With the rapid evolution of the teaching and learning approach of K12 to postgraduate education, collaborative learning has become an essential part of classroom learning. Students better grasp concepts if they are involved in brainstorming sessions that challenge their abilities and are allowed to work in a group and build projects from scratch. Peer-to-Peer learning under expert mentor guidance helps students deliver projects to the best of their ability.
Mentorship for the Win
In the absence of proper means of application of academic theories, engineering graduates find it difficult to wrap their heads around the underlying justifications of theoretical concepts. Moreover, following the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach in classroom learning via chalkboard teaching methods results in certain student falling behind the rest. Hence, introduction of mentorship by on-field professionals who apply the technical theories in tech firms first-hand is essential for the growth of the educational structure and student development.
Kalvium’s mentorship methodology is designed in a similar method that is not only unique but also relevant in the real world. Assigning experienced mentors to students facilitates their learning via the discussions of real tech-industry day-to-day experiences.
Mentorship vs. Classroom Professors
In the current classroom setting, we still find professors following a conventional teaching methodology. Chalk and board learning, theoretical discussions of practical subjects, and written assessments instead of industry exposure are pillars of today’s classrooms. In fact, much of what is taught in classrooms cannot be applied in the real world. The professors stick to a pre-defined curriculum that confines the student’s potential to the four walls of the classroom. They impart the necessary academic knowledge to students but the learning experience primarily lacks real-world exposure and first-hand experience. The faculty of a technical course often lacks the scope for the practical application of textbook theories and are unable to provide relevant insights.
Industry Mentors and Professional Coaches are easily distinguishable from University Professors since they are adept at writing codes, building models, delivering projects, and communicating effectively in the workplace. They have first-hand experience of the modifications occurring in the dynamic tech industry with every passing day. Learning from mentors provides students with the essential know-how for working and thriving in the industry.
Kalvium Mentors
The Kalvium Mentoring Structure is quite unique; two mentors are assigned to each student, who works with the student closely to set goals and help achieve them in the mentor-mentee connect sessions held on a weekly basis. The instructors facilitate learning by allowing students to engage in solid brainstorming sessions with them as well as their peers. The authorities keep a track of their performance metrics using an AI-powered ‘Quadrangle’ which provides weekly and daily reports analysing the student’s development.
- Technology mentors: Industry professionals with real-world software development experience and a passion for mentoring are assigned to all students. All Kalvi mentors have a work experience of 2+ years in leading tech companies. Their experience adds value to the table and helps turn around the curriculum by ensuring practical learning.
- Professional Coaches: They are the Behavioural Skills experts, who would help students with prepping career & behavioural skills, as well as helping them with any learning/ career challenges that they face.
On the flip side, the tracking of progress occurs via:
- ‘Active’ Mode- entails one-on-one discussion sessions,
- ‘Passive’ Mode- includes task-completion reports.
Kalvium’s Mentor Methodology
Kalvium’s Liberal Engineering Program in Computer Science leaves no stone unturned as it prioritises a student-centric learning structure. Its curriculum is designed by Industry CXOs and is in tune with today’s modern tech-industry demands. The ‘tailor-made’ approach primarily focuses on training students according to their individual needs. No two students have the same strengths or shortcomings. The Kalvium program makes available to their engineering students a chosen team of expert mentors, who are leading industry professionals with 2+ years of on-field work experience. The primary advantage of engaging in brainstorming sessions with these mentors is that they bring real-world industry problems to the table with relevant insights to solving them.
- Collaborative Learning: The Kalvium program is much more than mandatory classroom attendance and passive students. It encourages students to participate in group activities, experiential sessions, discussions, and so much more as methods of learning as opposed to the plain vanilla teacher-to-student lecture model. The program encourages collaborative learning amongst peers. Instead of a competitive learning environment, students build a collaborative working environemnt. The stages in peer-to-peer learning include:
- Partaking knowledge
- Implementing that knowledge
- Reflecting on feedback
- Learning skills along the way
- Interactive HOL Sessions: The Kalvium program further offers unique mentoring via high-on-learning (HOL) sessions that encourage cross-functional learning from industry experts (CTOs, Engineering Managers, SDEs etc.) and peers. These sessions promote student participation and interactions. Students learn by asking questions instead of passively listening. Alongside industry-relevant skills, the program also encourages the development of cross-disciplinary skills in the field of sciences and arts to prepare the students to work in the real world.
- Hackathons as knowledge-boosters: To be an in-demand techie, students need to develop a strong portfolio from the onset of their studies. Hackathons, for one, help boost the reasoning, accuracy, speed, competitiveness and problem-solving skills of participants. Hackathon participation is a part of the mentoring process that brings out the best in all the young aspiring engineers while promoting basic career skills like teamwork.
Benefits of the Kalvium Mentorship
Kalvium aims at helping students grow to become their best versions and nurture the tech enthusiasts of today to become tech leaders of tomorrow. The Kalvium mentorship approach is by far the most student-centric that one can come across in the field of Computer Science & Engineering. It strictly stands against the ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy. Kalvium believes that each student varies in their needs and individual attention and training alongside community learning is important to favour the growth of students at their own pace.
Further, the young students are able to deliver highly impactful solutions and bring innovative ideas to the table with the assistance of their mentors. They build world-class projects while also working at leading tech companies and balancing their studies. Professional mentorship and guidance helps tudents develop softwares and applications that suit the demands of the tech world. It helps them experience first-hand the experience of delivering products and services to clients without hassle. Multitasking, indeed! The program ensures that the Gen-Z engineers thrive in a cutting-edge learning ecosystem where they can compete and learn at the same time.