IIT prof uses memes to spice up questions

MUMBAI: Some teachers have a knack for breaking down complex concepts into simple terms so that students immediately get the point. However, Professor Amit Sethi (department of electronics and electrical engineering) of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), takes this to yet another level by employing memes to enliven conventional and monotonous question papers.

Prof. Sethi, who was at IIT-Guwahati for six and a half years before coming to IIT-Bombay, feels students relate better to such questions instead of dry and theoretical ones. “Often, professors forget where the students are coming from. It is important to understand the psychology of students, what they like, their tastes or interests. That is how the concept of converting questions into memes was conceived,” he said.

Memes are an element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means, typically in the form of an image, video or piece of text that is humorous in nature and is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users.

He feels that students find it tough to relate to theoretical questions or equations. Hence, by  introducing social media elements into the question papers makes them more palatable.

Prof. Sethi, who likes engaging with his students and is himself an active social media user, keeps abreast of the latest trends on digital platforms. He came up with the idea after observing a pattern in the way students use Facebook. “The concept is the same but the way of approach is different,” he explains.