Some questions

Welcome to the journey (being an academic is a journey for me and may be for you too or you may be just a spectator to this journey--welcome to observe in this case)!
I have been exploring some answers and some more questions in my academic life. Here are these questions:

On academic

What is academic? Is it a practice or way of life? Is it a job? How does this job look like? Is it possible to create a job description?

Who is an academician? Is it a role? Or, is it a responsibility laden designation? What activities does an academic do? Is it necessary to do all these activities if one claims to be an academician?

Is it necessary to reflect? Or, it is a choice? How to reflect if one chooses to reflect?

On student engagement

What is the meaning of engaging students? With whom the students should be engaged? How to engage students? What are the skills required to engage students? How to take a leap forward if one has never tried to engage students while teaching?

The role of Convener/Teacher

What are the expectations (of students, universities, Community at large) and how do we know these expectations? How are these expectations being formed among students, universities and community? Do I expect myself to fulfill all expectations of others? Is it necessary to fulfill understand all such expectations or is it enough to fulfill our own perceived expectations?

On Research

What is research? Why is it necessary to conduct research and publish by an academician? What if one does not like to do the research at all? Is there a choice?

On Universities’ expectations from a program-It is clear from the Graduate attributes/Skill-sets/Program learning outcomes (which all universities are emphasizing in the current era of outcome-based learning)

But, am I convinced with the specified attributes, skill-sets and program learning outcomes? Is it possible to have a common set of requirements for all students in a program? Is it a good idea to have a unit outline prior to meeting students who will be taught according to the unit outline?

As soon as I think that I have reached a solution to these questions, I get more questions  and sometimes my initial questions get modified. Is any solution possible? Or are there many solutions each accompanying more problems? I shall write more on this in my next blog.


Comments on these questions, comments with intention to answer these questions or comments just to add more questions to this existing set of questions are welcome!