The Lecture
A personal perspective
Phil Lightfoot (Physics)
Contents
Input and outcome based teaching
Constructive alignment of learning outcomes
My tool box of learning styles
Adding material to the lecture framework
Techniques to promote real audience interaction
Barriers to learning
Ways to encourage continued offline engagement
Examples of application of learner centred teaching
techniques within Maths III module
Movie summary of an Applications of Optics lecture
A history of input based teaching
Lecturer focuses on transmission of content and a lecture is deemed
successful if the appropriate quantity of syllabus has been covered.
• little attempt to stimulate student off-line learning
• passive student learning taking place in lecture
• under-use of available teaching resources
• lecturer regarded as focal point and conduit of information
The limitations of input based teaching
The limitations of input based teaching
A larger intake means that a greater proportion of students come to
university simply to get a degree to move into a job and their focus
whilst at university is on the destination rather than the journey.
Passive students tend to be:
• dependent on lecture material and less likely to work offline
• interested by the greatest reward for the least effort
• focused on passing exams
• Surface learners rather than deep learners (SOLO 2,3)
But can a module be designed to cater for the 2013/14 audience?
A future for outcome based teaching
Here the module lectures are based around creating an active
learning environment inside and outside the lecture theatre.
• active student learning takes place in lecture
• extensive use of a wide range of available teaching resources
• frequent reference to offline learning linked to learning outcomes
• sustained student engagement and deeper learning are the
overarching goals (SOLO 4,5)
The module framework
Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Biggs (1999)
Constructive Alignment
Module design aligns the learning outcomes, the learning activities
and the assessment tasks.
‘getting the student to successfully perform the verb stated in the
learning outcome and assessing their performance’
The framework of the module
Learning outcomes should address both higher and lower cognitive
skills (i.e. top and bottom levels of Bloom’s taxonomy).
Anderson and Krathwohl 2001
The approach to lecturing
Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Biggs (1999)
Biggs describes four levels of thinking about learning and teaching.
Level 1 : Input based : Not the teacher's responsibility to engage
students.
Level 2 : Seeing teaching as a performance : Onus is on lecturer to
‘sell’ a lecture using good craft.
Level 3: Teaching seen as support for learning strategy linked to
constructive alignment of a module.
Level 4: The student takes control of their own learning framework
(independent learner).
My toolbox of learning styles
1. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
•Assimilation
New information is incorporated within an existing schema.
•Accommodation
New information cannot be incorporated within existing schemata,
requiring understanding to change to be able to fit.
Accommodation comes about when assimilation has failed.
I speed up for assimilation usually showing an example
I slow down for accommodation usually providing evidence,
allowing reflection and conceptualisation.
My toolbox of learning styles
2. The Kolb cycle (1984)
Honey and Mumford (1986)
I try to construct material to chase the learners around the cycle by asking
questions which encourage reflection, conceptualisation and ways of
testing ideas and models.
My toolbox of learning styles
Key questions for activists:
Will there be a wide variety of different activities?
Will having a go be encouraged?
Will I be challenged?
Key questions for reflectors:
Will I be given enough time to consider and assimilate?
Will there be plenty of reference material to use?
Will there be opportunities to develop knowledge offline?
Key questions for theorists:
Will there be opportunities to question?
Do the learning objectives indicate a clear structure and purpose?
Will I encounter complex ideas that will stretch me?
Key questions for pragmatists:
Will there be time to practise and experiment?
Will there be lots of practical tips and techniques?
Will we address real world relevant problems?
My toolbox of learning styles
To disseminate
information
To develop
capability to use
ideas and info
Lecture
P,T,R
Role play
A,P
Lecture led
problems
P,T (A get
bored, R get
distracted)
Practical
task
A,P (T and
R if time
given to
reflect)
Self directed
study
P,T,A,R as
can choose
their own
method
Team
quizzes
A,P (T and
R if time
given to
reflect)
All if
P,R but too
questions
Demonstration passive for A Individual
are well
by lecturer
and too
quiz
chosen and
basic for T
relevant
To develop the
ability to critically
assess ideas and
information
Group
discussion
Students give
presentations
Case study
To develop
ability to
generate ideas
All
Brainstorm
as class
A,P
A,P
Individual
mini
research
project
T,R
All
Team
problem
solving
task
All
My toolbox of learning styles
3. VARK model Fleming (1987)
(1) Visual learners: a preference for seeing (maps, spider diagrams,
charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams).
(2) Auditory learners: best learn through listening
(lectures, group discussion, speaking).
(3) Read/write: text-based input and output (reading
and writing, PowerPoint, Internet).
(4) Kinaesthetic learners: prefer to learn via
experience (demonstrations, simulations,
videos, applications).
VARK Example: Snell’s Law
air
Audio
Water
Snell's law is a formula used to describe the relationship between
the angles of incidence and refraction, when referring to light
passing through a boundary between two different media such as
water and air.
Kinaesthetic
My toolbox of learning styles
4. Ripple Model, Phil Race (1993)
Wanting
The student must want to learn. Achieved
by pointing out why they’re learning the
subject, its relevance and value for their
future work. Students must be aware of
the learning outcomes.
Feedback
Must be returned to students in good time
so that they still care about it, ensuring
that they get plenty of advice so they can
improve future work. Self assessing their
own learning, peer assessing other
students.
Adding material to the lecture framework
Recap of previous lecture (2 min)
Clarify the learning outcomes (1 min)
Clarify the offline resources (VLE, facebook) (1 min)
Lecture body menu (4 x 10 min activities): various traditional e.g.
discussion, taking notes, solving problem, etc.
Lecture jolt menu (1-2 min activities): tell a story, show a movie, give
a demonstration, ask a question, pair discussion, quiz, pass round
an object
Summarise what has been covered (2 min) providing a
couple of ‘take home’ messages.
Techniques to promote audience engagement and
real interaction in a large lecture format
• Students are provided with pre-reading ahead of the lecture and are
expected to ask questions during session.
• Prior to starting, initiate a light-hearted conversation with students
• Be friendly - relaxed, enthusiastic, positive
• Lecturer and student on equal basis. Tone of voice = conversational
not dictatorial.
• Strong use of eye contact and always refer to students by name
• Be critical of any negative behaviour - maintain environment
• Make it clear that the lecture is for their benefit - focus on learning
• Remind students to interrupt if they need clarification and thank
students for questioning material
• Address student concerns sharing knowledge and understanding
• React to audience attention, changing lecture plan to suit.
Barriers to learning during the lecture and those actions
performed by the lecturer which can prevent learning
Things you can’t change but of which you should be aware
• Room temperature, room dimensions, visibility of boards, noise.
• Attention span varies on the number of prior lectures, low blood
sugar, time of day, number of hours sitting in the same seat, etc.
Things you can do to prevent learning
• A stressful environment can be created if there is an expectation
that individual students will be singled out to perform.
• Failure to break up a 50 minute lecture into 4 or 5 sections using a
demonstration, a worked example, a question to the audience, a
story, a video, etc.
• Failure to observe the audience and react by changing the teaching
style if their attention is waning.
Promoting continued enthusiasm for offline independent study
Contact time in lectures represents a small fraction of the time students
are expected to spend learning a module. Sustained participation in
offline active high-level learning is important.
• Promote offline resources at the start of each lecture.
• Some learning outcomes must be linked / aligned to offline
components (applets, online tutorials, support movies, practice
questions, quizzes, worked examples).
• At end of lecture summarise what has been covered and ask if
students are happy. Provide a couple of ‘take home’ messages.
• Promote the use of group resources for discussion.
• Direct students to engage in activities related to the lecture content
(e.g. use of Audacity, timelapse photography, internet ‘instructables’,
Youtube).
Example: Maths III
2nd year module teaching solution of partial differential equations,
Fourier series, Fourier transforms and the Frobenius method.
 y ( x, t )
2
x
2
1  y ( x, t )
2

c
2
t
2
A (t )
2
F ( ) 

dt


d x
f (t ) e
 i t
dt
2
 B (t )
dx
dt
 C (t ) x  0
Maths III Lectures
Good for P,T,R. Try to ask many questions to keep A engaged.
Maths III Lecturer Led Problems
Good for P and T. A get bored and R get distracted so try to make
sessions as interactive as possible and link to notes.
Maths III Demonstration by lecturer
Good for P ad R but too passive for A and too basic
for T. Ask lots of questions and link demo to theory
and maths.
Maths III Team Quiz
Good for A and P (T and R too if time given to reflect)
Maths III Case Study
All : to critically assess information and ideas
Maths III Offline challenge
Good for A and P (T and R too if time given to reflect)
Maths III notes/self directed study
Good for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....
Maths III notes/self directed study
Good for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....
Maths III notes/self directed study
Good for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....
Maths III Individual Quiz
Good for all
Maths III notes/self directed study
Good for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....
Maths III notes/self directed study
Good for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....