Preparing and Delivering Effective Lectures
What are some ways you can make your lectures more effective for students?
I always tend to ask studetns question during my lecture that relate to the material were going over. I let them input their opinions and i then elaborate on them. I think this takes the attention away from me talking and allows for a short break to regain everyones attention.
I'm with Amy--as a faculty coach, I give my new instructors a copy of Madeline Hunter's basic lesson plan structure and discuss it with them. I like to use mini-lectures, real world examples, discussion questions, and appropriate levels of humor to keep students interested and engaged in lecture. As adult learners, I ask about their experiences with whatever our topic is in order to bring what they know already into the classroom. When appropriate, I also use my personal experiences to illustrate a point (especially if I'm teaching them a skill that has made a relevant/significant impact in my own development as a professional).
use powerpoints and encourage your students to take part in discussions usually when comfortable they do start joining in the discussion.
Some ways to make my lectures more effective for students are preparing myself for every lecture; it is important that my students trust on my knowledge about the subject I'm lecturing them. I also keep in mind the attention span of adult students and try not to go beyond that point (use mini-lecture). combining my delivering method is another way to make my lectures more effective for students.
Susana,
Keep refining your approach and delivery. You are on the right track with your thinking and skill development. Think how many of the students you have engaged rather than how many you don't. This way you will continue to build your confidence as your experience increases.
Gary
I seem to have a problem with giving lectures...I think that I am reaching the majority, and then I start focusing on the few that I may be losing along the way...I step it up by peppering the lecture with annecdotes that are from real life situations, and find that the more serious minded student brightens up...but then there's the handful that I lose along the way. Then if I don't find a way soon enough to either bring in levity...or a funny annecdote; the trouble starts. I want to talk to the students with confidence that they are willing to learn, because I think it would be insulting otherwise; but then it seems that I have it all wrong. I come from place , assuming that learning a new word is a good thing...and it's taken as being too high on my horse? [I think is what's going on]. If this is the case, is it right to dampen down the level of learning across the board? I want the students to be enthusiastic and realise the worth in what they are going into, and the importance of being on point....not just because their job depends on it, but because it is necessary to be able to help and teach patients aspects involving their healthcare which is detrimental.
I give demonstrations and easy examples.
Beverly,
Good luck next week. With the ideas you have shared with us I know each week is going to get better in both your instructional delivery and confidence as an instructor.
Gary
This is where I an having my greatest challenge, the lectures. This course has given me some great ideas. This was my first week of teaching and I want to make my lectures more personable and able to grab their attention and keep it. I got through the week and I want to bring more to the classroom so the students have what they need in their careers.
Bev
Jan,
Good way to provide variety and flow to the instructional process. This will help to keep the students engaged throughout the class session.
Gary
My lectures are filled with "layman" terms followed by personal experiences and asking students (one or two depending on class sizes) for their experiences as well.
By sharing with the students your own experiences in the subject being taught. Then opening the lecture to an open discussion on the students thoughts.
reinforcement by using visual aids to attract all learning styles
Utilizing different mathods or combined methods such as Auditory, Visual etc
To make my lectures more effective, I always start the lecture that "baiting the hook" which entails describing an interesting scenerio that relates to the class topic and having the students engaged by offering answers based on common life experiences. I tend to use popular TV shows and events as a way to get them ehaged and then relate it to the topic and its application to their careers.
Given that much educational research demonstrates that the LEAST effective learning tool is lecture, I try very hard to use it sparingly. For every 15 minutes of my talking (and encouraging questions, comments) I plan group activities and the like. Have always thought that movement, as it increases oxygen to the brain, has got to be a good idea.
I like to combine the lectures to clinical settings, so the students can see the application of what they are studying. Sometimes, at the end of the lecture I open a discussion about a topic and they can participate and express their own opinions.
Nadh,
You can use the same pace of delivery, just have some activity every 15-20 minutes to change the pace and flow of the class. For example you can lecture for 15-18 minutes and then pause for questions. Do another lecture and then have a group discussion. The change of pace doesn't have to be major just something that will let the students refocus and reset their brains a little so they can concentrate on something else and then go back to the content. Also, these discussions help them to see the relevancy and application of the content.
Gary
Danielle,
So true and so important in order to keep the students engaged.
Gary
