Academic achievement and personality traits of faculty members of Indian agricultural universities: their effect on teaching and research performance

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to assess academic achievement, teaching aptitude and research attitude of Indian agricultural universities’ faculty, to predict indicators for successful teachers and researchers, and thereby enhancing the quality of higher agricultural education. Methodology: Five hundred faculty members were selected to elicit information on academic, teaching and research achievements. Teaching aptitude and attitude of faculty towards research were measured through standard psychometric tests. Correlation and regression analysis was carried out to establish the relationship among selected variables. Findings: Combination of academic achievement and teaching aptitude was a superior predictor for the teaching achievement compared to either of them alone. Similarly, research achievement of faculty was predicted better by the combination of academic achievement and research attitude. Practical Implications: The study showed the need for training faculty members in interpersonal relationships for effective teaching, and in research methodology and research processes for improving research attitude of faculty. Theoretical Implications: The expectancy-value model provides a useful framework to understand the role of attitude/aptitude in better prediction of research and teaching behavior. Originality/Value: The present study showed that teaching aptitude and research attitude be considered along with academic achievements for promoting quality teaching and research and hence the educational programmes.     

Book reviews

The presence of a virtual learning environment (VLE) in an on‐campus setting can alter the dimensions of existing learning and teaching relationships. Research literature indicates that increased engagement with educational technology can have the effect of drawing staff and students closer together (both physically and virtually) rather than encouraging campus‐based institutions to deliver more of their provision at a distance. This paper will explore how on‐campus students can benefit from appropriate use of technology in ways that make them feel increasingly connected with their institution and their peers. Using qualitative data we explore how effective use of technology can help to bridge the physical gap between the students, their institution and their peers – even where the actual interactions between students take place offline – and how the combination of physical and virtual learning environments can be used to create an effective learning and teaching experience.

Etablissement d'une ligne dans un environnement de formation integré. La présence d'un environnement virtuel de formation (VLE) sur le campus peut changer les dimensions des relations d'enseignement et de formation existantes. La littérature de recherche démontre qu'une l'utilisation augmentée de la technologie d'éducation interactive a surtout l'effet de rapprocher le corps enseignant et les étudiants (aussi bien physiquement que virtuellement) plutôt que d'encourager les institutions basées sur le campus de transmettre leur services d'éducation de manière plus renforcée (Cairncross, ; Graetz &; Goliber, ). Cet exposé démontre comment les étudiants du campus peuvent bénifier de l'utilisation appropriée de la technologie afin de se sentir plus apparentés à leur institution et à leurs camarades. En utilisant des dates qualitatives, nous explorons comment l'utilisation effective de la technologie permet de surmonter la lacune physique entre les étudiants, leur institution et leurs camarades – même si les interactions réelles entre les étudiants ont lieu dans milieu autonome – et comment la combinaison des environnements physiques et virtuels de formation peut aider à créer une expérience d'enseignement et de formation effective.

Die Herstellung einer Verbindung in einem integrierten Lernumfeld. Die Existenz eines virtuellen Lernumfelds im Universitätsbereich kann die Dimensionen der bestehenden Lern‐ und Lehrbeziehungen verändern. Die Forschungsliteratur beweist, dass ein gesteigerter Dialog durch Bildungstechnologie eher das Lehrerkollegium und die Studenten (sowohl physisch als auch virtuell) zusammenbringt, als dass es Hochschulen motiviert, eine höhere, flächendeckende Unterstützung zu bieten. (Cairncorss, ; Graetz &; Goliber, ). Dieser Bericht belegt, wie Studenten im Universitätsbereich vom angemessenen Gebrauch der Technologie profitieren können, so dass sie sich zunehmend mit ihrer Hochschule und mit ihren Kommilitonen verbunden fühlen. Indem wir qualifizierte Daten verwenden, zeigen wir, wie die effektive Nutzung von Technologie helfen kann, die physische Lücke zwischen Studenten, ihrer Hochschule und ihren Kommilitonen zu überwinden – selbst wenn die tatsächlichen Interaktionen zwischen den Studenten offline stattfinden – und wie die Kombination physischer und virtueller Lernumfelder genutzt werden kann, um eine effektive Lern‐ und Lehrerfahrung entstehen zu lassen.     

Thormann,Joan & Zimmerman,Isa Kaftal (2012) Complete step‐to‐step guide to designing and teaching online courses Teachers College Press (Columbia University,NY & Eurospan,London) isbn 978‐0‐8077‐5309‐5 216 pp £26.95 http://store.tcpress.com/0807753092.shtml

This is a highly useful illustrative step‐by‐step resource for teachers and administrators planning for or already teaching online. It offers great ideas, strategies, practical examples, online tools and design principles for all those associated with online teaching, whether they are beginners or experienced. I recommend you buy a copy of this book for your own use if its content is likely to be relevant to you. Ramesh Sharma     

A survey on global pinning synchronization of complex networks

In practice, it is almost impossible to directly add a controller on each node in a complex dynamical network due to the high control cost and the difficulty of practical implementation, especially for large-scale networks. In order to address this issue, a pinning control strategy is introduced as a feasible alternative. The objective of this paper is first to recall some recent advancements in global pinning synchronization of complex networks with general communication topologies. A systematic review is presented thoroughly from the following aspects, including modeling, network topologies, control methodologies, theoretical analysis methods, and pinned node selection and localization schemes (pinning strategies). Fully distributed adaptive laws are proposed subsequently for the coupling strength as well as pinning control gains, and sufficient conditions are obtained to synchronize and pin a general complex network to a preassigned trajectory. Moreover, some open problems and future works in the field are also discussed.