Warm greetings from BCFAI!
Over the course of this Spotlight Interview series, we had the privilege of featuring outstanding individuals, each with a unique journey, passion, and purpose. Through these interviews, we not only got to know our team better but also celebrated the spirit of learning, perseverance, and transformation.
Every blog in this series has been an exploration—an opportunity to uncover the inspiring stories behind the people who form the backbone of our vibrant community. The true strength of BCFAI lies in its members and you have seen how the voices unified, experiences intersected and stories ignited inspiration. Each interview stood as a testament to resilience and ambition.
As we close this chapter of the Spotlight Interview series, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every participant and reader. Your engagement has made this journey truly meaningful. If you missed any of the incredible stories shared, we encourage you to take a moment to revisit them—you just might find the spark of inspiration you were looking for!
Stay connected, keep learning, and continue to inspire!
Do not forget to write to blogs@bcfai.com for your interest to share your valuable insights.
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To conclude this Spotlight Interview series, we have an interview with Mr. Shirode.
Dr. Dnyaneshwar Babulal Shirode is not just an academician but a visionary with a deep passion for transforming English language education. As the author of Teaching English Tenses through ICT, he has explored the impact of technology integration on language learning at the secondary school level. However, beyond his research and teaching, his story is one of emotion, dreams, and a strong desire to bring meaningful change to the education sector.
Join us as we dive into his journey, aspirations, and the lessons he has learned along the way. Read on to discover more about Dr. Dnyaneshwar’s inspiring and thought-provoking mission in education.
Rapid Fire:
The one book every student of English should read
Wings of Fire by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Arun Tiwari.
If you could summarize your teaching philosophy in a metaphor, what would it be and why?
I believe that ‘a teacher is a sculptor of tomorrow’s future’.
What’s your North Star that keeps you motivated during your challenging times in your academic career?
My North Star is my father, who taught me to remain calm and cool in every situation. I learnt to be patient and confident because of him. I learnt how to accept challenges and grab the opportunities only because of him.
If your career were a novel, what genre would it be, and what’s the plot twist?
If my career were a novel, it would have been a ‘romantic genre’ as I am in love with teaching. I love teaching more than my wife (ha... ha… ha…). The twist in my career is when I shifted from a private institute to a government one. I believe that working in a private institute is much more challenging and it provides greater flexibility. Private institutes provide exposure to innovation and a faster paced work environment. One can have greater responsibilities while working in a private institute. Private institutes believe in your abilities rather than experience and age and I can give examples. However, it is my own personal stories.
What does success in academia mean to you, and how has it changed over time?
The concept of success in subjective and it cannot be defined when a learner scores good marks in an examination. There are many instances wherein a topper fails but an average student achieves better results in real life examinations.
If you could redesign the English Department syllabus, what three changes would you make?
There is a need of total revamping of the English Department syllabus of the university. I would like to bring the following three changes in the existing syllabus. The syllabus should
a) focus on practical approach rather than theoretical one
b) enhance the language skills (LSRW) of the learners and
c) evaluate learners individually rather than in a group.
The university should implement Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages in the curriculum.
With a magic wand, which one issue in higher education would you fix, and why?
There is a dearth of quality English language teachers in the higher education, which affects the teaching-learning process. I would like to make them better English language teachers with a magic wand.
Do today’s students value communication skills enough, or are they overshadowed by other subjects and AI applications?
Today’s youth do not value English communication skills enough as they prefer to use hybrid languages for interactions. There is often code-switching and code-mixing during the exchanges. Many a times, learners make use of AI applications for completing their assignments and projects.
What strategies do you use to show students the importance of communication in life and work?
I create real life situations and conduct role plays to enhance learners’ communication skills. After the act, I provide individual feedback to the learners. Apart of this, additionally I encourage students to participate in group discussions, mock interviews and presentations. I also ask them to complete projects in a team, which enhances their team building abilities.
For enhancing their listening skills, recordings are played in the classrooms. Worksheets based on the recordings help to evaluate their listening comprehension.
What’s the biggest takeaway from attending academic conferences? How can faculty make the most of academic conferences for professional growth?
‘Learning from others’ is the biggest takeaway from attending academic conferences. A faculty gets an opportunity to listen to experts and participate in intellectual discussions. Attending academic conferences help to understand the recent trends of research in one’s field. Sharing of knowledge and networking are another advantages of attending academic conferences.
What’s the future of academic publishing, and how can emerging authors contribute?
Most of the ‘digital native’ learners prefer to read online, which has got a paradigm shift in academic publishing. Academic publishers prefer to bring e-copies and has implemented print on demand (POD) strategy in publishing. I personally believe that the emerging authors should try to publish books which are relevant and useful in teaching-learning process.
As an author of a book, which chapter of your book feels most personal to you, and why?
My book ‘Teaching English Tenses through ICT’ is based on experimental study. In reality, all the chapters are very close to my heart. If I have choose any one then I would choose the chapter three ‘Teaching of English Tenses through ICT’ as my favourite one. This is because it deals with the outline of the research and the experiments carried out by me for almost a year. This chapter is practical oriented and will help readers to learn tenses effectively and in an enjoyable manner.
If mentoring a student to follow your career, what’s the first advice you’d give?
Teaching is a noble profession so don’t be materialist. “Even if you are able to change a life of one student then your career is in the right direction”.
Mention the CPD (Continuous Professional Development) which has changed your perspectives and learning.
I have been attending various training programs, seminars and academic conferences online and offline mode to enhance my teaching skills. These have helped to change my perspectives towards the profession.
Dnyaneshwar Babulal Shirode is an author of the book ‘Teaching English Tenses through ICT’. He works as an Associate Professor of English at Manghanmal Udharam College of Commerce, Pimpri. His contact details are dbshirode@gmail.com .
Link for his detailed profile is https://sites.google.com/view/dnyaneshwar-shirode/profile
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