Objective: The objective of Campus Parent System is to have a better Teacher-Student relationship by providing proper counseling to students. The objective is to enhance the academic performance and to minimize the student dropout ratio.
Context: Students admitted in this college are from poor and rural background. Sometimes due to family problems, the students may stop their education in the middle. Periyar Arts College has identified this issue and has been following the Campus Parent System. This Mentor system aims to come closer to the students beyond a teacher can go. The mentors have a frequent contact with the students and help them in identifying and portraying their talents. This makes the students feel confident and continue the education.
Practice: This system is being practiced in the institution from the beginning of 2000s. The class Mentor acts as a Campus Parent for the students and periodically interacts with the students. The mentors play the role of continuously monitoring the student’s academic performance, attendance, dress code etc and inform the corrections needed. apart from being a teacher, the mentor acts as a parent in the campus.
Evidence of Success: This form of Mentoring and counselling together put into a Campus Parent System has proved to be successful. There has been a considerable attitudinal change among the students and improvement in the academic performance. The student dropout ratio is considerably reduced.
Though the students with shortcomings are identified, making them communicate their problems is difficult. In some situations the academic activity has to be compromised for this. Even though a teacher is successful as a mentor, a qualified and trained counselors can be highly successful in specific situations.
Objective: The objective of Computer Literacy Program is to make each and every student Computer Literate.
Context: Many of the students of this college are from rural background and lagging behind in Computer Literacy. Especially the arts students have lesser opportunity to study about Computer fundamentals at an additional cost. Making them Computer and internet Literate is the Context here.
Practice: The Computer and Internet Literacy Program is run by Tamil Nadu Government Higher Education Department. This course is optional, and the college administration has the option to offer the course. This course is being extended to the arts and science students who are not studying Computer Science in their curriculum. For the shift 1 students, this course is offered in the evening, For Shift 2 students the course is offered in the morning. The course is conducted for six months by a separate team of faculty. During the time of admission, all the first-year students except Computer Science students are motivated to enroll in this program. The program is conducted with a nominal fee. At the end of the academic year, examination is conducted. A certificate is issued by the collegiate education for the students who successfully complete the examination. The certificate is accepted for registration as an added course in the employment exchange.
Evidence of Success: Almost all the enrolled students take up the examination and earn a certificate in CLP. The certificate helps them to become a job aspirant with their basic degree. This helps them handling the computers in their higher education and even makes them employable.
The implementation of this program needs separate Computer lab with enough number of Computers, which could not be obtained immediately. Sufficient staff members need to be appointed in this course. The resources required include a well equipped Computer Lab, additional teachers and study materials.
Outcome: On Successful Completion of the course certificates will be issued. The students become computer literate and are able to work with Computers with confidence.
