Scary Lectures Dr Kate Exley (2009). Session Outline Introduction Why do we lecture? What are the important features of a lecture? Best and Worst Lectures.

Scary Lectures

Dr Kate Exley

(2009)

Session Outline Introduction

Why do we lecture? What are the important features of a lecture? Best and Worst Lectures

Part 1. – Your content and material Part 2. – Your students

Using variety Considering student interaction Possibilities? And…..Practicalities?

Part 3. – You! Handling nerves & discipline worries

Final remarks

Why Lecture? History

European monasteries and traveling scholars seeking rare information

In a scriptorium a monk at a lectern would read out a book

Scholars would copy word for word Derived from the Latin –

Lectare - “to read out loud”

Why Lecture today? Consistency Efficiency Community ? ? ? Please add 3 other reasons?

Important Features(Noel Entwistle)

Map v Coverage

Illustration v Detailed information

Attention span

The Lecture as a communication

Holding attention in Lectures

How long can students concentrate? It clearly depends on …… But using ‘20 minutes’ is helpful

Latest research"Extensive exposure to television and video games may promote development of brain systems that scan and shift attention at the expense of those that focus attention.”

Peter Jenson

Important Features(Noel Entwistle)

Map v Coverage

Illustration v Detailed information

Attention span

The Lecture as a communication

The Lecture as a communication

Lecturer

Student

Student

Giving out

Receiving

Acting upon

Experience of Lectures

Best What made it so

good?

Worst? What made it so bad?

Part 1.The Lecture Content

Deciding what to include Must have? Should have? Could have?

Ensuring you meet the Learning outcomes Building in some flexibility Acknowledging your personal bias?

Sequencing material

From

Simple > Complex Big picture > Detail General > Specific examples Concrete > Abstract /conceptual

Common Lecture StructuresGeorge Brown

Classical Problem centred Comparative Serialistic or sequential Progressive - story telling

Classical

Introduction Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Conclusion

Problem centred

Introduction - description of the problem Strategy / alternative 1 Strategy / alternative 2 Strategy / alternative 3 Conclusion - “I am taking approach 3…”

Comparative

Introduction - comparing A and B Comparison of feature 1 Comparison of feature 2 Comparison of feature 3 Summary

Serialistic

Introduction A, then A goes to B B, then B goes to C C, then C goes to D Etc Final remarks

Progressive - story telling

Personal connection Setting the scene Unfolding the narrative Concluding the story Emphasising learning points

Part 2. The Students’ View

Comments :-

Enthusiasm and Empathy

Level and Pace

Variety (What your students Hear, See & Do)

Visual Aids What are the features you associate

with an effective visual aid? Consider

Layout Text Colour Content

Task

Work with 3 or 4 colleagues

Design and produce a visual aid to communicate your views on the topic…

(Why have) interaction in Lectures

Arguments for ‘interaction’

To keep attention To check understanding Try things out and use skills To compare different views Reinforce learning Different learning styles Feedback to lecturer etc

Involving Students in Lectures- Some suggestions

Buzz groups Mini-quizzes Individual tasks Demonstrations Video & other Visuals Interactive handouts etc

Types of Handout

Reduced PowerPoint slides Skeleton Notes Gapped Notes Handouts containing tasks

Example 1

Please work with 2 colleagues to

List the three most important points from the lecture.

Why have you selected these points

Please work with three colleagues to

List the 3 most important points in the lecture

Why have you selected these points?

Example 2

Please work with 2 colleagues to

List the three most important points from the lecture.

Why have you selected these points

Please work with three colleagues to

1. Describe the symptoms of a cat with a kidney infection

2. How might you test for this?

3. What treatment would you prescribe?

Ideas - Handout to Worksheet

Applying knowledge or concepts Solving a problem / setting a question Analysing a case study or example Interpreting data / images etc Reviewing an article / abstract / script etc Representing information differently Making judgements on… Estimating…

Predicting…Voting…Prioritising…

And now on to ..The practicalities

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it.

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

The practicalities Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? When in the lecture will the interaction be? Will everybody do the same thing? Etc

What CLEAR instructions will you give to your students

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be?

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students?

The practicalities Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students? No? (I will show them the answer.)

The practicalities Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students? No? (I will show them the answer.)

But if you do, how will you manage that?

The practicalities

Know why you want students to ‘do’ it. How will they work?

Alone or in pairs? For how long? & when in the lecture?

What will the end point be? An answer? A decision? An example? etc

Do you need to hear back from the students? No? (I will show them the answer.)

But if you do, how will you manage that? Voting? Collected views? An OHT acetate?

Part 3.

The Lecturer’s View

Discipline worries

What do you worry might happen? How can it be avoided? How can it be dealt with?

How likely is it really?

How are you feeling?

Handling nerves and anxieties.

Hiding and limiting the negative impact

Making the adrenaline work for you

Quick re-cap

To be clear about Why you Lecturing? What you are trying to achieve?

Organise your material carefully Consider how you can get and keep their

attention? Plan any interaction carefully

Be kind to yourself – start small Have a go, don’t expect it to be perfect first time!

To find out more

“Giving a Lecture :

from presenting to teaching” (2004)

Kate Exley & Reg Dennick

Key Guides for Effective Teaching in Higher Education

RoutledgeFalmer : London

Additional reading possibilities

Making Teaching Work : ‘teaching smarter’ in post-compulsory education (2007) Phil Race and Ruth Pickford, Sage

Lecturing a Practical Guide Sally Brown and Phil Race, Kogan Page

Practical Ideas for Enhancing Lectures (2003) P. Davies, SEDA, London