Dealing with Large Lecture Classes Steve Ackerman University

Dealing with Large Lecture Classes Steve Ackerman University of Wisconsin-Madison

Write down…. • What you know about lecturing or • What opinions you have about lecturing

Objective • To get you to think about, and provide ideas on how to improve your lecture.

Lecture: a discourse given before an audience or class especially for instruction. Discourseverbal interchange of ideas; especially conversation; formal and orderly and usually extended expression of thought on a subject

Misconceptions about the Lecture • • The lecture is boring… The lecture is dead… The three-step formula… Good lecturers are entertainers…

When to use the lecture… • Present broad outlines of a subject and factual information • Set guidelines for assignments • Encourage student interest in a topic • Illustrate problem-solving strategies • Model intellectual attitudes you want to encourage • Brainstorm

Three steps…. • Tell them what you are going to tell them • Then tell them what you’ve told them Then ask them something new, or a question that tells you that they understand…

You don’t have to entertain, but… • You can’t teach them if you don’t have their attention • You never have everyone’s attention all of the time.

Getting and Keeping Attention • Story telling is social and a learning tool • Humor is a social connector • Body language and physical expressions send messages • Pay attention to your physical environment • Never say NO. • The lecture as theatre

The Lecture as Theatre: You are • • • The actor The director The writer The producer The technician Keep in mind………… Shakespeare vs. Gilligan’s Island

What is a good teacher? A good teacher transforms difficult concepts in ways that students can understand through the use of metaphors, analogies, and examples.

Prepare for the ear, not the eye • Speak succinctly in straight forward sentences • Provide transitions, “as we have seen”, “now we can address…” • Periodically summarize key points • Intersperse questions

Trust your instincts • If you know about a disruption, the class knows about it…. • If you think you are boring them, you probably are. – If your delivery is not working, change it.

Don’t read from a script • You’ll be disengaged – not thinking about what you are saying • No eye contact with students • Experiment with different formats for you notes

Structure the lecture • Suit your audience and subject matter • Identify main topics to be covered • Provide a logical progression of material – general principle to specifics, build up from the parts to the whole, describe a problem and illustrate or outline solution • Summarize – make sure students understand

Know your students

One structure…. • • Attention-getting introduction Brief overview of main topics Quick background or context Detailed explanation of major points (no more than three), the most important first • Conclude with summary of main points to reinforce key themes and a question to introduce next topic.

Other thoughts on structure… • Design your lectures in ten or fifteen minute blocks – A block contains a single point, concludes with a summary and transition to the next section… • Include time for questions. • Assess your lecturing

Thoughts about questions… • Include questions at the beginning of the class. • Try not to ask questions that you know the students know that you know they know the answer to. • Give students time to answer your question. • Questions for groups – brainstorming questions – draw a picture.

Resistance to learning. . . • Apparent Irrelevance of the Activity • Poor self-image as learners • Fear of the unknown (the routine, habit and familiarity are appealing to some) • Lack of Clarity in teacher’s instruction • Dislike of Teacher • Difference in Learning and Teaching Styles • Fear of Looking Foolish • Level is Inappropriate

Evaluate your lecturing • Peer review • Video tape a lecture • Get student feedback – Quizzes, Board of directors • Make notes after your lecture – What worked, what didn’t • Assessment of students – Know what you want to learn about

Notes on Management • • • Be organized 10, 000 pieces of paper Take advantage of campus resources Office hours and e-mail Class size doesn’t linear scale with management