Dimapur Government College hosts seminar on pedagogy, culture

DIMAPUR — Dimapur Government College (DGC), in collaboration with its Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and Research Development Cell (RDC), organised a one-day state-level seminar on the theme “Cogitations on pedagogy and culture in the Naga context” on Tuesday.

The event was sponsored by the Department of Higher Education, Government of Nagaland, as part of its initiative to support minor research projects across disciplines, stated a press release.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Maongkala Longchar emphasised that education must go beyond the mere transmission of knowledge, serving instead as a reflection of cultural values, worldviews, and lived experiences.

Also read: BJP Tuli Mandal conducts cleanliness drive under Har Ghar Tiranga campaign

She stressed that, in the Naga context, pedagogy should engage with diverse cultural heritage, oral traditions, and evolving socio-political realities. Longchar called for teaching methods rooted in indigenous perspectives that foster critical thinking, inclusivity, and holistic development while staying connected to grassroots realities.

Citing examples of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Nagaland and their initiatives, she highlighted how pedagogy could be tailored to suit cultural contexts within the parameters set by a central authority.

The technical sessions featured presentations of faculty research projects. In the first session, Dr. Lanurenla explored Ao-Naga cultural texts through semiotic analysis, Dr. Yelhi Vero examined positive portrayals of women in Chakhesang folktales, Dr. Richard Dzüvichü compared traditional peer groups among Angamis and Aos, and Ruthsan Y documented material culture in the Yimkhiung Naga tribe.

The second session, chaired by Dr. A Sentiyula, included H Jekugha Sema’s contrastive analysis of Sümi and English consonants, Dr. Prajadip Sinha’s discussion on a multilingual electronic dictionary for Naga dialects and its societal impact, Dr. Pallab Changkakoti’s analysis of tobacco use among school students in Kohima, and Dr. Hare Krushna Parhi’s examination of teaching aptitude and attitude towards the teaching profession among B.Ed. student teachers in Nagaland.