Scary Lectures Dr Kate Exley (2009)
Mar 28, 2015
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