Teachers told to embrace innovative teaching methods to meet evolving needs of students

Teachers must continuously upgrade their knowledge and embrace innovative teaching methods to meet the evolving needs of students and keep pace with technological advancements, Regional Director, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) Regional Centre, Kalaburagi, Shubhangi D.C. has said.

She was speaking during the inauguration of a five-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on Cybersecurity jointly organised by the Cyber Security Centre of Excellence (CySecK), State government, and VTU, at the VTU Regional Centre in Kalaburagi on Monday.

Stressing the need for switching from conventional classroom approaches to innovative teaching methods, Ms. Shubhangi said that exposure to innovations, curriculum design and emerging technologies is essential to enhance teaching skills.

“Cybersecurity is one such fast-growing area vital for protecting personal data, preventing cyber fraud and safeguarding national security. Many concepts in this field remain new to educators and programmes like FDP provide valuable opportunities to bridge that gap. Since engineering education is highly dynamic, teaching methodologies must evolve with industry trends,” she said.

Delivering the guest of honour’s address, Programme Manager, CySecK Startup, Shivaling Salakki said that the institution has been conducting several capacity-building initiatives across the State, particularly in rural areas.

“As digital dependence increases, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated. Teachers play a crucial role in transferring knowledge to students. If one teacher acquires cybersecurity expertise, thousands of students benefit in the long run. This is why FDPs are being organised in different districts to strengthen the State’s knowledge ecosystem,” he remarked.

The event was attended by Programme Coordinator and Head of the Departments of Computer Science and Engineering and Electronics & Communication Engineering Mohammed Abdul Waheed, Regional Coordinator, Research and Development Cell, VTU Kalaburagi, and Programme Coordinator, Department of Civil Engineering Brijbhushan S., faculty member Prateek apart from trainers Venkatesh Sharma, Girish Badiger, Adarsh Gadale and Vikram Patil.

Nearly 50 faculty members from universities and engineering colleges in Kalaburagi are taking part in the FDP. Over five days, the programme will cover topics such as fundamentals of cybersecurity, network security, cloud security, ethical hacking, cybercrime prevention and data protection strategies.

Hands-on workshops will provide participants with practical exposure to security tools and case studies from industry.

The organisers said that the FDP aims to equip teachers with practical insights into emerging cyber threats, mitigation strategies and the ethical and legal aspects of cybersecurity. Faculty members will, in turn, be able to integrate these learnings into their teaching, thereby preparing students to face real-world challenges.