UNDER-GRADUATE PREPARATION OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION

UNDER-GRADUATE PREPARATION OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION

Area of Health Education

Health education means different thing for different people because it is an abstract term. Some people regard it as a matter which is being related to the public or people at large while for some, it is a means through which they get various kinds of information relating to health and diseases. In simple terms, it can be said that anything with the help of which one can get information relating to any aspect of health is known as Health education.

The main objective of health education is to generate a kind of awareness in the people for their health. They are being provided the information about various kinds of diseases and the method with help of which they can be treated.

The following are the 10 content areas to assist local schools in their efforts to implement Comprehensive School Health Education (CSHE).

1.   General Health Education

2.   Community health and Consumer Health

3.   Environmental health

4.   Family life

5.   Growth and development

6.   Nutritional health

7.   Personal health, including mental and emotional health

8.   Prevention and control of disease and disorders

9.   Safety and accident prevention

10.                Substance Use and Abuse.

Health Education in Curriculum:

          The health education curriculum has been designed to provide learning experiences that will help students realize their potential in life. Students will develop an understanding of the importance of physical fitness, health, and well being and the factors that contribute to them, a personal commitment to daily vigorous physical activity and positive health behaviors, the skills and knowledge they require to participate in physical activities throughout their lives.

          The primary focus of this curriculum is on helping students develop a commitment and a positive attitude to lifelong healthy active living and the capacity to live satisfying, productive lives. Healthy active living benefits both individuals and society in many ways; for example, by increasing productivity, improving morale, decreasing absenteeism, reducing health care costs, and heightening personal satisfaction. Other benefits include improves psychological well being, physical activity, self esteem, and the ability to cope with stress.

The health curriculum also promotes important educational values and goals such as tolerance, understanding, excellence, and good health. These values are reinforced in other curriculum areas as well as in society itself. Parents, schools, health care agencies, peers, businesses, government and the media are all vital partners in helping promote these values to students.

Area of Physical Education

          Physical education includes four essential components that provide the structure for this fundamental subject area:

1.   Policy and environment

Schools define physical education expectations through specific physical education policy guidance. Well defined policy helps create an environment that ensures that all students receive physical education that defines student outcomes clearly. It also increases consistency in the delivery of education to students.

Strong policy is important to ensuring that state requirements are implemented throughout school at all grade levels for all students.

Policy language – such as terms waivers, exemptions and substitutions are the three policy areas to follow:

a.    Waivers:

State, school district and school policy should not allow waivers for physical education class time and credit requirements from state mandated physical education policy, requirement or law.

b.   Exemptions:

State, school district and school policy should not allow exemptions from physical education class time or credit requirements.

c.    Substitutions:

State, school district and school policy should prohibit students from substituting other activities for required physical education class time or credit.

2.   Curriculum

National standards provide school districts and schools with guidance and direction for clarifying the common general outcomes expected in physical education programs. The written physical education curriculum identifies the content to be taught at all grade levels from kindergarten through grade 12. It includes the national and / or state physical education standards, learning objectives for students to meet and units and lessons that teachers are to be implemented.

Assignments and projects given to students are included in a curriculum, along with a listing books and materials related to learning activities. Tests, assessments and many other methods used to evaluate student learning and performance are included and related directly to the identified learning objectives of each lesson.

The physical education curriculum serves the purpose of understanding the curriculum in a school district across and ensuring equitable education for all students. It also results in improves teacher quality and increased consistency in instruction.

3.   Appropriate Instruction

Appropriate instruction in physical education takes into account the diverse developmental levels that students in all grade levels well exhibit. A physical education classroom contains as many unique needs as there are students, and physical educator is responsible for providing a customized education experience that meets the needs of each student.

It also includes practices such as maximizing  the number  of practice opportunities, working in small groups, limiting competition in class, and ensuring adequate equipment and space so that all students can engage in practice tasks for as much time as possible and become more self directed. The physical education teacher also should use instructional practices that engage students in moderate to vigorous physical activity for atleast 50 percent of class time, promoting maximum physical activity during class.

Appropriate instruction aligns the learning activities in which students engage with the identified student objectives and outcomes for learning. Instruction also addresses the content through the three domains of learning and includes ongoing assessment of the content through domains. Teacher differentiates instruction and equipment to meet the needs of all students, including those with special needs or disabilities.

4.   Student assessment

Student assessment is the gathering of evidence about student achievement and making inferences about student progress based on that evidence. Physical education teachers collect and track assessment data to make decisions about instruction and to measure student learning continually throughout the learning sequence.

Student assessment provides accountability for standards based learning and is a key component of the education process in all subject areas. Assessment in physical education includes conducting pre assessments to learn where students are in the beginning of a learning sequence, formative assessments that are ongoing during instruction to check for understanding and summative assessments at the close of a unit or instructional sequence to provide a comprehensive summary of each students progress.

A wide variety of assessments are used in physical education and can include traditional summative assessments and other forms such as checklists, rating scales and rubrics that link directly to the intent of the student outcome that physical education lessons address. Physical education teachers track student progress across grade levels using assessment data, demonstrating that students are meeting standards and outcomes.

Areas of Recreation

          The word recreation means different things to different people. To an average person, it is anything that amuses, entertains or relaxes, and it may vary from such quiet occupations as reading and handicrafts to such strenuous activities as athletic sports, hiking and mountaineering; from such group activities as team games and folk dancing to such solitary occupations as meditation, contemplation and admiration of beauties of nature; from such intellectual pursuits as writing or making brilliant conversation, to such humdrum occupations as cooking or visiting.

          Recreation is an essential part of human life and finds many different forms which are shaped naturally by individual interests but also by the surrounding social construction. Recreational activities can be communal or solitary, active or passive, outdoors or indoors, healthy or harmful and useful for society or detrimental. A significant section of recreational activities are designated as hobbies which are activities done for pleasure on a regular basis.

          In support of recreational activities government has taken an important role in their creation, maintenance and organization and whole industries have developed merchandise or services. People who work hard also like to play hard. Students who study parks, recreation, leisure and fitness learn how to provide fun and healthy experiences for busy individuals.

          Students interested in the business and administration side of recreation may be interested in Recreation Administration; those who seek to improve the health of others can pursue Health can major in outdoor Education. Each of these majors allows for a career in a specific niche of recreation and leisure and gives professionals the ability to work closely with the general public.

          Depending on the area of expertise choose a variety of classes from business administration, marketing and finance to environmental studies, kinesiology, nutrition and physiology. No matter what decide to specialize in an individual will prepare for a rewarding career helping people get away from the stresses of everyday life.

Health and recreation

Recreation has many health benefits, and, accordingly, Therapeutic Recreation has been developed to take advantage of this effect. The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) is the nationally recognized credentialing organization for the profession of Therapeutic Recreation. Professionals in the field of Therapeutic Recreation who are certified by the NCTRC are called "Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists". The job title "Recreation Therapist" is identified in the U.S. Dept of Labor's Occupation Outlook. Such therapy is applied in rehabilitation, psychiatric facilities for youth and adults, and in the care of the elderly, the disabled, or people with chronic diseases.

 Recreational physical activity is important to reduce obesity, and the risk of osteoporosis^[13] and of cancer, most significantly in men that of colon and prostate,^[14] and in women that of the breast;^[15] however, not all malignancies are reduced as outdoor recreation has been linked to a higher risk of melanoma.^[14] Extreme adventure recreation naturally carries its own hazards.

Recreation as a career

A recreation specialist would be expected to meet the recreational needs of a community or assigned interest group. Educational institutions offer courses that lead to a degree as a Bachelor of Arts in recreation management. People with such degrees often work in parks and recreation centers in towns, on community projects and activities. Networking with instructors, budgeting, and evaluation of continuing programs are common job duties.

In the United States, most states have a professional organization for continuing education and certification in recreation management. The National Recreation and Park Association administers a certification program called the CPRP (Certified Park and Recreation Professional) that is considered a national standard for professional recreation specialist practices.

CURRICULUM DESIGN – EXPERIENCE OF EDUCATION

Learning and teaching methods

These are the means by which students will engage with the syllabus, i.e. the kinds of learning experience that the curriculum will entail. Although they will include the teaching that students will experience (lectures, laboratory classes, fieldwork etc.) it is important to keep in mind that the overall emphasis should be on learning and the ways it can be helped to occur. For example:

a) Individual study is an important element in the university curriculum and should be planned with the same care as other forms of learning. In the undergraduate curriculum especially, it is good practice to suggest specific tasks, rather than relying entirely on students to decide how best to use their private study time.

b) Group learning is also important. Students learn from each other in ways that they cannot learn alone or from staff and the inclusion of group projects and activities can considerably enhance the curriculum.

c) Online learning is increasingly important in many curricula and needs to be planned carefully if it is to make an effective contribution. Online materials can be a valuable support for learning and can be designed to include helpful self-assessment tasks.

Learning experience refers to any interaction, course, program, or other experience in which learning takes place, whether it occurs in traditional academic settings (schools, classrooms) or nontraditional settings (outside-of-school locations, outdoor environments), or whether it includes traditional educational interactions (students learning from teachers and professors) or nontraditional interactions (students learning through games and interactive software applications).

Because students may learn in a wide variety of settings and ways, the term is often used as a more accurate, preferred, or inclusive alternative to terms such as course, for example, that have more limited or conventional connotations. Learning experience may also be used to underscore or reinforce the goal of an educational interaction—learning—rather than its location (school, classroom) or format (course, program), for example.

The growing use of the term learning experience by educators and others reflects larger pedagogical and technological shifts that have occurred in the design and delivery of education to students, and it most likely represents an attempt to update conceptions of how, when, and where learning does and can take place. For example, new technologies have dramatically multiplied and diversified the ways in which students can learn from and interact with educators, in addition to the level of independence they may have when learning. Students can email, chat, or have video conversations with teachers, and they can use online course-management systems to organize and exchange learning materials (e.g., the assignments given by teachers or the work turned in by students).

Students can use software programs, apps, and educational games to learn on their own time, at their own pace, and without instruction or supervision from teachers. Students can also watch videos created by their teachers, conduct online research to learn more about a concept taught in a class, or use tablets to record scientific observations in a natural environment—among countless other possible options and scenarios. While listening to a lecture, reading a book, or completing a homework assignment remain “learning experiences,” students are now learning in different ways than they have in the past and in a wider variety of outside-of-school settings, such as through internships, volunteer activities, or dual-enrollment programs, to name just a few examples.

Field and Laboratories

Since laboratories were introduced in the late 1800s, the goals of high school science education have changed. Today, high school science education aims to provide scientific literacy for all as part of a liberal education and to prepare students for further study, work, and citizenship.

Educators and researchers do not agree on the definition and goals of high school science laboratories or on their role in the high school science curriculum.

The committee defines high school science laboratories as follows: laboratory experiences provide opportunities for students to interact directly with the material world (or with data drawn from the material world), using the tools, data collection techniques, models, and theories of science.

Science laboratories have been part of high school education for two centuries, yet a clear articulation of their role in student learning of science remains elusive. This report evaluates the evidence about the role of laboratories in helping students attain science learning goals and discusses factors that currently limit science learning in high school laboratories.

Despite their limited diffusion, the new curricula pioneered important new approaches to science education, including elevating the role of laboratory activities in order to help students understand the nature of modern scientific research.

The new approach to using laboratory experiences was also apparent in the Science Curriculum Improvement Study. The study group drew on the developmental psychology of Jean Piaget to integrate laboratory experiences with other forms of instruction in a “learning cycle” (Atkin and Karplus, 1962). The learning cycle included (1) exploration of a concept, often through a laboratory experiment; (2) conceptual invention, in which the student or teacher (or both) derived the concept from the experimental data, usually during a classroom discussion; and (3) concept application in which the student applied the concept (Karplus and Their, 1967).

Evaluations of the instructional materials, which were targeted to elementary school students, revealed that they were more successful than traditional forms of science instruction at enhancing students’ understanding of science concepts, their understanding of the processes of science, and their positive attitudes toward science (Abraham, 1998). Subsequently, the learning cycle approach was applied to development of science curricula for high school and undergraduate students. Research into these more recent curricula confirms that “merely providing students with hands-on laboratory experiences is not by itself enough” (Abraham, 1998, p. 520) to motivate and help them understand science concepts and the nature

of science.

Field Study

Field study is one of the outdoor education methods, which are rooted in fields such as philosophy, epistemology and naturalism. Many educationists such as Pestalozzi, Froebel, Dewey, etc have been influenced by these fields and applied many of the ideas expressed therein in their teaching practice.

The field study relates to students’ activities taking place in learning environments outside the traditional (conventional) classroom, such as office environments, historical areas, monuments and museums, national parks, zoos, wetlands, seaside, wild life areas, etc. It is based on the supposition that the most valuable experiences of the students are gained through images taken by the senses. It is connected with most educational techniques and it often forms part of a project. It allows students to participate in the design of the educational activity and to acquire in situ experience and knowledge through the research process

It is evident from the results of many researches, the students learn particular subjects of various cognitive areas faster and more efficiently if they are found in an appropriate outdoor environment rather than in a traditional classroom.

Adopting the field study as a suitable educational method in education depends on the learning object, the aim and objectives of the learning process, the learning styles and the educational characteristics of the students, the learning environment, the time available and the particular moment, as well as the resources available. More specifically, in field study the students are offered ample opportunity for active participation since they are called upon either in groups or individually to plan, implement, apply, replan and evaluate certain activities relating to the theoretical background of their studies.

The learning aimed at through field study is concerned both with consolidation of knowledge acquired and the acquisition or development of skills and attitudes. Like all participatory techniques, the field study requires systematic and careful preparation on the part of the tutor. In order for the field study to be effective the tutor must take care so as the work to be well defined, the students’ activities to be clear and well planned in advance and the output well prepared.

TEACHING PRACTICE

          Practice teaching occupies a key position in the programme of teacher education. It is a culminating experience in teacher preparation. It provides opportunity to beginning teacher to become socializaed into the profession. Performance during practice teaching provides some basis for predicting the future success of the teacher. Outgoing popularity and centrality of practice teaching is an important contributing factor towards the quality of teacher education programme. During practice teaching working with students in schools provides a high degree of emotional involvement of a mostly positive nature. Student teachers feel themselves grow through experience and they begin to link to a culture of teaching. During practice teaching, They feel engaged, challenged and even empowered (Trowbridge and bybee, 1994 ; sharafuddin, and Allison,1969).

Definitions of practice Teaching :

          The term practice teaching embraces all the learning experiences of student teachers in schools. The term practice teaching has three major connotations: the practicing of teaching skills and acquisition of the role of a teache; and the practical aspects of the course as distinct from theoretical studies ( stones and morris, 1977)

Objectives of practice Teaching :

          According to akbar following are the objectives of practice teaching:

1.   To provide the prospective teachers with an opportunity of establishing an appropriate teacher pupil relationship.

2.   To provide an opportunity for evaluating the student potential as a teacher and suitability for the teaching profession.

3.   To develop personal relationship with others: administrators, teacher, parents and students.

4.   To provide the future teacher with practical experience in school to overcome the problems of discipline and enable him/her to develop method of control.

5.   To provide with an opportunity to put theories into practice and to develop a deeper understanding of educational principles and there implication for learning.

6.   To enable the student teachers effectively to plan and prepare lessons

7.   To develop skill in the use of fundamental procedures, techniques and methods of teaching.

8.   To develop desirable professional interests attitudes and ideas relative to teaching profession.

9.   To enable student teachers to acquire desirable characteristics/traits of a teacher and to display appropriate behavior’

10.                 To provide students teachers with an opportunity to have teaching evaluated and to gain from the benefits of constructive criticism.

11.                To provide an opportunity for self evaluation and to discover own strengths and weaknesses.

12.                To develop skills in future teachers related to teaching like fluent speaking, meaningful reading, using black board and other teaching materials.

13.                To provide an opportunity to liaise with school environment its functioning and with community and its resource.

14.                To provide for the exchange of ideas and methods between practicing school and teacher training institutions, by teacher training institutions, staff and students, perceiving new ideas material and equipment in use in practicing schools and introducing new ideas, material and equipments into the school.

STAGES IN PRACTICE TEACHING: 

Following are the stages in practice teaching

Primary stage

 It is necessary to make a trip of student teachers to that particular school, where they are going for practice teaching. The main aim of this tour is to see the concerned head teacher, class teachers and school staffs in order to occur information about school and its environment. Student teachers must observe the teaching methods of school, methods of concerned class teacher, copies or notebooks of the students and their usual routine. On return from the tour student teachers must have the details about scheme of studies, age of  the students, strength of the class, abilities and specific problems of the students, timing of the school, textbooks and teaching aids.

Preparation of lesson

For the preparation of lesson student teachers must know the subject, the relevant books and audio visual aids. Which he/she is going to teach.  Because already prepared lessons give confidence to the teacher. Students teachers and supervisor can reform the teaching learning process after its evaluation.

Qualities of a good lesson

A good lesson has the following qualities :

i)             Lesson planning should be in complete details

ii)           Lesson should be interesting.

iii)          Effective and timely use of teaching methods and teaching aids.

iv)          Student should be ready for learning.

v)            Students should be involved practically in teaching learning process.

vi)          Lesson should be taught in professional and friendly environment.

vii)         All students should be given same attention by keeping in view their individual differences.

Teaching in classroom

          The stage of teaching in the classroom is known as practice teaching. Student teachers while teaching in the classroom passes through different steps of his/her teaching and concerned teacher/supervisor assesses/observes his/her lesson.

Evaluation of teaching practice

          In order to evaluate the teaching practice supervisor observe the student teacher while teaching in the classroom. Supervisor evaluates/observes the punctuality, lesson planning, teaching methods, use of audio visual aids, adequacy of audio visual aids, pitch of voice, dress, start and end of lesson, interest of the students, discipline of class, use of black/white board, students notebooks and objectives of the lesson.

Participation in other routine works of school

          Teaching in the classroom is not only the objective of teaching practice, but also to provide training in all activities/work which student teachers are going to perform in future during their job. They have to participate in all the activities of school e.g preparation to timetable, preparation and maintenance of different registers, evaluation of class work and home work, arrangement of tutorial groups, sports/games, morning  assembly, co-curricular activities, duty during recess, duty as day master, duty before and after school timing, decoration of classroom, preparation and maintenance of attendance board, news board, information board, look after and arrangement of A V aids room, home economics room, science laboratories and library.

Professional competencies to be Developed – facilities and special resources for library, laboratory and other facilities

          More than ever before, employers and graduate schools expect todays’s graduating college student to be prepared for their for their competitive environments from day one. During challenging economic periods, such as the current one, this need is even more prevalent, since employers and graduate schools have limited or no resources for on-the-job professional and career development programming.

The four professional development core competency areas are;

1.   Communication literacy

2.   Personal and professional management

3.   Critical thinking and problem solving skills

4.   Technical literacy

1.   Communication literacy

Communication literacy includes oral communication, written communication and digital communication. Communication is the ability to present, write and express ideas effectively through a variety of mediums.

Oral communication

Articulate thoughts and ideas concisely in one-on-one and group communication discussion. Share information creatively and professionally using proper grammar, vocabulary, organization, logic and energy through oral presentations. Identify the appropriate use of audio-visual tools (powerpoint, flipchart and online resources). Use active listening skills in personal and group conversations.

Written communication

Articulate insightful and well-equipped arguments in documents that incorporate appropriate industry format with profession vocabulary, organization, and proper grammar. Use clear and concise language in written communication. Use clear and concise language in written communication. Use appropriate follow-through in correspondences.

Digital Communication

Present self professionally through social media channels and email communication, and understand the appropriate use of digital tools.

2.   Personal and professional management

Personal and professional management is the development of basic business knowledge, social and cross-cultural skills, professional presence and personal management. These skills are a collection of personal qualities and knowledge that enhance individuals interactions within the workplace, and job performance.

Business acumen

 Understand basic business finance, budgeting, negotiation, project management, event planning, and organizational structures.

Social and cross-cultural skills

Work collaboratively within team environments and communicate with diverse populations including ethnic, religious, gender, sexual orientation, and generational differences. Exhibit sensitivity to cultural issues and value diversity. Navigate effectively through workplace culture and norms, and positively contribute as an effective member of a team.

Professional presence

Dress professionally and appropriately for the work environment. Use appropriate protocol for professional and social situations.

Personal management

Demonstrate initiative, willingness to learn, integrity and accountability in the work environment. Establish organizational and time management systems to properly manage personal and professional projects to achieve work/life balance.

3.   CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS    

These are skills developed in the classroom through discussions with faculty and peers, and applied through projects extra-curricular activities. The skills combine common sense and acquired knowledge to ensure to good problem solving and decision making

Critical Thinking Skills – Collect the information through observation, experience, reflection and communication. Analyze, synthesize and evaluate the materials and processes to produce a comprehensive, logical conclusion to a hypothesis.

Problem Solving skills – Research relevant information, deliberate what course of action to take and analyze the assumptions and the quality of the decision making methods used to make a conclusion. Use these techniques to formulate a workable solution to a complex problem.

4.   Technical Literacy

Technical literacy is the ability to navigate proficiently and efficiently through productivity software, digital media and the legal use and management of technology in the work place.

          Productivity Software – Basic proficiency in computer skills including office software (word processing, data entry and creating spreadsheets for basic budgeting, publishing and creating slides for presentations and e mail communication) reference, research and statistics software and website development.

          Digital Media – Responsible use of digital technology (email, social media networks and mobile networks and mobile devices) and how it can be productivity utilized in achieving a specific purpose or goal in the work environment. Understand the legal uses of technology and the potential consequences of the mismanagement of technology in the work place.

Libraries

• College libraries – All Colleges have a library which contains the standard texts needed for undergraduate course, along with other materials relating to the subject.
• Department libraries – The libraries in the faculties and departments offer more specialised collections of books, journals, periodicals and electronic resources for particular subjects.
• University Library – If the books cannot find in College or department library, can try the University Library (or UL). The UL is entitled to a copy of every book published in the UK and Ireland and holds an enormous collection of materials printed overseas.

To ensure you get the most from the University’s libraries, the UL and many of the College, faculty and department libraries offers practical sessions and one-to-one help. These include introductory tours, sessions to highlight the resources available for particular subjects and disciplines, and information skills classes giving tips and strategies for searching online.

Circulation of Materials

Members may check-out books or journals during working hours and should sign out the items at the library counter. A member may have a maximum of four books and two bound journals checked-out in their name at any time. The books are issued out for a maximum of two week and then they may be renewed if no reservations on the items indicated. Bound journals may be issued out for maximum of two days.

If a request for an already issued item is received the librarian may ask for the item to be returned to the library. The minimum period before a return can be requested for books is five days and bound journal is one day.

Unbound issues of journals are issued from the library for a maximum of two hours with the permission of the librarian during normal working hours. Any extended borrowing of unbound journals for more than two hours and not exceeding 24 hours will be considered on the merits of each individual case decided upon by the librarian.

Books and journals on reserve may not be checked-out. The librarian on instructions from the concerned course instructor may place books and journals on reserve.

The library materials in certain advertised categories may not be checked out without special permission:

·         Unbound parts / issues of journals

·         Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries & Atlases

·         Books in special collection

·         Books labeled "Reference Only"

Fines will be charged on late return of journals and books. The amount that will be charged will be available with the librarian. Amount collected through fines and replacement charges will be used for the library requirements. Books and journals borrowed from the library may not be taken outstation unless special permission is given.

Library access control system

The system is activated after working hours and holidays including Saturdays and Sundays. The access control cards will be issued to all the faculty members, post-docs, research scholars individually and to the JRFs with prior permission from the concerned PIs. Getting the cards, individuals have to pay certain amount as refundable deposit and if the card is lost or damaged also will be charged as replacement fine.

All the entry and exit as reflected in the card will be recorded in the system. Users are requested to use these cards for entry and exit both.
These cards are strictly NOT TRANSFERABLE.
The security at the reception will be issued with access cards for the use of Administrative, Technical and other staff members as well as for the purpose of emergency and exigencies.

Loss and Defacement of Books, Journals, and other Library Articles

The cost of replacement with additional 20% handling fee will be charged to the person for loss or damage to the library materials. Book grants may not be used to settle library dues. Any member if determined to have defaced or damaged any library item intentionally will have his/her library privileges revoked for a period of time determined by the library committee. Library privileges may be revoked permanently for multiple or serious offences.

Members must take care of library materials and must not deface them by underlining, writing or drawing in them, by removing any part of them, or in any other way.

Newly Arrived Journals / Magazines and Newspapers

Newly arrived journals and magazines cannot be issued out of the library before a specified period. The period for "in library use only" will be indicated on the concerned issues / parts and will vary for individual subscription is determined by the librarian from general pattern of use and requirements. All journals, magazines or newspapers subscribed by the library are not be issued before the period specified on the item.

Books Used for Reference in the Library

Readers may reserve books, bound journals and journals on the tables for up to 3 days by writing their name, the message ("please leave" / "don't disturb") and the date. This date may be changed once if the reserve materials are used, otherwise the reserve materials will be replaced on the shelves after the third day.

The reservation of seats is not permitted. The library staff may remove books and other material left unattended for any length of time.

Computers in the Library

The library offers User Computers that are on the NCBS network for users to access internet, online journals and other databases. One PC is restricted to access online/web catalogue of the library. The library web catalogue can also be accessed from all other PCs in the campus with a 'http' connection. The computer facilities are provided for academic work only. Users should not use the facilities for non-academic work includes email, web-browsing, etc. Users are not permitted to install any software or programme in any of these PCs.

Users are requested not to store / keep any data / files in any of the library computers. There will be no protection for the files / data if left on these computers.

Photocopying

A photocopy machine will be available in the library all the times for use of the faculty and library staff. All other users have to avail the common photocopy facility. Photocopy privileges may be extended in case non-availability of the common photocopy facility and is determined on by the librarian.

Inter Library Loan

Inter library loan is a service through which library materials not owned by the NCBS library may be requested from other libraries. The library obtains membership cards / tickets from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Library and the British Library for use, these will be distributed by the librarian to users when required. The library staff will ensure that proper use and return of the tickets. If users found to abuse these privileges they will no longer be eligible to use such tickets / cards.

External Users / Visitors

External users from other institutions are allowed to use the library on production of library access cards or a letter from their institution. The library access cards will be distributed to the concerned institutions on recommendations from the Dean, NCBS. External users are not permitted to issue out library items. External users may access the photocopy facility for use on an immediate payment basis.

Other visitors to the library may use it provided a staff member introduces them to the librarian. The concern staff member is responsible for the visitor. Externals users and visitors are allowed to use the library only during office hours. The permanent staff of the institute can provide a list of members of the family who may be allowed to the library. Family member may be issued library material only through concerned staff.

Corporate users may be permitted to use the library facilities on payment / membership fee and authorisation by the Dean, NCBS.

Role of the Library Staff in Helping Users

During normal working hours the librarian and other library staff will assist the users. They will also assist in obtaining necessary reference material for individual users from other institutions. The library will provide necessary services to obtain personal subscription or book purchases through teaching / book grants for faculty and students. Reprints both personal or for reference can be ordered through the library. The cost incurred for these services are charged to the individual or the grant concerned.

Code of Conduct

1.   No loud conversation or group discussions are allowed in the library.

2.   Laptop computer if used in the library must have their own power and cable connector.

3.   No food or drink is allowed in the library.

4.   Borrowing materials without a valid membership / identity number is prohibited. No one will be permitted to use another member ID no. / name to borrow materials.

5.   Do not reshelf books, periodicals, etc. Leave them on the tables properly after use.

6.   Please take your personal belongings with you when exiting the library. The library is not responsible for any item left in the library. Do not attempt to install any unauthorised software on the PCs.