Vs –  inclusive approach

Curriculum is broadly based on the corporate (read as College Management) direction and societal needs, and Syllabus is department directed and subject specific. In the same way Aims belong to the entire institution and Objectives belong to the Department. While we attempt to integrate the overall curriculum with the syllabus our education becomes multi directional and inter disciplinary to meet the modern complex challenges. ‘ESD encourages an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to teaching and learning and promotes critical and creative thinking in the educational process. It therefore implies new ways of teaching and learning. The aim of ESD -for individuals to act responsibly in a globalized world – must be integrated into the manner in which all learning occurs: life-long and life-wide, in the workplace, the home and throughout society in general. To holistically address the development of ESD initiatives, four main thrusts have been identified: access to quality education, the reorienting of existing education systems to address sustainability concerns, public awareness and understanding initiatives, and training programmes to address specific social, environmental and economic sustainability issues’(UNESCO document on ESD).

This demands a radical break away from the mind set. Any course which prepares the students for life and job needs to be accommodated along with the core competency subjects. HED, in my opinion, is one such course.
The globalised economic environment results in fierce competition in every walk of life. The imperative need of the hour is to facilitate the manifestation of the total potentiality of the youth. The modern youth is facing stiff competition and endeavoring to find out the ways and means to emerge successfully. What she/he requires is to expand her/his personality so as to be employable in the current competitive scenario. The present day soft skills as understood by us lack depth to execute this. But Human Excellence Development (HED) goes to the core of the Human personality and removes obstacles that prevent unfolding the same. Development of Human Excellence alone can ensure better employment and career prospects to the  IT and Corporate controlled youth of today.

 
A model syllabus in Human Excellence Development (HED)
Desibned for PG COMMON PAPER at Loyola College in 2008
Nature and objectives of the course:

It has three modules,

  1. A. Society related (10 hours)
  2. B. Person related (15 hours)
  3. C. Job related (20 hours)

 
A. Society related (10 hours)
Content to be given with analysis.

  1. 1. Higher education Perspectives-   research for progress and development
  2. 2. Environment  and Sustainable development
  3. 3. Peace Education
  4. 4. Current affairs, local and global-issues ,trends and problems to be addressed
OBJECTIVES
The input may enable the students
a)   To sharpen the Intellect through analytical thinking and discussions
b)   To sensitise the students about people and environment
c)   To contribute meaningfully in Nation building and to global community

B. Person related (15 hours)
Students to be exposed to Skills which may enhance one’s potential for Success such as

  1. 1. Communication Skills
  2. 2. Influencing Skills
  3. 3. Managerial Skills
  4. 4. Problem Solving and Decision making skills
  5. 5. Lateral Thinking Skills
  6. 6. Social skills
  7. 7. Methods of application of these skills  to solve problems and resolve conflicts for  reconciliation

OBJECTIVES
To help them

  1. a) To feel more confident
  2. b) To enhance their potential for achievement
  3. c) To develop creativity
  4. d) To develop interpersonal relationship
  5. e) To acquire life coping skills

 

C. Job related.(20 hours)
Employ-Ability skills as recommended by Job Providers.

1. Effective speaking-and spoken English

Accent Neutralization

a) Reduction of  Mother Tongue Influence

b) Stress on removal of typical / regional stresses on letters and sounds

c) Stress on pronunciation of the alphabet, common words, numbers, days of the week, months of the year and other process related words in the standard format (RP)

Speech Correction

a) Typical class room sessions involving participants

b) Extempore sessions to cover individual feedback and areas of grammar that need to be reinforced

c) Reading sessions to cover individual feedback and areas of speech speed, intonation, flow, clarity etc

2. Listening and conversation skills

a) Audio / Video clips to enhance listening

b) Discussion of the clips / vocabulary / pronunciation

c) business conversation

3.Written  communication

a) Basic Grammatical structure

b) Minutes of the meeting

c) Business mail – content, subject line

d) Email Etiquette

 4. Interview and group discussion

5. Organizational Behaviours

a) Dressing at the work place

b) Health and Hygiene

c) Conflict Management / Team Building

d) Time Management

e) Stress management

f) Personal Conduct

g)Team presentations to enhance team building

h) presentation skills

i) body language etc

6.Presentation skills

a) preparation

b) Points consolidation

c) Arranging the matter and reporting

d) Presentation before an audience

e) Understanding your audience

f) Use of technology

g) Strategy for tackling the audience

h) Communication- verbal ,nonverbal and Para lingual

OBJECTIVES
a) To enable them to cross the multilayer hurdles in getting a job
b) To help them understand the mind set of the employers
c) To help them crack the code for success

d) To help them organise themselves in a more effective way

Teaching Methodology                         Participatory and interactive:
Evaluation:                                           Internal assessment and external evaluation
( through projects and skill lab)
Course materials                                   Text book/ work book/ resource materials
Faculty                                                In sourced and Outsourced/Volunteers and Experts

*Special Certificates may be given indicating the strength of the individual