It has been said that "the words of the teacher quite often do go into the notes of the students without passing through the minds of either" (Gilstrap and Martin, 1975, p.7). Such difficulties are not necessarily problems inherent in the lecture method itself; they often reflect misuse or over use of the method (McMann, 1979).
Let us examine how lecture can be used to arouse student interest, develop imagination, spark a spirit of inquiry and encourage creativity while developing student's understanding.
Why Use Lecture?
Lecture is popular because it:
- is efficient (e.g., a large number of students can be introduced to more content information in less time than they could read it themselves)
- is teacher directed
- can be used with groups of all sizes
- is flexible with respect to time available, physical setting, content and other limiting factors
- is easily combined with other teaching methods.
Lecture is a valid and effective means of instruction. The lecture method is appropriate and very useful for the following (Gilstrap and Martin, 1975; Good and Brophy, 1990):
- to present information (particularly information not readily accessible to students)
- to introduce a topic prior to students working through it on their own
- to make connections to students' prior learnings and personal experiences
- to organize and present information in a specific way (e.g., material may need to be presented in a sequential manner)
- to provide instructions about a task
- to provide background, clarify issues or present alternative viewpoints prior to engaging in other learning activities (e.g., a discussion, an inquiry, a debate)
- to summarize or synthesize material
- to provide additional explanations when students have difficulty learning material on their own.
A well planned and carefully delivered lecture can outline basic facts, concepts, points of view and arguments relative to an area of study and make connections to previous learning and experiences. It should supplement and complement, not merely overlap, the information students get from other sources. Lectures can be combined and integrated with other instructional methods in order to encourage active learning.
Lecture Characteristics
The lecture, like all effective lessons, includes:
- careful planning
- establishment of a learning set
- description of the lesson objectives
- sequenced presentation of "bite-sized" blocks of material
- regular opportunities for active student participation
- effective oral presentation attributes with visual accompaniment
- a summary of key concepts and how they are related
- ongoing monitoring/checking of student understanding
- immediate and meaningful follow-up activities.
In planning for a lecture, consideration must be given to:
- The nature of the area of study (e.g., nature of the topic, availability of resources, time requirements, curriculum requirements including the incorporation of the C.E.L.s into instruction).
- The nature of the students (e.g., developmental levels, attention span, prior knowledge, cognitive ability, learning styles).
- The needs of the teacher (e.g., expertise in the subject area, repertoire of instructional strategies, teaching styles).
The traditional lecture is characterized as being teacher centred and providing one-way information. Planning decisions that address these concerns include:
- Coupling the lecture with other instructional methods which actively involve students in the lecture and enhance student learning.
- Providing opportunities for active student participation either covertly (e.g., asking rhetorical questions during the lecture) or overtly (e.g., completing a structured overview or discussing how the ideas presented so far fit in with previous learning and personal experience).
- Providing regular opportunities during the lecture for fostering student understanding. Such opportunities may develop in the form of teacher questions, short journal writings, student questions, class discussions or other group interactions.
- Engaging students in follow-up activities which require them to interact with and apply the key concepts, points of view and ideas within the lesson (e.g., expressing understanding in their own language through discussion; carrying out an inquiry; developing questions, concept maps or diagrams in small groups or individually).
The successful lecture motivates students, piques their curiosity and holds their interest. It is characterized by effective oral presentation techniques such as:
- Establishing a clear focus for the lesson to stimulate interest and arouse curiosity (e.g., the introductory set connects students' prior knowledge to the lesson objectives and indicates how they will be expected to use or respond to the information presented).
- Demonstrating enthusiasm and interest in the topic (e.g., variations in tone of voice, volume and pacing; asking thought-provoking questions; projecting the meaningful and interesting aspects of the topic).
- Personalizing the presentation (e.g., using relevant examples, making eye contact, moving around the room).
- Using visuals (e.g., overhead projector, charts, slides, chalkboard), examples or demonstrations to support and enhance the presentation.
- Emphasizing key points (e.g., pauses, questions, summaries) at the beginning, during and at the end of the presentation.
- Providing opportunities for student involvement.
The Interactive Components
The lecture, when used to its full potential, combines the characteristics of the traditional lecture with a variety of instructional activities both within and outside the strategy of direct instruction. These activities, referred to as interactive components, focus on meeting the needs of the students by making learning active and personally meaningful while addressing the objectives of both the area of study and the C.E.L.s.
The Advance organizer is an example of an interactive Component. It provides a structured way for students to become involved in the lecture. By providing an outline of the lecture content, the advance organizer can help students to:
- connect their prior experience and knowledge to the lecture
- develop prior questions (e.g., students develop questions about relationships illustrated by the advance organizer; they listen to the lecture to see if it addresses their questions)
- organize the information presented in a personal, meaningful way.
Advance organizers may be modified to become listening guides and to direct students' attention to key aspects of the lecture. They could be combined with anticipation guides (see Vacca, 1981) in order to provide a learning set for the lecture.
Guided Discussion, as an interactive component, has tremendous potential to enhance the learning outcomes of a lecture. The most important aspect of guiding student discussion is that of listening to their responses in order to frame questions or prompts which will further their thinking. Effective discussions can provide opportunities for:
- deepening understanding
- exploring new ideas
- making learning more personal
- learning from each other (e.g., sharing opinions, perceptions and understandings)
- assessing students' understanding
- refining the use of talk as a method of organizing and expressing thoughts
- providing alternate explanations
- clarifying misunderstandings
- bringing closure to a topic
- raising new questions.
It is important to provide equal opportunity for all students, regardless of gender, social or cultural background, to respond or participate in discussions. Often, discussion in pairs may be more comfortable and appropriate for some students rather than always having to respond in the large group situation.
Summary
A variety of instructional activities can be used as interactive components to enhance lecture outcomes. Similarly, the lecture can supplement and complement a wide range of instructional methods. The teacher, as an informed and knowledgeable professional possessing a broad repertoire of instructional knowledge, methods, skills and abilities, is in a strong position to make educational choices which promote student learning. In such an environment, the interactive lecture can become a catalyst for addressing the Common Essential Learnings and the Adaptive Dimension through areas of study.
Reflective Checklist: Interactive Lecture
| The following questions may be helpful when planning to use the interactive lecture in your classroom. However, it is acknowledged that there are other questions which could guide this process. You are encouraged to build on those questions which are useful and to develop others which better suit your purposes |
What purposes will be addressed?
1. To provide background information for a unit of study
- What background information will students need in order to understand the unit under study?
- How can I draw on students' previous learning and experiences?
- What information is not readily accessible to students?
- Do examples include typical male and female experiences? Male and female role models? Representation from various cultural groups?
- How can I organize and present the information so as to maximize students' understanding and provide for auditory, visual, kinesthetic, etc. experiences?
- _____________________________________________________________________
2. To summarize or synthesize material
- What are the important understandings to bring forward?
- How can I help students to summarize or synthesize their understanding of the material
- _____________________________________________________________________
3. To provide a model for students
- What aspects of an effective presentation are important to model and bring forward for students to discuss?
- How can I let students in on my thinking as I consider an issue or perspective (e.g., think aloud technique)?
- What aspects of a particular process are important to model for students (e.g., how to conduct an experiment)?
- ______________________________________________________________________
Classroom Example: Interactive Lecture
Practical Resources* and References
*Gilstrap, R. and Martin, W. (1975). Current Strategies For Teachers. Pacific Palisades, California: Goodyear Publishing Company, Inc.
*Good, T. and Brophy, J. (1990). Educational Psychology. 4th ed. White Plains, New York: Longman.
McMann, F. (1979). In defense of lecture. Social Studies, 70(6), p. 270-274.
*Vacca, R. (1981). Content Area Reading. Toronto, Ontario: Little, Brown and Company.
Wolfe, T., Brown, E., Parker, D. and Mustoe, F. (1989). Physics Today 1. Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc.