Value Added Courses in the Colleges of Nagaland: An Exploratory Study
Longchanenla1
1Research Scholar, Department of Education, Nagaland University
Mero, Neizo-ü2
2Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Nagaland University
Abstract
Value added courses are additional educational programs or modules that are designed to complement the core curriculum of a degree program. These courses aim to provide students with extra skills, knowledge, and experiences that go beyond the traditional academic requirements. Value added courses are intended to enhance students’ overall learning experience, make them more competitive in the job market and better prepare them for the challenges of the professional world. These skill sets beyond the degree that one possesses will make an individual more desirable to secure a job and at the same time sustain the job and face challenges along the way and therefore considering this need, the NEP 2020 made a visionary step to introduce. The significance of such skills is slowly sprouting in the society and with the changing job market where the shift is towards industry and entrepreneurship and not only inclined towards white collar jobs, acquiring certain skill set is the call of the hour. Besides, the preferences of such skills in the career perspective, we cannot deny the significance of the skills and experience that make individuals good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion, empathy, resilience, courage with sound ethical values as envisaged by National Education Policy 2020 and therefore giving priority towards such courses should be of utmost importance. This paper highlights the importance of Value-Added Courses in the higher educational institutions and examines the status of Value-added Courses in the colleges of Nagaland and also identifies challenges faced by the teachers using the interview method on 25 college teachers involved in imparting the course papers. Findings with regard to challenges revealed, there is a lack of clarity in the allocation of value-added courses to different departments, resulting in confusion, also availability of relevant textbooks of the value-added course papers and so on. Collaboration among teachers and feedback mechanisms to gather input from students were recommended as suggestive measures for further improvement
Keywords: Value Added Courses, National Education Policy 2020, Skills, Holistic Development, Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary
Impact statement
The article on “Value Added Courses in the Colleges of Nagaland: An Exploratory Study” presents a significant impact regarding the integration of value-added courses in higher education. It emphasizes that these courses are essential for enhancing students’ academic readiness and equipping them with practical skills necessary for the contemporary job market. By aligning with the National Education Policy 2020, the initiative aims to foster a holistic and multidisciplinary educational approach, thereby preparing students to meet societal demands and industry expectations.
The findings indicate that while value-added courses are being implemented across colleges although with challenges. It advocates for targeted training programs for educators, clearer guidelines for course implementation, and mechanisms for continuous feedback to adapt the curriculum to evolving student needs. Ultimately, the successful integration of these courses is positioned as a crucial step towards building a sustainable academic ecosystem that nurtures future leaders capable of addressing contemporary challenges and contributing positively to society. This study will have implications for policy making, curriculum modification and development and higher education.
About The Author
Ms. Longchanenla is a Research Scholar in the Department of Education, Nagaland University. She holds a MA degree in Education with NET.She has teaching experience in higher education. Her working thesis is on a case study of higher education and also her interest lies in educational psychology, women empowerment, curriculum development etc.
She has been actively involved in various research activities. She has volunteered for the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER): Beyond Basics 2023 and has been involved in a major research project on “Third Party Monitoring and Impact study on Programmes under Samarga Shiksha Nagaland funded by the state Mission authority, Nagaland Education Mission society, GON in the capacity of field investigator. She has been recently appointed and is serving as an Assistant Professor at New Model College, Mangkolemba, Government of Nagaland in the Department of Education.
References
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