Prep Time
What would be a good "average" amount of prep time per class hour? As an Instructor, would you consider 3 hours of prep time for every hour of lecture time?
Vernise, So true. I am glad you make this point. Individual differences are important to consider. There are many different learning styles and we've got to be respectful of that range when teaching.
Dr. Melissa Read
Hi Dr. Read
I agree that prep time can vary from lecture to lecture and it also depend on other factors such as how well the instructor knows the material and if the instructor has taught that course before.
You made a great point on the importance of class group activies being incorporated to break of the lecture which helps keep the student engaged. Another thing we should take into consideration when prepping for our lectures is the the individual student's learning style which can also contribute to keeping them engaged in the course we teach.
Thank you for sharing
Vernise
Thomas, Wow, sounds like you are balancing a lot. Teaching so many subjects in a single semester can be a touch challenge because there's a lot of task switching involved as you move from one subject to the next. Here's hoping you have some previously prepared course materials that you can rely on across semesters!
Dr. Melissa Read
Depending on the Class... I can teach up to eight different subjects to a Semester. I have four Quizzes, two Graded Labs, two Projects, one Skills Test, a Midterm and a Final exam. I write Lesson Plans for the students for every class. Yes , sometimes we do need many hours of prep time. :)
I have found that by reviewing the class immediately after it is finished (while things are fresh in my mind), I can jot down some notes or minor revisions for the next time I teach that lesson. Constant tweaking is helpful and the payoff is the next time you teach it.
Prep time is a privilege beyond our normal hours of work. I've heard from my dean that they worked 32hrs of class time & no prep. They must be a GOD!
Toni, In your field, preparation time investment may be critical due to changes in methodologies and approaches. You probably need to invest a good bit time just to make sure your materials are up-to-date.
Dr. Melissa Read
I agree with your statement in that when I come across the topics I know like the back of my hand I can prep for them in almost no time but I can just as easily go very in depth and lose track of time prepping the topic.
I do not feel as though 3 hours for prep for every hour of lecture. If I work out my lecture strickly based upon "Topic Expansion", I can usually prep in about "30 minutes". I mean I have been an instructor for "Surgical Technology" now for almost two years. And for some I might have already address the issue of "3 hours" of prep time. Familiarity I guess is the key. For example: if I am teaching "Scrubbing" in the lab today, I have 6 years experience as a surgical technician, and almost two years in the lecture realm here at the school. So,no,I am not going to need 3 hours. However, A&P may require 3 hours of prep, depending on the depth of my lecture.
Christopher, Good point. Some lectures last for hours and others are brief. Longer lectures can take longer to prepare for. That being said, I always encourage instructors who teach for long time periods to break up their lectures with in-class, group activities. This tends to keep students engaged - particularly those who don't respond well to lecture only formats.
Dr. Melissa Read
I think another factor to consider is not only your familiarity of the course content but the length of the lecture. If one was to have a 5 hour lecture then 15 hours of prep time is not feasible. Possibly breaking down your lecture into the main objectives could help by making yourself a daily syllabus with the lectures main topics. Add key points to the subject matter that is less familiar to you and just have a heading for the other objectives that you are comfortable with. This could help with time management for our prep time.
Dawn, That's a great question. The answer depends on the subject matter you are teaching, as well as your expertise in that subject matter. When preparing to teach complex, new material, you may need to invest a significant amount of time. On the other hand, some material is likely to be so familiar that you need to spend little to no time preparing at all.
Dr. Melissa Read
