A student’s life is one of the most crucial phases of a person’s life that needs correct moulding with the right guidance and direction. All experiences and the kind of company a person chooses, play a vital role in shaping a person’s future. This includes parents, teachers and peer groups to help every individual reach one’s highest potential.

Creating the Correct Academic Environment

”Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”- Nelson Mandela

Academic challenges are various problems or challenges which are faced by the students in the learning process as the individual face new peers, environment and problems to adjust and adapt with it. It requires great effort and determination to overcome these difficulties. These challenges include finding time to study, understanding curriculum contents, failing to attain good grades and the like. For example, students fail to balance the academic and extra-curricular activities at a time. Education plays a very important role in each and every individual life for all round development. However, in the process of learning and development, an individual must be ready to face any challenges and expect unexpected situation to face the world.

Academic achievements and effective education are the focal points that are considered to be the duties of universities and colleges. Every year, new students are admitted to different educational institutions and they are faced with anxieties related to new environment, new adjustments and to meet the desired outcome that they want to achieve. On the other hand, lack of success in education paves the ground for several personal and social problems that deviates from achieving the goals of educational system.

Some of the major academic challenges are as follows:

1. Poor educational background leads to difficulties in adjusting and adapting with the course contents in higher levels of learning.
2. Lack of proper guidance and assistance from parents and teachers in the process of learning.
3. Lack of interest and determination of the students which affects the progress of learning.
4. Imbalance between curricular and co-curricular activities which affects the academic progress of the students.
5. Most of the students are clueless as to what to do after completing their studies since they don’t have any ambition or goals in life.
6. Students tend to doubt their abilities and are afraid of their future without proper guidance.
7. New institutions, environment, teachers and new course contents are difficult for the students to adjust.
8. Peer pressure is another major problem which students find difficulty in maintaining balance with academic activities.
9. Many students are simply studying for the sake of getting a degree or out of compulsion from parents.
10. Lack of proper facilities, infrastructures and inefficient administration also effect the learning process of the students.

Strategies to overcome academic challenges may include:

1. Guidance and Counselling: Young people need proper guidance and counselling in their academic career to make sure that they make the right decisions for their future endeavours according to their capabilities. The identification of a student’s needs and problems should be analysed.
2. Establishment of Healthy Relationship: As students comes from different family backgrounds, economic conditions, cultures and environments, they find it difficult to adjust with the environment in the institution they are enrolled. So, it is essential to establish healthy and flexible relationships with the students by teachers in the process of learning.
3. Rewards and Incentives: Different organisations and educational institutions must offer rewards and positive reinforcements when students excel in their academic performances to increase their zeal and boost their morale. This will motivate them to work harder and strive to achieve higher heights.
4. Time Management: This is another important point to keep in mind to be successful in life. Practice with pre-decided schedule will help the students to overcome poor time management and mental exhaustion.
5. Cooperation and Support System: Cooperation and support system from experienced skilful teachers with proper guidance is beneficial for students to improve academic performances in basic skills and initiation of personal responsibilities towards academic and social life. This will help in avoiding academic failures.
6. Discuss about Academic Issues: Discussion of academic issues with tutors and lecturers is also helpful in facing academic challenges. The students are expected to take responsibilities for their own learning, managing workloads and completing academic assignments. In this advanced world of science and technology, educational institutions are way ahead from that of the ancient times. At present, educational institutions have advanced libraries, e-libraries, websites, study materials and classrooms equipped with up to date technology from where students can get unlimited information to increase their knowledge. These facilities help the students to solve one’s own problems with their own effort.

Role of teachers to help students overcome the challenges in academic setting are as follows:

1. Teachers must establish positive and congenial learning environment to make learning effective.
2. Adopt effective and efficient method of teaching to increase the student’s knowledge and skills for all round development.
3. Teachers must provide positive reinforcement and develop trust in the students.
4. Teachers must be approachable and not intimidating.
5. Must understand that every individual student is unique and learns at different pace.
6. Teachers must be a good role model to the students and implement best practices in everyday life.

Academic challenges are faced by everyone who comes in to new organizations or institutions. There should be attempts to overcome various factors by keen observations, knowing students problems, providing proper guidance and counselling periodically, evaluating and performance appraisals for students as well as faculty. Thus, this will help every student to do better in their academic performances and in moulding and shaping their personality and future.

Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Dr. Aniruddha Babar, Noyingbeni T. Erui, Meren and Kvulo Lorin.
For feedback or comments please email:  dot@tetsocollege.org