Dr Rama Gopalakrishnan teaches subjects related to the history of innovation and technology, as well as colonialism, capitalism and climate.
“All of these subjects elucidate contemporary issues by discussing their historical context and help us understand why society is how we know it now,” she says.
Dr Rama Gopalakrishnan takes a collaborative approach to teaching and always tries to bring a sense of fun to the classroom.
“I try to create a welcoming and inclusive learning atmosphere and encourage students to participate actively by expressing their opinions,” she says.
“I do this through classroom activities such as smaller group discussions, individual source analysis and debates. I also understand that different students learn at different paces, so I use a range of resources, from YouTube videos and Kahoot quizzes through to interesting facts or discussions of contemporary news.”
“I know that public speaking may seem intimidating for some students, but they may have the most amazing ideas. So, I assign them individual tasks, ask them to participate in a smaller group, or sometimes give them a piece of paper to write their opinion. In Zoom tutorials, I encourage students to use the chat option if they are too shy or can't use the mic.”
“I like to make my classrooms and learning more fun than intimidating.”
In addition to teaching, Dr Rama Gopalakrishnan researches the history of medicine. Her PhD examined the history of venereal diseases in colonial South India, and her current research focuses on the history of cancer in colonial India.
