by Craig Beyrouty, TFSC Co-Director
In recent years, considerable attention has been given to methods of classroom instruction that are alternatives to the traditional lecture. Workshops often focus on cooperative or active learning techniques that describe how instructors can actively engage students in the learning process in order to better comprehend and retain information. Participants leave these workshops with a renewed vigor about teaching, eager to incorporate many of the new ideas and methods into their classes.
While methods of active learning are valuable additions to our repertoire of teaching techniques, many instructors continue to depend upon the lecture as a significant component of classroom instruction for a variety of reasons. Dissemination of some types of subject matter may be better suited for the lecture format. Instructors may defer to the lecture because they are more comfortable with it. Whatever reason for lecturing, it makes sense to enhance our lectures so that they become as effective as active learning techniques to stimulate learning in the classroom.
A good lecture requires considerable planning, preparation and skill in delivery by the instructor. Students do not receive all the information that we transmit to them during a lecture. One researcher has noted that the average lecture contains about 5000 spoken words, and the average student ends up with about 10% of those words in his or her notes. Thus, can we deliver a lecture in which students record the correct information in their notes so that each student will study from the same page.?
The lecture can be an effective method for teaching. It can also be ineffective if not done correctly. Take a moment to reflect upon the characteristics of some of the worst lectures that you had as a student or have recently been subjected to as a faculty member. These might include: monotone voice of presenter, material presented straight from the assigned text, 50 minutes of non-stop lecturing, little or no eye contact with audience, outdated or incorrect information presented, disjointed and confusing lecture. Unfortunately, the lecture is all too often associated with these types of characteristics and has been given a bad rap. However, slight modifications in our style of lecturing can result in vastly improved lectures and a stimulating learning environment.
The following tips are offered as suggestions for improving the lecture method (Taken from Center for Teaching Effectiveness Newsletter, the University of Texas at Austin, March, 1981) and may provide you with new tools to incorporate into your own lecture.
These 10 suggestions are not new revelations in teaching, but reflect good common sense approaches to lecturing. These suggestions are not meant to constitute a complete list that will ensure an award winning lecture. One should also incorporate other teaching tools from the tool box, such as group activities, opportunities for oral and written communication in the classroom setting, case studies, etc. However, it is the challenge to the instructor to carefully weave these techniques throughout a traditional lecture formatted class. These techniques do not have to become the central focus of instruction in your class, but rather should be used to best convey a certain concept or help develop a specific skill.
The following people were honored at a special reception held at the Walton Arts Center. We applaud their excellence in teaching!!!
Congratulations!!!!
A Time for Reflection and Renewal
And a Good Time Was Had by All!...
During late July, 35 faculty attended the Summer Teaching Retreat held at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. The focus of the workshops and discussion for the first two days was Objective Based instruction. Special guest Mary Ellen Weimer inspired, instructed and entertained with her "real-life" approach to teaching. Larry Burlew, Deb Meisch, and Trish Amason led participants through an analysis of personal conflict styles on day four. Others from the U of A faculty facilitated evening discussion groups on various topics, including e-mail as a teaching tool, motivating students, and critical classroom incidents.
Other activities included a tour through Blanchard Caverns, admission to the Ozark folk center and music shows, nightly mixing sessions at the "Dry Hole." and a boisterous, belligerent roast of our retiring co-director, Ro DiBrezzo.
Following are some of the comments gleaned from the evaluations filled out by this year's camp participants:
"This program is essential to the quality of teaching--it crosses each discipline. As a new faculty, this is money well spent."
"One of the best conferences I have ever attended. Great learning experience. Well planned and well executed."
"Really hope it will continue. The best part of the week was the opportunity to network and get to know people across campus."
"This was my first experience with the Faculty Retreat and Teaching Center faculty. It was an excellent experience that stimulated my thinking, renewed my enthusiasm, and will have a positive effect on my teaching."
We are making plans for next summer's retreat. Keep looking for announcements in future newsletters so that you can be a part of this great annual event!
Hey....need a great camera???? The Teaching Academy has a Sony digital video camera available for use in teaching by any faculty member. If you are interested in borrowing the camera, please contact Stephen Boss in the Geology Department.
BASKETBALL ANYONE?????
The Teaching and Faculty Support Center has reserved a court at the Jones Center for Friday Evenings through December 19th (Thanksgiving weekend excluded) from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. for Co-ed faculty basketball. If you would like to play, PLEASE SIGN UP BY CALLING THE CENTER AT (479)-575-3222. See you there.....!
W. J. McKeachie offers these suggestions for lessening the "anonymity" that students often feel in large classes:
Taken from McKeachie, W. J. (1993), "Teaching Tips" Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath Publishers