Abstract
The classroom is an experimental lab for students as they spend a significant part of their formative years in school and colleges for learning goals. It is essential that the environment of schools and colleges should be able to inculcate positive behavioral traits among students to enable them to develop the required skills and attitude. The current study tried to understand classroom behavior among management students in Gujarat. The classroom behavior has the potential to be influenced by ethical values and entrepreneurial attitude of students. The student engagement practices can be a tool to improve the classroom behavior. The outcomes suggest that the teachers experience disruptive behavior, less ethical standards, and increased entrepreneurial attitude among students. Students' self-perception of behavior is positive, with proper ethical standards and have an entrepreneurial mindset. The study found conflicts in the perceptions of teachers and students for classroom behavior and ethical standards. Positive teacher attitude and practical learning were preferred engagement avenues.
TopIntroduction
Education is the basis for empowerment and development for every nation. It plays a crucial role in transforming one’s culture, beliefs, and values. Higher Education has a special value in today’s emerging knowledge society. It contributes, directly, and indirectly, to the wealth of the nation. Higher Education also provides quality human resource which is an asset for any country. India, with more than a billion residents, has the second largest education system in the world after China. Currently, there are 799 Universities, 39,071 Colleges and 11,923 Stand-alone Institutions in India (Government of India, All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), 2016). The quantitative growth of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is very impressive, however, quality of education needs more attention.
There are several institutions of excellence imparting quality education in India. However it is noticed that the average quality of many institutes has been falling steadily, behind the world average. This is evident from the global ranking data. The global ranking of world class educational institutions began in 2003 and has become very popular ever since. The criteria for ranking includes research and teaching quality, graduate employability, etc. In 2015-16, only two Indian HEIs featured in the world’s top 200 institutions according to QS World University Ranking. Education in India needs substantial improvement in quality to match global quality standards. One of the many reasons for this may be that India’s Higher Education and Research sector is over regulated and underfunded. Successful education models all over the world show that the regulations in higher education should be kept to a bare minimum. Autonomy and freedom are necessary ingredient for quality education.
The endeavor of the Central Government and University Grants Commission (UGC) is to improve the quality of Higher Education in India. They have launched several initiatives. Some noted ones are:
- 1.
National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
- 2.
Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT)
- 3.
Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY)
- 4.
Global Initiative of Academic Network (GIAN)
- 5.
Granting Autonomy to Deserving Colleges
- 6.
Establishing Institutions of Eminence
UGC has also provided a Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) across Under Graduate and Post Graduate Programmes for all faculties. Recent reforms in curriculum design and framework is a very positive beginning but they remain isolated and fragile. If the academic reforms have to yield positive results then teachers and administrators of Higher Education have to constantly revamp and reinvent teaching learning methodologies to keep the interest of the students alive and sustained in every faculty so that, students and teachers can add value to the learning process.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Student Engagement: Student engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught.
Management Education: Management education is one discipline of Higher education by which students are taught to be business leaders, managers and administrators. It focuses on process of imparting or acquiring knowledge to develop the members of the executive or administration of an organization or business, managers or employers collectively, or train in the techniques, practice, or science of managing, controlling or dealing, in the skillful or resourceful use of materials and time.
Higher Education: Higher education refers to education beyond school specifically that is provided by colleges, graduate schools and professional schools.
Classroom Behavior: Classroom behavior is stimulus-driven responses that occur specifically within the classroom or how students are acting in the classroom in response to what is going on or present around them.
Entrepreneurial Attitude: Entrepreneurial attitude refers to consistent behavior and thinking, which are in line with creating and running a business.
Ethical Standards: Ethical standards refer to the principles that promote trust, good behavior, fairness and governing the conduct of a person.