Good day, Abirami T. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

OK, uh, good afternoon. I'm Abirami from Cuddalore. I have uh, completed my uh schooling and send my risk uh, Metroculation higher secondary school and I completed my undergraduation, postgraduation and MFIL in Saint Joseph College of Arts and Science, Cuddalore. And after my MPhil, I was working for an year in Krishnasamy College of Science, Arts and Management for women. And in that due course I was teaching both being English and MA English students.

And year of experience. I joined and registered for my PhD.

In bat Chennai. So my research was completely based on transnationalism which comes under international migration studies and it it my research is completely based on Steven Winterberg's book on transnationalism which was published in 2009. And I have covered upon covered nearly four primary sources and I have substantiated all the theories of Steven better work with the help with the help of his book.

And I have with the help of my primary sources as well. So by June 13th, 2023, I completed my Viva for my PhD and by August 3rd, 2023, I joined an SRM Institute of Science and Technology as an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, Faculty of Science and Humanities. So from August 2023 till now, I'm working as Assistant Professor in ISRM.

And in this two years of 2 1/2 years of teaching experience, I have a published nearly five Scopus job publications research articles and out of which 2 are Q2Q1 journals. And I have published 4 patents and three book chapters. And out of these three book chapters I have published one in Taylor and Francis and. Not only I have not only published a research articles, but also I have.

Worked on curriculum also curriculum framing and I have been appointed as exam coordinator also so in this two years and.

So.

Oh.

Professor Abirami, let me start by evaluating your expertise. First, could you explain how you incorporate Digital Humanities principles into your teaching or research methodologies?

We can use tools like digital hemantis. It's always like how we are going to integrate technology with teaching or with the human, with the literature. So for my teaching, I I used to have tools like Kahoot and Hot potato or even I have a used mentimeter so that students will easily understand the concepts or the terminologies that I'm trying to explain. And for cultural studies, though, they have used, I mean I have used this.

Digital tools that Kahoot for teaching students how different terminologies in cultural studies have been helping literature students. And also it's not only for tools, but also we can use apps like Duolingo and Google classrooms are really helpful. And we have been working on LMS also where students can get their materials in online, that is through our video. Video lectures and we have given materials for them.

R1 created materials all I have shared through LMS. So through this kind of technology as I'm easily available for the students and that they are easily understanding those lectures and the notes that I have given so far. So Google classrooms, LMS, Moodle and. Apps like digital apps like Duolingo, all these are helpful for the students and I hope this will be.

I can be elevated even more with the advancements of technology in digital humanities.

So this is what my understanding in digital humanities and and I'm still learning even more. Since AI has come into our.

So this is what my understanding on digital humanities. Thank you.

Thank you, Professor Abirami. It's clear that you're integrating practical tools with teaching, particularly in your innovative use of platforms and applications within Digital Humanities. Next, let’s shift focus to Commonwealth Literature. Could you provide an example of a text or author within this field that you have taught or researched in-depth? How did you approach its pedagogy to help your students understand its significance?

OK common work literature is nothing but where even if if you take one of my primary sources like Namaste and you yeah this novel completely it's based on Indian American base where Indian is migrating to a new new land until to a new *** immigrant he is migrating to a new country and there how he is trying to establish his transnational identity all these.

Clean order he acquires different competencies, I have mentioned about five competencies where which includes like behavioral competence, analytical competence and emotional competence. So all these competencies these immigrants try to adapt in spite of having all these colonizations and the colonial impacts that each and every Commonwealth countries have all these they are trying to overcome it and. You know, overcoming all the differentiations and also.

The different backgrounds of all the of all the individuals have been faded out with the help of our present digital humanities. And also we have been creating an awareness for people where in spite of in spite of their race, religion, cast or any type of nationalities, people have become united, They have become one and. Anyone can work in any place, so the borders of the of.

People have been faded out. So here we are living as living as a borderless community. That is what my research is also based on because transnationalism is completely comes at the international migration studies. So that's why here Commonwealth represents only to one group of people which comes under British which was under British colonization. So here I think like. Instead of grouping them as Commonwealth, we can say it like whole world the.

Globe, the globe or as a whole? Well, this is what I.

Personally think about and also I have explained to my students regarding how perfect like 1 like if you take British literature that is that will be constituting only on the authors who have the background of. England or English writers so I have given explained them about the characteristics of how British literature will be and how American literature will be and how Commonwealth will be so Commonwealth literature will will be completely focusing on the.

Sorry, will be.

Concentrating only on the colonization, decolonization and the impacts of people. Through or what all the struggles that they have come through, through all these invasions or the invaders, the struggles that they have overcome when they were under the.

Under the hierarchies, all these I have explained to them and I made them to realize that how lucky we are now at present without any invasion.

Without any dominance or without any hierarchy, just like we had 300 years before. So now I made students to realize to understand how lucky we are in spite of having all these independence. And we have achieved so far right from for this 80 years we have achieved so far. And all these achievements were possible just because of the people who were fighting so much for the for the independence and even now those.

Independence has been treasured by us, so we have to use all this in a in a more proper way so that it'll be the sacrifices that are are future. I mean, for the past generations have done all these should be given credits at present. So I hope.

Commonwealth has some impact due to this organization and that impact has been elevated enough more advanced way so that we don't have such kind of differentiations among us. So we'll be all together 1 as a globe.

So I hope this is what I have understood about common with literature and I have made my students also to understand this kind of differentiations during my class lectures itself. Thank you.

Thank you, Professor Abirami. Your approach to Commonwealth Literature highlights a strong grasp of the intersection between historical colonization impacts and contemporary global unity. It's admirable that you promote critical thinking among your students about these transformations. Now let us discuss English language teaching. Could you outline a specific method or strategy you have found effective in teaching English language skills to diverse groups of students? How do you ensure their linguistic and cultural backgrounds are respected while achieving proficiency?

OK, at present I'm using, I mean I'm teaching communication skills for the defense students. So when I was teaching I had given a lot of in class activities for them so that there is no return work for them, but I'll make them to perform well. Like I'll be giving just a minute for them so that they within a minute. How come they can give? Their ideologies, their understanding, their knowledge on that particular topic.

Just on the go at that moment, they will just think and they'll start to talk and it'll be just for one minute. So that that one activity was really helpful for my students to know how far they have gained knowledge in, in language. And second one, I made them to enact a scene. They created a scene. They sat, they say sat in work for work as a group. Actually they were working as a group, like 4 to 5 students. They were working together.

So I'll be giving a topics in.

They prepared their JAMA scene and they enacted it in front of others. So this was really helpful for the students who were having stage fear. So in my class they had stage fear and I made I gave them this kind of activity so that they overcome. They they were overcoming their fear and there was enacting. So all the students in my class, they were really, they were getting in together in spite of all the differences they that they.

Came together and they enacted a scene very beautiful so I really admired the students effort that they have taken in creating just within half an hour they created they they just formulated one drama scene and they enacted and everyone's performance was really well I didn't expect this kind of.

Quality of action from them, but their action was really good. Their major is defense, but still.

Action also, so this activity was really helpful where their communication, their group discussion and their language skills was really enhanced. So this activity was really helpful. And 3rd, I was giving mentimeter for them. So with this help of mentimeter, we can really have a very good wrapper with the students. Because if if we give one topic to them, they'll be having a lot of classes, they will not have really a very good understanding on that topic. So only if we start. Discuss with them if we give a few answers, if you like, not apples, but it was really very helpful. So if we give two to three, five questions or 10 questions, so each and every question will have a different. Like a different graph. And the students also will be very excited to learn. Ma'am, I have finished first, I have finished second. So they will be seeing that in the screen. And I'm saying that they'll be so enthusiastic and they'll be so active in my.

That they were really excelling in there.

Classes. So like this I used to make my classes very active and.

The 4th activity is like I used to give a piece of paper for all the students. They have to write one one topic and they have to give it to me. So just like taking a lot, each and every student will be called to the forum and that student should take one piece of paper and on seeing that topic within 5 minutes they have to give a talk on that for 10 minutes. So this is how.

I make the students to overcome their fear, overcome their fear for language, for fluency, all these I have made them to. And also this has really created a very big impact on their career development as well as with the soft skills also. So their language has been enhanced by with the help of all these activities for the previous semester, they didn't have this much of. Courage or the boldness to stand in front of their friends. Itself. So now for this semester, they had a really good, very good.

Outspoken thoughts really. I was really admiring my students and their act of explaining their ideas through their first it was broken language but now they have started to grasp all the nuances that the students have to create or the enhance themselves in English language.

So this is what I have done for you English language teaching.

Thank you, Professor Abirami. Your innovative activities, such as group dramatizations, mentimeter exercises, and impromptu speeches, reflect a commendable commitment to fostering confidence and enhancing language proficiency among your students. Let us now discuss your ability to teach theory and laboratory courses. Could you explain how you balance theoretical concepts with practical applications in your teaching methodology? How do you ensure students are able to relate abstract theories to real-world contexts?

We usually communication skills students will not know what is deconstruction theory. Only literature students will know what this deconstruction theory. So now if you want to make students understand what is deconstruction theory, of course we can give activities like a a small picture or a small.

OK, so if you take deconstruction theory in literature.

Uh, a story can be given or it can be played in a in the lab. So on seeing the pictures, students can have different perspectives. So if we give it one, one picture is enough for getting different kinds of perspectives from the students. Because if we read a book, if I read a book for the first time, I will have a different book. I'll have one perspective. If I read the same book for the second time, I'll have a different, I'll have the second perspective. So.

Perspective differs from the individual to individual. So in that case, if I give one picture, if I project one picture in the screen, of course, if we have 10 to 15 students in my class, of course I'll get 15 different perspectives for that one particular picture. So this is the construction theory. So if you're going to have for one, one word, if you're going to have different perspectives, that is called as the construction theory. So if I want to explain this kind of.

Same way.

Action theory for my English students. Of course I will. Either I'll play a small video clip or I will give a small movie short film, like a small movie clip, or I'll give a short.

Collection of pictures where they can connect all those pictures and they can come to 1 conclusion.

Sorry, if we give such kind of activities for my students, ELT students in language lab, of course, they'll be understanding different terminologies with the help of this lab laboratories itself. So I hope this will be effective and this will be engaging our students in a more interactive way as well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor Abirami. Your method of using visual aids and multimedia tools to teach complex theories like deconstruction reflects a strong commitment to making abstract concepts accessible and engaging for students. That approach to balancing theory and practical application is commendable. Let’s move on to student evaluation and exam responsibilities. How do you ensure fairness and consistency in evaluating student performance across diverse assignments or assessments?

Sorry to interrupt, we're down to the last 5 minutes.

OK, evaluation is completely based on students effort. So whatever I actively I'm going to give. And for that activity, if they're going to use the innovative minds, of course there'll be sketching marks. And if they're not going to give any effort for that particular activity, of course they're not going to fetch any marks. So I'll be giving a second chance for them by giving some other activity so that they also will have a different. They will also have another chance to express their attitudes because they may lack.

Any ability, any swap skills ability, so in order to make them also to work under to work. In this ELT so we can give.

Activities which will be.

Which will be a which will be helpful for those students to show up there talents also. So based on first first come first curve is like how we are going to give importance to all the students. I'm not going to give any special importance to particular students. Of course, all students are one for me. So if I give.

Activity All the students should, uh, use their innovative minds for their, umm, activities. So if they're not going to use any innovative minds, of course we have to give some other activities for them so that they've recently, umm, engaged themselves for this activities. So in this way we can access them very easily.

Thank you, Professor Abirami. Your inclusive and adaptive approach to evaluation shows a commendable effort to ensure fairness while encouraging innovation among all students, regardless of their initial abilities. Next, let's discuss your ability to guide student projects and research. Could you provide an example where you successfully mentored a student project or research initiative? How did you support them, and what was the outcome?

OK, I, I am a certified mentor actually I have undergone a talent metrics, I have undergone a MTP program, I have undergone a workshop also and I was a certified mentor by talent metrics. So I, I have been mentoring students, nearly 15 students. I have been mentoring now. So each students will have different backgrounds. So each student will have different kinds of problems. So whenever they have they come with the problems, whenever they come with.

Fusion, of course, I used to give them clarity so that with that clarity, they will, uh, come to a conclusion like they, uh, they'll have a problem, like they couldn't come.

Uh, formulate a title for data research. So I'll be helping them to formulate a title with the help of the review that they have done so far. So like not only for the students, but also I have, I'm personally mentoring. I mean, I'm a PhD supervisor as well. So I am now I'm in the stage of helping my ward to finalize this topic. Even now he hasn't come to a conclusion of what topic is going to be.

But I am helping him out by giving him a lot of suggestions. I have given nearly 10 to 15 suggestions different perspectives for him under blue hematics. So he told me that ma'am. I was really confused with the topic that I'm going to select so after.

Discussing with you now, I have got a very clear conclusion like what I'm going to be. So thank you for giving me this clarity and let me take some time for some breathing time so that I will give a conclude conclusive title by this evening. So this was the review that my research scholar was giving. So it's not only for my results scholar but also for the mentees that I'm mentoring now even they had problems in facing people in.

Talking with people, they were lacking conversation. So I made them to talk. I asked questions and with that one question, students were able to answer in a paragraph. They were talking nearly for 15 minutes just for one question. So this had created a room or a space for the mentored mentee so that there when I ask a question, they give a lot of inputs for that, for that particular question. So I hope I forgive the space or the room for the particular.

When they were lacking confidence within them, whether they'll think like if I say whether Mama will accept or not, if they.

Excuse me. So if they have such kind of confusions, of course, if we give the space and if we are going to listen to them, of course students will have trust on us and they will try to explain what is in their mind. So in this way I have I have given or a given my guidance for my BA English students, for my mentors from sorry for my mentees and also for my research scholar as well. So in this 3 perspectives.

I'm doing my mentoring for the past two and half years so now.

Students have been getting a lot of inputs not only from me but also they have also given a lot of inputs from their side as well. So my relationship with my mentees or with my students are interactive. So I give space for both of them and I listen to their problems. So by listening to them I have given guidance to them. So in what perspective they are lacking.

All these perspectives have been analyzed and then I'm giving them their inputs, whatever they want, what what in what they are lacking. All this I have given so, so I am not only mentoring for my research call but also for my students as well. So at present, I'm helping nearly 14 students with their projects now.

Thank you.

Thank you, Professor Abirami. Your mentoring approach, fostering interactive relationships and providing tailored guidance for both research scholars and undergraduate students, demonstrates your dedication to nurturing academic growth and confidence in your students. Let's now discuss your communication and structured teaching approach. Could you share how you design and deliver structured lessons to ensure clarity and comprehensive understanding for your students?

My syllabus Actually I have worked on syllabus creation.

Nearly for four subjects I have worked on syllabus creation and curriculum actually. So when I was creating the syllabus, I was focusing on the contemporary times. It's not only.

Like the LOCF will be like 5 units so starting from the history, how it started and then what was the abbreviation and the first unit starts with the history and the last units ends with the contemplate time sets with modern times. So this is how I used to frame my curriculum and also my teaching method will be like I'll be sorting out or I'll be charting down what are all the points or what are the topics that have been included.

That curriculum in the LOCF. So with that, with the help of that, uh, for every internal, that's for the CT one, for the internal one and internal for CAT1 and CAT2 for Cat one, I will be giving, I'll be covering for the nearly 2 1/2 units for the first cat itself, because when they're going to try to write their semester, they'll have a clear idea of all the five units. So I'll be dividing the five units into 2 1/2 and two and half so that for the first CAT one itself.

First Cathedral, they will have a clear idea of 2 1/2 units and my teaching will be like I'll be starting with anonymous or a different topic. And from that point, I'll be connecting the topic that I have. I'm going to teach. And from that I'll be explaining the terminologies that and what all the stories or plot characterization, all these, I'll be explaining them with the help of food or with the help of digital humanities and after helping them.

I'll be giving a breathing time for the students to understand, to remember whatever the points that I have discussed with them. So once they have cooled down, when once they have remembered everything again, I'll give them a clear, clear conclusion or I'll ask them questions so that with that questions I can understand, OK, they have understood what I have done. And in my next class, in the next consecutive class, of course, I'll be asking questions with from the previous. Topic so they will be explaining all the points that I have discussed.

In the second class so this will ensure that whatever that I have taught before has been understood or completely absorbed by the students. So this will be very helpful for me and before cat one I'll for one class I'll explain all the 2 1/2 units. I mean all the topics that are included in the two and half units I'll explain I'll revise same and last questions and only then and they'll. Exam. Sorry, before the exam. If they have one class, of course I'll give them a complete.

Mission so with that revision they will have a clear idea of what they're going to item they can and the same is applicable for cat 2 so in cat 2 they're remaining 2 1/2 units I'll be covering and before they semester they'll have a clear idea of a complete 5 units. So this is how I used to plan for my teaching for my classes this is how I've been doing for the two and half years and it's really. Remarkable because students are themselves are given such kind of.

The feedback to me personally because they have model exams so for model exam.

So so OK, thank you.

Thank you, Professor