Members of the Department of History, Kohima College during the launch of the Post Graduate Alumni Guest Teaching Programme on September 25.
Kohima, September 25 (MExN): The Department of History, Kohima College, has introduced a Post Graduate Alumni Guest Teaching Programme aimed at providing postgraduate alumni with teaching experience while supporting their future academic and professional pursuits.
Dr Eunice Alinger, Associate Professor and Post Graduate Course Coordinator, Department of History, Kohima College, said the programme addressed a practical challenge faced by aspiring academics, as teaching experience was increasingly required for academic and teaching positions.
"Consequently, Post Graduate students with strong academic potential and the ability to teach may find themselves disadvantaged in securing teaching opportunities simply because they lack prior classroom experience," she said.
"The programme seeks to provide alumni with an opportunity to gain such experience in a structured academic environment," Alinger added.
The programme, conducted from August 24 to September 24, saw seven postgraduate alumni serve as Guest Faculty in the department.
The alumni conducted classes for Undergraduate (UG) and First Semester Postgraduate (PG) students, completing a minimum of 21 contact hours each.
A distinctive feature of the initiative was its two-alumni peer-teaching model, under which each class involved one alumnus serving as the teacher and another as the observer.
The department said both roles were considered equally important, with the observer providing feedback after every session to facilitate reflection and improvement.
The department also maintained close academic monitoring through short video recordings of every class for documentation and quality assurance.
The programme provided alumni with opportunities for classroom teaching, peer learning and reflective practice, enabling them to transition from learners to academic contributors within their alma mater, the department said.
It added that the initiative also created a bridge between postgraduate education and professional academic experience.
The Department of History described the programme as a pioneering and first-of-its-kind initiative among postgraduate institutions, reflecting its commitment to innovative teaching practices, professional development and meaningful alumni engagement.
The department acknowledged the contribution and service of the seven alumni Guest Faculty and extended its best wishes for their future academic and professional pursuits.
