The Internal Quality Assurance Cell of Board 1, FOE recently concluded a seminar on modern teaching methods. The seminar was conducted by Prof. Anna Förster, a leading academic from the University of Bremen, Germany on the 13th of February 2024. The event was aimed at staff capacity development by introducing a variety of teaching methods that can be used in educating the new generation of students.
The seminar commenced at 1:30 p.m. and was attended by many FOE academics from all departments, including the Dean, Prof. Thushara Weerawardane. The welcome address was delivered by Mrs. Chamali Rajapaksha, who offered a brief introduction of Prof. Anna’s distinguished career in research and curriculum development.
Prof. Anna emphasized the importance of using a variety of techniques in classes to break the monotony of a traditional lecture. She detailed how methods such as inverted classrooms and project-based learning can be used to better engage the students in the lecture material. Examples were provided on how these activities can be carried out during the lecture. The benefits and drawbacks of each method were discussed as well. The speaker interacted with the staff during the seminar to inquire what methods they have been using, then discussed their effectiveness in capturing and maintaining the attention of students.
The event concluded at 2:30 p.m. after a fruitful question and answer session, in which Prof. Anna drew on her extensive experience in teaching to respond to audience queries.
