Comm 502: Pedagogy

Lecturing & Discussing

From Filene (2005) pp. 47-74

Kirstie Hettinga
October 7, 2009
 Think on this…
• What are some techniques from this
week’s readings that could be used to
promote participation in online
discussion boards?
 Pros and Cons of Lecture
Pro Con
1. Work as effectively as 1. Less effective than
other methods discussion for thought
promotion
2. Live, face-to-face contact
2. Students think badly of
3. Efficient
“idea-only” lectures
 5 Keys to Lecture Success
1. Pose a question
2. Identify the significance of the question
3. Use evidence
4. Offer your own response to the question
5. Leave the class with a question

* Remember brilliance doesn’t

typically happen all at once *
 Enthusiasm & Organization
• DON’T READ YOUR LECTURE
– Use eye contact
– Use your body
– Think of the classroom as a theater
• Undergrads can only absorb 2-3 ideas
per class
• Visualize, hear and reflect
 Discussion
• Discussion can be recitation,
conversation or seminar
• Why use discussion
– Allows students to feel more invested
– Breaks the “consumer student” mold
 Successful Discussion
• Discussion is a team sport
• Preparation is key
– Careful selection of readings
– Factoring in the calendar
– Establishing the importance of discussion
early
 Small Groups
• With large classes, it may be necessary
to use “small groups”
– Meet at different times
– Meet for mini-classes
 Discussion Preparation
• Send an e-mail/memo to the class
before discussion sessions
– Invite the students to the discussion by
explaining significance
– Give “reading” questions to guide reading
– Use “discussion” questions to address
main ideas
 Electronic Discussion
• Distributing questions via e-mail is “efficiency,
not pedagogy”
• Online discussion can be used more
effectively
– By asking students to pose their own class-related
questions
– Responding and encouraging students to respond
to each others’ posts
 Discussion Problems
• Will happen.
• Try to identify the problem — why is the
discussion failing?
• Issues could be class time or poorly
selected readings
 For Our In-Class Discussion
• How do you differentiate between reading
questions and discussion questions?
• Again, how can some of the in-class
discussion techniques be applied online?
• In general, for those who have taught before,
what are some tips or tricks that have been
useful in your own lecturing and discussing?