Methods of Teaching Economics Lecture 1. General Strategies Do not read your notes Do not read your notes –Very mechanical; students know Prepare yourself.

Methods of Teaching Methods of Teaching EconomicsEconomics

Lecture 1Lecture 1

General StrategiesGeneral Strategies

• Do not read your notesDo not read your notes– Very mechanical; students knowVery mechanical; students know

• Prepare yourself mentally for classPrepare yourself mentally for class– Come early and prepare your thoughts, Come early and prepare your thoughts,

listen to relaxing music, etc. listen to relaxing music, etc.

Opening a LectureOpening a Lecture

• Avoid a “cold start”Avoid a “cold start”– Talk to students informally before class, etc.Talk to students informally before class, etc.– Helps keep the voice (tone) conversationalHelps keep the voice (tone) conversational

• Minimize nervousnessMinimize nervousness– Nervousness is normalNervousness is normal– Use relaxing techniques to keep your mind Use relaxing techniques to keep your mind

calmcalm– As you get experience, this goes awayAs you get experience, this goes away

Opening a LectureOpening a Lecture

• Grab students’ attentionGrab students’ attention– Provocative questionProvocative question– Startling statementStartling statement– Unusual analogy Unusual analogy – Striking exampleStriking example– Personal anecdote Personal anecdote – Dramatic contrast Dramatic contrast – Powerful quotePowerful quote– Short questionnaireShort questionnaire– DemonstrationDemonstration

An ExampleAn Example

• The world is full of contradictions!The world is full of contradictions!

• Mikhail Gorbachev is still a communist.Mikhail Gorbachev is still a communist.

• Why does he live in California?Why does he live in California?

• Isn’t the U.S.A. a symbol of capitalism?Isn’t the U.S.A. a symbol of capitalism?

• Does he have an agenda?Does he have an agenda?

Opening a LectureOpening a Lecture

• Vary your opening!Vary your opening!– Prevents the opening from becoming stale!Prevents the opening from becoming stale!

• List the Objectives for the courseList the Objectives for the course– Lets students know what you are planningLets students know what you are planning

• Establish rapport with your studentsEstablish rapport with your students– Warmth and rapport has positive affect on Warmth and rapport has positive affect on

studentsstudents

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Keep an eye on studentsKeep an eye on students– Do the students look confuse?Do the students look confuse?

•Try another exampleTry another example

– Are you boring your studentsAre you boring your students

• Maintain eye contactMaintain eye contact– Students know you are paying attention Students know you are paying attention

to themto them– But don’t stare for long periods of time!But don’t stare for long periods of time!

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Vary your lecturesVary your lectures– Students need to pay attention to learnStudents need to pay attention to learn– Students lose attention about 10 minutes of Students lose attention about 10 minutes of

listeninglistening

– Ask questionsAsk questions– Play the devil’s advocatePlay the devil’s advocate

• Look at the other side of the issueLook at the other side of the issue

– Use visual aidsUse visual aids• Slides, graphs, charts, video, etc.Slides, graphs, charts, video, etc.

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Explicitly organize your lecturesExplicitly organize your lectures– Use an outlineUse an outline– The form of this lectureThe form of this lecture

– Students can easily catch up, if their Students can easily catch up, if their attention wanesattention wanes

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Be enthusiastic about the materialBe enthusiastic about the material

• Use facial expressionsUse facial expressions

– Students know if you are bored or do not like your Students know if you are bored or do not like your subjectsubject

– If you are bored with the subject, then why should If you are bored with the subject, then why should students be excited about it?students be excited about it?

– I had several very boring professorsI had several very boring professors

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Be conversationalBe conversational– Use informal language Use informal language

•Colorful language, expressive adjective, use Colorful language, expressive adjective, use first or second person (I, we, and you)first or second person (I, we, and you)

– Be directBe direct– Be naturalBe natural

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Use anecdotesUse anecdotes– Anecdote is a short storyAnecdote is a short story– Anecdotes help break up monotonyAnecdotes help break up monotony– Students pay better attentionStudents pay better attention

– Can use for key pointsCan use for key points

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Move around the roomMove around the room– Keeps students’ interestKeeps students’ interest– Breaks up monotonyBreaks up monotony

– Can use gesturesCan use gestures

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Laugh at yourself when you make a Laugh at yourself when you make a mistakemistake– Drop notes, mis-pronounce words, etc.Drop notes, mis-pronounce words, etc.

– Helps keep students at easeHelps keep students at ease

Capturing Students’ InterestCapturing Students’ Interest

• Keep track of timeKeep track of time

• If time is running out, don’t speed up If time is running out, don’t speed up the lecture to finishthe lecture to finish– Most professors do this; even me!Most professors do this; even me!

Mastering Delivery Mastering Delivery TechniquesTechniques• Vary your speaking paceVary your speaking pace

– If you go too slow, then students become bored!If you go too slow, then students become bored!

• Vary your voiceVary your voice– PitchPitch– VolumeVolume– Duration of wordsDuration of words– IntonationIntonation– Intensity of your voice Intensity of your voice

• Lawyers do this!Lawyers do this!

Mastering Delivery Mastering Delivery TechniquesTechniques

• Use pausesUse pauses– Used as punctuationUsed as punctuation– To mark a thought, sentence, or To mark a thought, sentence, or

paragraphparagraph– Add emphasis, before or after a key ideaAdd emphasis, before or after a key idea

– Take a sip of water or coffee after Take a sip of water or coffee after discussing an important idea discussing an important idea

Mastering Delivery Mastering Delivery TechniquesTechniques• Avoid saying Avoid saying

– "um" "um" – "well" "well" – "you know" "you know" – "OK" "OK" – "so" "so" – Watch yourself on video tapeWatch yourself on video tape

– Silent pauses are more effectiveSilent pauses are more effective

Mastering Delivery Mastering Delivery TechniquesTechniques

• Breathe normallyBreathe normally– Normal breathing prevents vocal strain Normal breathing prevents vocal strain

that affects the pitch and quality of your that affects the pitch and quality of your speechspeech

– Keep your shoulders, neck, and jaw Keep your shoulders, neck, and jaw relaxedrelaxed

– Keep your eyes fully openKeep your eyes fully open

Closing a LectureClosing a Lecture

• End with a conclusionEnd with a conclusion– Students know the lecture had a purposeStudents know the lecture had a purpose– They have closureThey have closure

– End with a thought provoking problem or End with a thought provoking problem or questionquestion

– Avoid “I almost forgot…”Avoid “I almost forgot…”

Closing a LectureClosing a Lecture

• Keep your voice strongKeep your voice strong

• Lift your chin upLift your chin up

• Keep your eyes facing the audience. Keep your eyes facing the audience.

• Be sure to stay after class for a few Be sure to stay after class for a few minutes to answer students' minutes to answer students' questions.questions.

Improving Your LecturesImproving Your Lectures

• Assess how the lecture went and Assess how the lecture went and which parts need improvementwhich parts need improvement

• Record your lectureRecord your lecture

• Watch yourself on video tapeWatch yourself on video tape– Watch for good and bad traits and Watch for good and bad traits and

mannerismsmannerisms

• Talk to a speech consultantTalk to a speech consultant

Economics InstructorsEconomics Instructors

I violated most of these suggestions.I violated most of these suggestions.

• The best suggestion is to pick a good The best suggestion is to pick a good professor and emulate him or her.professor and emulate him or her.