Soft Skills in Teaching and Learning

Priyavrat Thareja

Abstract

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 One of the initiators of poor development of soft skills in the engineering student is a class room, where about 10% of students attribute good teaching skills as indifferent stance of teachers. The result: our class rooms have progressed, spearheading with merely the hard component of engineering education, while neglecting the Soft ones. The absence of soft part of education costs the budding leaders dearly, and they loose ground favouring higher positions to their counterparts- the management professionals. Since the engineers have a vital role to play in societal development, imparting them a holistic, value based, education will go a long way in building organisational (country’s) strengths @ low cost and high productivity. The present paper attempts to bring out the paradox in a class room for its logistical importance in developing soft skills and lists the various competencies considered worthwhile for their development. The engineer’s functions have been accentuated for requirements of soft skills, and based upon the requisites a three legged model CEI (Communication, Exploration and Integration) is being proposed to facilitate holistic understanding of the skills and the development thereof.

Abstract

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