Department of Child Development

Overview

About

The department of Child Development at Maniben Nanavati Women’s College is well equipped with innovative techno-pedagogical abilities that enable learners to work more efficiently with emerging technology. The BNCDC center of our institute offers a Diploma in early childhood education courses to students which help them in learning Adolescent dynamics, special needs children, and marital and family disputes They acquire a variety of coping skills in the areas indicated. This diploma course aims at the overall development of students through various learning methods. Our professors’ broad understanding of early childhood education courses differentiates us as an institution.
Maniben Nanavati Women’s College is a girls college in Mumbai that offers courses ranging from different aspects of the industry making the students employment ready. We have NSQF registered diploma courses like hospital & healthcare management course that gives our students an edge over other graduating students. We are a reputed college known for our Fashion Design course. The latest technology-driven equipment in our Fashion lab makes us the most preferred bachelor of fashion design colleges in Mumbai.
Another major hallmark of our college is our department of psychology which has admissions from all over Maharashtra. The syllabus and learning pattern of our college makes us one of the best psychology colleges in Mumbai.

Department of child development was founded in 1983 at Maniben Nanavati Women’s College. Since its inception it has empowered students in life skills and trained students in Early Childhood Education and Care. Faculty and Head of the department, Dr Swati Partani herself is an expert in Multiple Intelligences Theory and students from this department utilizes this theory to understand self and work with preschool children. Department is updated with innovative techno-pedagogical skills, which further empowers the students to work efficiently with evolving technology. Students are rigorously involved in research based practices in the teaching learning process. Students along with faculty have published research papers in UGC approved journals. Course in diploma and PG diploma in early childhood education is provided to the students by BNCDC center, of the institution. Students also study dynamics of adolescents issues, children with special needs, marriage and family conflicts. They learn many coping strategies in mentioned areas. Various Skill development programmes are conducted for the students like Puppet making, Creative development, Excel training, preschool management to enhance vocational skills. Students have become entrepreneurs after completing their course and enrol for M.Sc. in Human Development and Early childhood Education post graduation. One of the alumni is running her own ISO certified training institute. Others are individually utilizing their training to become financially independent, also working with the preschool sector.

Not only this, students are trained to give back to the society in the form of extension activities. Teaching and working with the underprivileged students by conducting training programmes in vacations. Their creative teaching learning materials are donated to the preschool from balwadi, refugee camp, and preschool in need.

Objectives

To impart knowledge about different developmental domains of children
To give hands on experience in Early Childhood Education
To acquaint about special needs children
To identify adolescents problem and empower with coping strategies
To develop competencies among youth girls through educational intervention
To empower with practical life skills in family system
To provide vocational training to the students

Research/Publications

Research

Department faculty and students are rigorously involved in research work. Since 2016 students have won many prizes at intercollegiate research events. For three years in a row students from department have won prize at prestigious state and zonal level research convention Avishkar and Anveshan respectively, only department to receive the honour in SNDT Women’s University. Students along with the faculty have published papers in UGC approved journals.

Surveys conducted: Primary research was done in the field on the various topics like use of ICT by teachers in classroom, child sexual abuse, and parental awareness about transgender people.

Publications

Faculty and students have contributed papers in reputed journals:

Socio demographic variables and Correspondence between Maternal and Paternal parenting styles of Adolescent’s Parents. Partani S., Lakdawala Y., Qasmi A., & Pinto V. Journal of Management Research. 2018. 2319-2429

Awareness and Prevention Of Child Sexual Abuse Through Digital Technology. Lakdawala Y., Qasmi A., Shah P., Mehta Y Partani S. International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field. 2019. 2455-0620

Teaching-Learning Methods

Experiential Learning: Group discussions, reflection in the form of writing reports, conducting research and data collection. Making creative files, developing (3R’s) Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic files for preschool teaching, puppet making, and field visits and reporting the same.

Participative Learning: Flip classroom, video tutorials, story telling, peer tutoring, reading case studies, attending and organizing student led seminar, workshops, summer camps, festivals, Film screening, Street play, participating i n various intercollegiate competitions, field visits to exhibitions, special need centres etc.

Problem Solving: Debate, group discussions, use of Micro teaching methods like developing HOT questions & flow charts, and quizzes, critical analysis of the visits and self reflection, appearing for online tests, Guest lectures and workshops.

Use of ICT: Video tutorials, Virtual Tour, Youtube videos, Video making, digital submission of work, making PPTs, MOOC, online lectures on Zoom, use of app like Pint rest and creative portals (ECE) like Montessorietkinlikleri at Instagram for practical lectures, Whatsapp pdfs (News, latest article etc) and use of smart class.

Collaborative: Collaboration with child line, around 15 preschools and day care centers for the practical internship, Collaboration with corporate CSR wing of CLP India for student exchange, interdepartmental collaboration to enrich learning among students. Collaboration with Mumbai Guajarati association and Mumbai Mobile crèche to reach out to the community in teaching learning process.

Internships/Placements

Internsip: Every year students complete their practical internships at following preschool centers. Bhakti Vedanta Mission School, MVM International school, Cosmikids international Preschool, The Growing Trees, Pannalal Lohe Day Care Centre, Jumping Genius Play Center, Lokmanya Seva Sangh Day Care Centre, Kamla Devi Jain High School, Shanti Bal bhawan, Little Millenium, Prangan Day care and Nursery, and Mumbai Mobile Creche

Placement: Apart from students engaged in their own activity center many students are working with the preschool centers.
Billabong International school, Bhakti Vedanta Mission School, Vibgyor School Malad ( East) The Growing trees, Failyland K G School, Williez Preschool, Starlit enhancement ability services, Farooq high school.

Awards, Honors & Recognitions

Mobile app “Roshni” is created to spread awareness and prevent Child Sexual Abuse in 2017-18
Alumni Tahoor Gubitra, after pursuing her M. Sc. in Human Development has started her own company Petals & Woods, which is ISO certified in 2019-20
Website “RAAH” is developed to help Transgender community and their parents on ongoing basis in 2019-20

Extension Work

Department students are involved in carrying out extension work every year since 2016-17 with Mumbai Guajarati association and Mumbai Mobile crèche to reach out to the minority and under privileged children. Department student has conducted summer camp for the preschool children, and celebrated Children’s day at Gandhi Shikshak Bhawan. Students have developed teaching learning material and donated to refugee camps, needy preschool children on regular basis.

Skill Development

Students are exposed to many workshops to build skills of research, statistics, puppet making, creativity, and preschool entrepreneurship programs every year.

Training in Basics in MS EXCEL & its application in research
Puppet making two day workshop by Shri Katta Babu
Preschool management workshops