Nitie-Sahil-Session-3

Valley Crossing

An interesting activity that was executed in the class. As a part of this activity the learning process is enhanced and it becomes more efficient.

Idea : A basic task consisting of 3 people trying to cross a valley with a help of a bamboo.

Let us understand the task in detail along with the steps involved.

Pictorial representation

What is the task all about ?

The task consists of 3 people trying to cross a valley with a help of a bamboo. The main constraint is that the valley is greater than 1 step but less than 2 steps. The 3 people have to start form one end of the valley and reach the other end with the help of a bamboo.

Is the task feasible and if yes than how to do it ?

Yes, it is feasible and the steps to do it are as follows :

Step 1 : The 3 people stand in a row and hold the bamboo on their shoulders.

Step 2 : The 2nd and the 3rd person move forward while the 1st person is hanging on the bamboo while crossing the valley.

Step 3 : As the 1st person reaches the other side, he and the 3rd person moves forward wile the 2nd person remains hanging from the bamboo.

Step 4 : Finally the 1st and 2nd person aree on the other side and moving forward with the 3rd person hanging from the bamboo.

Step 5 : All the three reach the other side and are successful in crossing the valley.

Conclusion :

Each of the above step consist of some risk factor. For instance in step 1 when all 3 person are on the same side then no risk is involved. But in next step 1st person is at risk and 2nd and 3rd are safe. Similarly we can see in the remaining steps one person remains in risk and the other two are safe. And finally when they reach the other side all of them become safe again.

The UNDERSTANDING that can be drawn out of it are the following :

1) Team Work --> It is very essential for a team to have a proper understanding and work in unity since the      work would be more efficient and there will be no damage. In a company the pressure to perform is on the complete team but if they don't work together than no efficient work is possible.         

2) Ability To Take Risk ---> Also, it is equally important to have the ability to take risks whenever the situation demands it. Sometimes in a company the manager has to take decisions which include most risk but it is essential to be done.

3)Planning --->Each task to be performed requires a bit of planning before it is executed. When a project is being handled in a company it requires a good amount of analysis and planning to minimize the risk.

Another beautifully explained activity by our professor Dr Prasad, who as always delivers the best to bring out the best.  

Nitie-Sahil-Session 2

 Khan Academy

        

Introduction

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present "

This in itself is a beautiful quote and it relates to every person on the planet Earth. The same thought turned out to be true in case of Salman Khan, the CEO and founder of Khan Academy.

Things that he never planned made his life experience even more beautiful. He is a graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School. The academy was launched in September 2006 and  is a non profit organisation which aims at providing the learning experience online through recorded videos. It has more than 3200 micro lectures through video tutorials available.



Vision

The aim was clearly to make the learning experience more easier and readily available to everyone.
Their vision for Khan Academy in the classroom includes

• Individualizing learning by replacing one-size-fits-all lectures with self-paced learning
• Taking a mastery-based approach to learning critical knowledge and skills (every student takes as long as he/she needs to learn each concept fully)
• Creating collaborative learning environments with students solving problems together and tutoring one another
• Using focused coaching by the teacher to address students' individual needs 
• Providing guidance to the teacher through real-time metrics and reporting on student performance

They believe that teachers can use our resources to meet the needs of all of their students.

Mission

The academy has a clear mission of "providing a high quality education to anyone to anyone, anywhere".

Innovative new generation organisation

The concept of Khan Academy came into existence when he was giving tutions to his cousins through online videos. The videos featured him teaching a particular topic which could be seen by his cousins for learning that particular topic. It was very soon enough that he realised that his cousins preferred him in videos than in person.


This brought a revolutionary change in his mindset. He quickly learned the idea of selling knowledge online without any teacher being available.


The link below shows his experience of starting the venture :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTFEUsudhfs

OR

Watch the video below about his experience:

Theory X and Theory Y Applications

Theory X and Theory Y represent two sets of assumptions about human nature and human behavior that are relevant to the practice of management. Theory X represents a negative view of human nature that assumes individuals generally dislike work, are irresponsible, and require close supervision to do their jobs. Theory Y denotes a positive view of human nature and assumes individuals are generally industrious, creative, and able to assume responsibility and exercise self-control in their jobs. One would expect, then, that managers holding assumptions about human nature that are consistent with Theory X might exhibit a managerial style that is quite different than managers who hold assumptions consistent with Theory Y.

The above model of organisation is based on theory Y since it's a non profit educational organisation. Everybody here contributes to the model without any pressure. None is forced to do their work rather they are passionate about their work .They are not forced to do their work rather they contribute to the academy on their own. They work in order to change the educational system for something good.