Orientation Module -2 Attitude towards Academics and Career Goals Resource Persons Dr Anjan Ray Dr Rajesh Prasad Dr Sangeeta Kohli

Why this discussion?  Having come to IIT, what is important now?  What I become after 4 years depends on –the system and the environment here –teachers –the courses I choose –my friends’ circle and the like –But most importantly on MY ATTITUDE towards everything around  Hence, need for being conscious about our attitude  Input from seniors!

Need to look at our decisions closely…  Why did I choose to come to IIT?  Why did I choose CSE or ME or CE…?  Am I dejected that I did not get the branch of my ‘choice’?  Do I know what any of these branches is all about?  Do I have the aptitude for the branch I ‘wanted’?  Am I ready to make the best of what I got?

In my decisions so far  Have I been going with the crowd?  Have pressures of family, peers or society got the better of me? OR  Have I made an informed choice considering what I indeed ‘liked’ and my ‘aptitudes’?  Am I going to continue making decisions in future the same way?

More about decision making …  What am I finally seeking … happiness?  How am I sure my choice will lead to lasting happiness? –Most commonly sought after goal a lot of money!! –How much happiness can it provide? –Is the crowd always right?  Need for informed choice… getting the right hat for your head!

Defining Goals  What can I aspire for to get sustainable happiness? …need for a holistic outlook  Need to define meaningful goals –Beyond clearing JEE !!  Working for goals – a continuous and lifelong process –Earlier you get clarity, the better…  Start HERE and NOW.  Can anyone become an achiever overnight?  What you make out of IIT directly linked to your larger goals… And IIT environment itself shall mould your goals.

Training at IIT Academics Need to strike a balance Learn Time management Other activities

What affects my attitude to academics in IIT?  Objectives of IIT – to create good engineers – who can help provide technical inputs to solve country’s problems –Who can contribute to advancement in knowledge  My objective in IIT –to get a ‘good job’ (What is ‘good’?) –Is that sufficient? –Acquiring abilities to deliver the best in my job?? –Acquire abilities to live a fulfilling life??  Are the two in consonance with each other?  If not – confusions arise…

Common Confusions about Academics  Grades Vs Learning  JIT preparation for exams Vs regularity  Co-operation in learning Vs Co-operation in evaluation process  Short-cuts : Can they reach the same goal with much less effort?  Teachers Vs Students  Classes Vs Books  Spoon-feeding Vs self-learning  Why attendance rule – ‘we are mature’.  Notion of ‘good’ or ‘interesting’ courses

Situation A Why should I learn the engineering subjects. I only want to do MBA and be a finance manager? Any fallacy in that argument? Any ethical question arising out of the above?

If Learning takes a back seat  Tendency to take short-cuts  Distorted definition of ‘good’ courses  Teachers and Students appear on two opposite sides  Are you losing anything? –The joy of the learning process –Capacity to learn –Time –Self-esteem  Culture of mediocrity –Excellence??

Why attend classes…I can read from books  Can you read a new topic entirely on your own with ease? –Or does it take much longer?  Have you experienced the joy of reading a good book to supplement lectures?  Lectures and classes – like two wheels for the cart of learning to move forward

Why attendance rule  “We are mature enough to attend interesting courses”  Others not worth attending  What makes a course ‘interesting’? –A one way transaction?

Situation B Week 1 Week 2 : Late night fun in the hostel Week 3 Can any course interest us in such a situation?

Let us…  nurture an attitude of learning  and thus experience the joy of learning  make the best of what is offered to us –Not allow the ice-cream in my hand to melt  do things with involvement.  take responsibility for our own decisions and actions.  set meaningful goals for life  think before we act lest we should regret later.