You are on page 1of 6

10 Suggestions

for Enhancing
Lecturing
By Ray Heitzmann

Criticism of the lecture method remains a staple of discussion and writ-


ing in academia—and most of the time it's deserved! Those interested in
improving this aspect of their teaching might wish to consider some or all
of the following suggestions for enhancing lectures.

1. Lectures must start with a advises teachers to plan the begin-


"grabber." Regardless of class nings and endings of lectures so
size, motivation remains a major that you can "open with gusto" and
prerequisite of an effective lecture. "finish strong."
Projecting a chart, a short reading, , Cartoons are valuable "grab-
a problem, or a political cartoon bers." Projecting an illustration
and asking thought-provoking on a screen as students arrive
questions provides an "anticipa- in class focuses attention on the
tory set" for learners. This permits, day's topic. One proviso: Spend
encourages, perhaps even forces some time instructing the class on
students to focus and react men- interpretation skills prior to using
tally. The instructor should then this methodology. This will enable
integrate it into the presentation. students to operate at a higher cog-
In some cases, there may be some nitive level. I suggest exposing stu-
benefit to emailing the "grabber" dents initially to concepts such as
(a.k.a. "bell ringer") prior to class, caricature, symbolism, and satire,
depending upon the course, les- and then, after some instruction
son, and students. A Berkeley and practice, proceeding to more
Compendium of Suggestions for sophisticated activities. The latter
Teaching with Excellence, from the would include providing the class
University of California at Berkeley, with a cartoon that omits the cap-

Ray i-ieitzmann is a writing for publication specialist, Villanova (PA) Uni-


versity. '

50 www.eddigest.com
Enhancing Lecturing

tion or dialogue and asking them questions as they come into class.
to provide a caption or dialogue Students prepare answers and
with a justification of their posi- turn them in at the end of class for
tion. This is critical thinking at its grading. This works particularly
finest! A number of websites offer well with students in the habit of
cartoons on current happenings napping during a film.
and a number of books provide Case methodology can enhance
classic selections. teacher-student and student-stu-
Starting class with a "grabber" dent interactions. Introducing a
satisfies the demands of students case focused on dilemmas (e.g.,
who would like classes to be stimu- approving the Treaty of Versailles
lating, entertaining, and interac- or dropping the atomic bomb
tive. The "bell ringer" cartoon on Japan) can energize the class
strategy is a powerful instructional and result in excited interactions,
and behavioral strategy encourag- motivation, and learning. Case
ing students to stop talking with methodology has a history of suc-
friends, close their laptops, focus cess in college, but it must be used-
on the visual, and think. with care to maximize its success.
2. Lectures must be interactive. Creating a positive classroom
Interactivity is a component of ev- atmosphere remains key to pro-
eryday students' life, ranging from viding a climate for learning, and
iPhones and email to Twitter and . interactive lessons can contribute
the Web. How can a lecturer tap to this.
into this world for the instruction- 3. Lectures must not rehearse
al benefit of students? Pop quizzes, the textbook. To encourage stu-
asking discussion-prompting ques- dents to use their textbooks, in-
tions, and providing problems for structors should make fréquent
students to solve in class can help references to texts. Most impor-
avoid nonparticipation, but much tantly, they should select portions
more can be done. of the text to use as springboards
Visual aids, particularly film, to an in-depth explanation of an
provide opportunities for interac- event.
tion with students. For example, After instructors introduce the
when showing a video, stop peri- interpretations, students can be
odically and ask questions rather given opportunities to develop
than waiting until the end of the their own interpretations or to vali-
film. The instructor might write a date a specific interpretation.
series of questions on the board This strategy liberates students
or email them to students prior from the passive behavior so com-
to class. Some teachers provide mon in traditional lecture-plus-text-
students with a handout with book-based pedagogy. Instructors

May 2010 51
THE EDUCATION DIGEST

must remember that a textbook rapport, improved individual and


should serve as a supplement to a group productivity, and most im-
lecture, not vice versa. Interactive portantly, retention of material
lectures mitigate against passive Many instructors have observed
behavior. that humor decreases academic
4. Lectures must represent the stress and anxiety; however, they
iatest thiniting and research. This should avoid ridicule and sarcasm
suggestion defines the essence of as well as sexist, racist, and ethnic
the scholar-educator who shares jokes.
new developments in thefieldwith 6. Lectures must humanize
students. In her book Changing history and the sociai sciences.
Coiiege Classrooms, Diane Halpern Integrating biographies into one's
suggests avoiding the "sage on the teaching brings to life historical
stage role." Rather, instructors can events as well as activities in other
model how scholars frame ques- disciplines. Individual lives can
tions and pursue answers through become stories for our classrooms.
decision making and problem solv- Discuss presidents such as Ulysses
ing. Students can utilize this model S. Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, and Bill
in their work, internalizing critical Clinton; international leaders Cath-
thinking as an academic and per- erine the Great, Winston Churchill,
sonal skill. Scholars develop new and Golda Meir; activists Elizabeth
knowledge based upon serious Cady Stanton, Martin Luther King,
research and reflection, a scenario Jr., and Delores Huerta. Discus-
students can and should, mimic. sions such as the impact of rainfall
5. Lectures must contain hu- on communities or of a family
mor. History houses a wealth of faced with a water shortage helps
stories that provide amusing anec- students retain knowledge while
dotes. But there are caveats. Taste providing insight into historical or
dictates a note of caution relative current events.
to the selection and explanation of 7. Lectures must respect the
"stories," particularly those that audience by utiiizing students'
fall into the domain of legend as muitipie inteiiigences and learn-
opposed to fact. Recognizing that ing styles. Research suggests that
positive physiological and psycho- faculty should consider students'
logical benefits result from humor, individual differences in the prepa-
"comic relief" can and should form ration and delivery of lectures.
a natural part of the classroom. Presentations enhanced with visu-
Research endorses the use of als, sound, and class interaction
humor in the classroom, listing enable students to increase their
benefits such as attentiyeness and learning, understanding, reten-
interest, positive student-teacher tion, and enjoyment by tapping

52 www.eddigest.com
Enhancing Lecturing

into multiple intelligences and bodies of knowledge to support


addressing diverse learning styles. their pedagogy. Consider the
For instance: unique contributions that each
• visual learners learh through of the humanities (art, literature,
seeing; music, philosophy, religion, and
• auditory learners learn others) and social sciences (an-
through listening; and thropology, economics, geography,
• tactile/kinesthetic learners political science, psychology, soci-
learn through moving and touch- ology, and others) can add to the
ing. learning environment. They can
In his book Multiple Intelligenc- enhance investigation of issues as
es, Howard Gardner provides mod- well as understanding of events,
els of the intellect. His categories 9. Lectures must motivate,
include: challenge, and inspire. The chang-
• logical/mathematical—num- ing pedagogical paradigm, which
bers, clear thinking; emphasizes student learning as
• verbal/linguistic—writing, opposed to our teaching, permits
poetry; instructors to challenge students
• rhythmic/musical—creating, intellectually, perhaps inspiring
enjoying music; them to take advanced coursework
• bodily/kinesthetic—physical and graduate studies. Pacing in-
world, athletics; struction through visuals, props,
• interpersonal—understand- questions, and such should be
ing, working with others; keyed to the nonverbal behavior
• visual/spatial—mental view of of students. Utilizing questions,
relationship; reading quotations, or planned
• naturalistic—nature, botany, movements by the instructor can
zoology; stimulate a class that might start to
• emotional^-maturity; and drift. Often a positive comment in
• spiritual—world beyond one's class or an encouraging annotation
self, religion. on a paper or test can serve as a
In addition, the Internet can be preemptive motivational strategy.
a valuable resource offering col- Class size often dictates how an
lections of speeches, interviews, instructor can challenge students.
media coverage of events, and In a small-group setting, the lec-
related information to enhance turette (15-20 minutes) is a natural.
students' understanding and as- This setting permits an instructor
sisting faculty to achieve lesson to springboard into a discussion
and course objectives, that involves most students. But
8. Lectures must be interdisci- teachers can also challenge stu-.
plinary. Instructors can use many dents in large-group settings, •

May 2010 53
THE EDUCATION DIGEST

In his book Teaching History: A eliminate the frenzied closing of


Journal of Methods, Peter Frederick laptops and the rush to escape as
reports: "Not all students talk, to class ends.
be sure, unless I ask them to take A technique used by the media
five minutes and talk about a (pri- to entice an audience to continue
mary) source in a pair or trios first to watch or tune in for the next
before inviting the whole class to show provides another motiva-
comment... I have chosen to use tional and learning strategy. For
this class time for helping students example, an instructor may say:
learn the important skills of doing "At the start of our next class, a
history rather than covering con- librarian will be here to assist you
tent ... these methods of engaged, with your research paper and to
deep learning, usually thought to answer related questions." Or, "I
be possible only in tutorial or in will be showing a Saturday Night
a small class, can occur even in Live skit on Congress and separa-
large classes." tion of powers at the beginning of
Frederick challenges his students our next class prior to our discus-
with pedagogy "outside the box," sion of checks and balances."
which encourages critical thinking.
10. Lectures must summarize Conclusion
and preview the next lecture. The Can the lecture as a teaching
new world of learning emphasizes strategy survive in the 21st centu-
what students have learned rather ry? The answer is yes, if the peda-
than information delivery. This gogy moves from teacher centered
major change embraces and ex- to student centered and incorpo-
pects summarization (or closure) rates some of my suggestions. Of
at the end of a lecture to enhance course, the whole process works
learning and retention and invites (perhaps only works) when the lec-
asking questions at the close of turer is dynamic, confident, highly
class, hinting that some of them motivated, and, most importantly,
might appear on a future quiz or enthusiastic. The following con-
test. Some teachers require stu- cepts define enthusiasm: quality
dents to turn in an index card at vocal delivery, good eye contact,
the beginning of the next class or at natural body movement, strong
the close of a class, drawing from gestures, vibrant facial expres-
that day's materials. Instructors sions, descriptive word selection,
might pose a question from lecture acceptance and encouragement
material for use on a test or quiz of ideas, and an exuberant energy
or as a "grabber" at the beginning level. Using these components in a
of class. An end-of-class review lecture will result in much personal
and assessment can also help to and student satisfaction. •

54 www.eddigest.com
Copyright of Education Digest is the property of Prakken Publications and its content may not be copied or
emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission.
However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

You might also like