Lectures and Large Classes

Additional Info:
An online tutorial for using Power Point as a teaching tool.

Additional Info:
American colleges and universities have invested millions of dollars in equipment and "smart classrooms," but the jury is still out on whether computers have led to a revolutionary improvement in the quality of teaching.

Professors are finding new ways to lecture, to run lab sessions, and to interact with students, however. The Chronicle dispatched reporters to classrooms across the country to find some of the most promising or unusual methods of teaching with technology.

Some of the courses involve teams of professors and designers, as well as serious investments of time and money, while others are techniques that individual professors have developed using tools that are common on most campuses. No matter how much support they have, the professors have hit their share of roadblocks. But these wired teachers say students are responding positively as class sessions become more interactive. (From the Publisher)

Additional Info:
An extended article describing the benefits and best practices of classroom technology use.

Additional Info:
Based on archival research, this article analyses the pedagogical gestures in Derrida’s (largely unpublished) lectures on hospitality (1995/96), with particular attention to the enactment of hospitality in these gestures. The motivation for this analysis is twofold. First, since the large-group university lecture has been widely critiqued as a pedagogical model, the article seeks to retrieve what may be of worth in the form of the lecture. Second, it is relevant to analyze the pedagogy of lectures that address the topic of hospitality, as there would be a performative contradiction in teaching inhospitably about hospitality.

Additional Info:
One page Teaching Tactic: using study sheet handouts to help students learn from lectures, in a compressed "Maymester" class.

Additional Info:
The challenge is to reconcile the recommendations of the experts for involved learning with the reality of passivity that plagues large classes.

Additional Info:
Presents some maxims and an exhortation on leading discussion in a lecture course. Loneliness of lecturing; Discussion can feel light-weight and loose jointed; Different formats; Using discussion to break up lectures; Many excellent lecturers fear discussion; No real discussion occurs without some level of conflict or difference of ideas; Lecturers making the transition into discussion-leaders; Details.

Additional Info:
You have finished your Ph.D. and landed your first academic job. Scanning the fine print, you realize the introductory class you have been assigned to teach is being held in an auditorium. A really big auditorium. Panic begins to set in. . . . In this handy and practical book, Elisa Carbone offers a wealth of sound advice on how to deal with a large class, from the first day to end-of-semester evaluations. Full of examples taken from many different disciplines, Teaching Large Classes will be an ideal companion for any teacher facing the challenge of the large introductory class. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Listening to the Experts

ch. 1 Starting the Semester: The First Class
ch. 2 Personalizing the Large Class
ch. 3 Lecturing 101: Getting Your Students to Listen
ch. 4 Lecturing 102: Using Stories and Examples
ch. 5 Using Demonstrations, Visual Aids, and Technology
ch. 6 Active Learning in a Large Class
ch. 7 Are There Any Questions?
ch. 8 Assessment and Feedback in Large Classes
ch. 9 Managing Student Behavior
ch. 10 Working Effectively With Teaching Assistants (TAs)

Index
About the Author

Additional Info:
Short essay acknowledging the critique of PowerPoint, but arguing for its more effective use.

Additional Info:
Clickers can be used to increase student-student and student-instructor interactions, to assess student preparation and learning, and to probe students' opinions or attitudes.

Additional Info:
"Learning Through Storytelling in Higher Education" explores ways of using storytelling as a teaching and learning tool. When storytelling is formalized in meaningful ways, it can capture everyday examples of practice and turn them into an opportunity to learn - encouraging both reflection, a deeper understanding of a topic and stimulating critical thinking skills. The technique can accommodate diverse cultural, emotional and experiential incidents, and may be used in many different contexts eg formal/informal; one-on-one/group setting. The authors outline the different models of storytelling and explain how to make use of this technique and encourage a 'storytelling culture' within the workplace or in tutorial sessions. Academic yet accessible, this book provides a new perspective on learning techniques and will be a great asset to any educator looking to improve reflective practice. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements

ch. 1 Introduction
ch. 2 Storytelling Influences
ch. 3 Storytelling Developments
ch. 4 Storytelling as a Theory of Learning
ch. 5 Finding Stories
ch. 6 Telling Stories about Practice
ch. 7 Expanding Stories through Reflection
ch. 8 Processing Practice Stories
ch. 9 Reconstructing Stories within a Group Setting
ch. 10 Ethical and Assessment Considerations
ch. 11 Reflections

References
Index
Subject Index
Biographical Notes

Additional Info:
This paper argues that instructors can enhance the effectiveness of oral instruction through attention to both the verbal and nonverbal aspects of their teaching. After defining and offering 2 means of achieving effective speaking, the paper discusses how lecturers should analyze their delivery, and makes 32 recommendations for improving delivery, focusing on vocal problems, positive vocal strategies, use of body, and positive body delivery characteristics. Finally, the paper offers suggestions for putting the 32 recommendations into practice, specifically discussing identification of problems, delivery style, mental focus, and preparation. Fourteen references are attached.

Additional Info:
Makes suggestions regarding questioning techniques that are appropriate for lecture classes as well as for discussion groups. Idea Paper no. 31, from the series developed by the Center for faculty Evaluation and development, Kansas State University.

Additional Info:
Sooner or later, almost every university teacher confronts having to teach a course with 200 students in it, or suddenly finds 60 enrolled in a course so carefully designed for 20.

For that teacher, we here present Maryellen Gleason's all-too-necessary "survival kit," a set of ideas and resources that recognizes the special challenges of the large class and that can enhance it as an environment for student learning.

Additional Info:
Based on experimental research of effective speaking, this article reviews: what is effective lecture delivery; how lecturers can analyze their classroom delivery; and how lecturers can improve their classroom delivery. Idea Paper no. 14, from the series developed by the Center for Faculty Evaluation and Development, Kansas State University.

Additional Info:
The editor of Teaching Theology and Religion facilitated this reflective conversation with five teachers who have extensive experience and success teaching extremely large classes (150 students or more). In the course of the conversation these professors exchange and analyze the effectiveness of several active learning strategies they have employed to overcome the passivity and anonymity of the large lecture format. A major point of debate emerges that contrasts the dynamically performative and highly informed and skilled lecturer with the “wasted time and money” that results from encouraging students to participate through various active learning strategies. Other themes include the importance of story telling in the religious studies classroom, the significance of the differences between students' learning styles, and the challenge of teaching and assessing critical thinking and communication skills.

Additional Info:
Reviews research on the impact of notetaking and how the review of notes affects student learning. The paper also explores the role that instructors can play, suggesting several specific strategies to support students. 

Additional Info:
An overview of research in cognitive psychology, linguistics, and teaching science. 1) note taking strategies used by students; 2) the different factors involved in comprehension through note taking; 3) “writing to learn”; 4) the learning contexts that allow effective note taking.

Additional Info:
A large website that spotlights reflective Harvard University instructors using instructional moves (high-leverage teaching strategies) applicable to multiple settings and grounded in teaching and learning research – in 3 general areas: Building Community, Lecturing Interactively, Facilitating Discussions. Moves are anchored in videos showcasing classrooms from across the university. The videos, which combine class footage with reflections from instructors and students, are supplemented by relevant research on the move’s efficacy, tips for enacting this move in diverse settings, and related resources that facilitate deeper exploration.

Additional Info:
Makes suggestions regarding questioning techniques that are appropriate for lecture classes as well as for discussion groups. Idea Paper no. 31, from the series developed by the Center for faculty Evaluation and development, Kansas State University.

Additional Info:
"A short bulleted list of effective techniques when lecturing, from Stanford University's Teaching Commons. "

Additional Info:
Teachers can convey their ideas more powerfully if they take time to improve their presentation skills. The Act of Teaching , Nancy Houfek, Head of Voice and Speech for the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University, leads a workshop that stresses the importance of communication with the whole self in order to reach an audience. Throughout the workshop, she introduces participants to the same techniques that actors use to prepare and deliver a performance, including warm-ups, relaxation, strengthening, and visualizing exercises.

In Part I, Theater Techniques for Classroom and Presentation, Houfek focuses on overcoming stage fright, knowing your objectives, and "landing your message." In part II, Physical and Vocal Exercises , she leads teachers through 20 minutes of exercises specifically designed to prepare them for the physical challenges of the classroom, beginning with "Waking Up the Body," and moving to vocal warm-ups that treat the voice as an instrument requiring care. Together, these techniques and exercises present a new set of resources that greatly broaden the avenues we customarily use in communicating with colleagues and students.

An illustrated guide to exercises is included ad a PDF.
(From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Part I: Theater Techniques for Classrooms and Presentations

Part II: Physical and Vocal Exercises

Additional Info:
Prezi is a free online presentation tool that allows you to create and share dynamic presentations. Without slides and bullet points, you are able to explore relationships among ideas through movement, allowing the form of your presentation to support its content.

Additional Info:
PowerPoint can be a genuine aid to theological education by providing a medium for employing visual art in the classroom. But PowerPoint does not and should not replace the ordinary stuff of teaching and learning theology: reading, lecturing, discussing texts, and writing papers. Like any other tool, its pedagogical benefit depends on discerning use. Particular care must be used to blunt PowerPoint's tendency to produce a disembodied, decontextualized learning environment. Using PowerPoint to incorporate art into theology classes is not merely a strategy for making verbal points more powerfully. Art can sometimes go where theological words cannot.

Additional Info:
These methods of non-sequential navigation in PowerPoint can help you add flexibility to your class sessions and better respond to the needs of your students.

Additional Info:
Video. Connecting to YouTube can be inconvenient in the middle of a PowerPoint slideshow. These step-by-step instructions will help you to embed a YouTube video right into one of your slides

Additional Info:
An empirical study comparing the amounts of learning achieved using two different instructional approaches under controlled conditions -- straight lecturing, compared to a pedagogical strategy involving more active learning by the students.

Additional Info:

Additional Info:
A 10-page article by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, drawing on their book "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" (Random House, 2007), focusing on concrete practices teachers can adopt to make their teaching "stickier" -- so that students retain more of what they hear.

Additional Info:
Large classes are a fact of life in higher education. With 100 or more students in fixed seating, how does a faculty member structure the class to promote student learning? How does one manage the logistics of such a class? Are there alternatives to the lecture format? Are there actually advantages to the large class? Engaging Large Classes addresses these and many other questions.

Experienced teachers of large classes across a wide range of disciplines and institutions offer instructional strategies and advice for both new and experienced faculty members. What many of the contributors have learned is that large classes can be just as stimulating and rewarding as small ones, and that the large size can yield surprisingly positive opportunities. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
About the Editors
About the Contributors
Topic Location Guide
Preface

Part 1 Key Concepts
ch. 1 Course Design for Large Classes: A Learning-Centered ApproachJudith (Grunert O'Brien)
ch. 2 That's Not a Large Class; It's a Small Town: How Do I Manage? (Lynda G. Cleveland)
ch. 3 Planning and Assessing Large Classes (Michael Theall and Raoul A. Arreola)
ch. 4 Promoting Civility in Large Classes (Mary Deane Sorcinelli)
ch. 5 Engaging Students Actively in Large Lecture Settings (Peter J. Frederick)
ch. 6 Team Learning in Large Classes (Larry K. Michaelsen)
ch. 7 Learning in the Dark: Applying Classroom Technology to Large Lecture Formats (Michael Smilowitz and Anne S. Gabbard-Alley)
ch. 8 Teaching for Inclusion (Mathew L. Ouellett)
ch. 9 Working with Teaching Assistants and Undergraduate Peer Facilitators to Address the Challenges of Teaching Large Classes (Jean Civikly-Powell and Donald H. Wulff)
ch. 10 Maintaining Intimacy : Strategies for the Effective Management of TAs in Innovative Large Classes (Leta F. Deithloff)
ch. 11 Teaching the Large Class: An Administrator's Perspective (J. Douglas Andrews)
ch. 12 Teaching Large Classes: A Brief Review of the Research (Christine A. Stanley and M. Erin Porter)

Part 2 Examples Across the Disciplines.Agriculture
ch. 13 What I Wish I had Known Before I Taught a Large Class (Emily Hoover)
ch. 14 A Management Lesson (Steven Tomlinson)
ch. 15 Eleven Very Basic Tips for Teaching Large Business Classes (Tom Campbell.Clincial Sciences)
ch. 16 Teaching Large Classes in Pharmacy Practice (James McAuley and Marialice Bennett)
ch. 17 Teaching Large Classes in Veterinary Medicine (Laurie A. Jaeger and Deborah Kochevar)
ch. 18 Making Large Classes Small Through Creative Teaching (John R. Hoyle)
ch. 19 A Learning-Focused Approach to a Large-Section Engineering Course(Robert Lundquist)
ch. 20 Getting Students in a Technical Class Involved in the Classroom (Doug Jacobson.English)
ch. 21 Managing Discussion in Large Classes (J. Dennis Huston.Law)
ch. 22 Defying the Norms: Teaching Large Law School Classes in Accordance with Good Pedagogy(Derrick Bell)
ch. 23 Mathematics and the Large Class: Meeting and Mastering the Challenge (Nancy J. Simpson)
ch. 24 Strength in Numbers: Making the Large Chemistry Lecture Class Work (Brian P. Coppola)
ch. 25 What My Students Have Taught Me (Brent L. Iverson)
ch. 26 Large-Class Instruction: Having a Private Conversation in a Crowded Room (James H. Stith)
ch. 27 Personalizing the Large Class in Psychology (Richard P. Halgin and Christopher E. Overtree)
ch. 28 Teaching Social Science to a Small Society (Linda B. Nilson)
ch. 29 Transforming the Horde (Robin Nagle)

Summary of Key Concepts for Teaching Large Classes and M. Erin Porter and Christine A. Stanley

Bibliography
Index

Additional Info:
Activities you can use to engage your students during your lectures and how to work these activities into your class.

Additional Info:
Video. Several extended video presentations, from the Merlot Elixer Initiative, illustrating active learning techniques in large lecture contexts in various disciplines (NOT including religion or theology).

Additional Info:
This book records the story of how one professor at a research university used a form of active learning to change the way he taught— from traditional lecture and examinations to cooperative learning and student projects.

Drawn from teaching notes, conversations with students, student evaluations, and annual reports, readers will learn the kinds of risks, assumptions, and decisions they will face as they change their teaching to emphasize student learning, particularly during the critical first days of change.

Engagingly written, Leaving the Lectern offers an honest and insightful look at the challenges and rewards of achieving change in the classroom.

This book:

* Motivates faculty and graduate students to visualize what changing their teaching to enhance student learning will be like by illustrating through narration how a professor much like them made the change
* Provides reflective questions at the end of each chapter to help readers use the information in the chapter
* Enhances the readers' preparation for the change by citing references to pedagogical precepts, strategies, and tools
* Summarizes the seven themes found in the book to help bring about the change (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
About the Author
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments

ch. 1 Before the Change
ch. 2 Change Involves Taking Risks
ch. 3 Change Can Be Piecemeal
ch. 4 Change Is Finding and Sharing Answers to Questions About Student Learning
ch. 5 Change Alters What You Put Into the Course
ch. 6 Change Emphasizes What Students Take Away From the Course
ch. 7 Change Must Be Assessed for Student Learning
ch. 8 Change Must Be Assessed for Teaching
ch. 9 Change Is Hard in Isolation but Facilitated by Connections
ch. 10 Change Means Changing Your Concepts About Education
ch. 11 Change Means Changing Your Concepts About Yourself

Conclusion
Appendix: A Sketch of the National Reform of Undergraduate Education
Bibliography
Index

Additional Info:
Simple orientation to Problem Based Learning with helpful how-to PDF files to download.

Additional Info:
Case study by a professor who transformed his lecture class into a cooperative learning class.

Additional Info:
Guidelines for writing good multiple-choice exam questions that can evaluate higher levels of learning (such as integrating material from several sources, critically evaluate data, contrast and compare information), as well as provide diagnostic information. Idea Paper no. 16 , from the series developed by the Center for Faculty Evaluation and Development, Kansas State University.

Additional Info:

Additional Info:

Additional Info:

Additional Info:
This one-page document gives advice on how to handle large classes. Specific items it examines include creating an interactive lecture, handing out of class assignments, and miscellaneous tips. It is written by Rich Felder an expert in Engineering education.

Additional Info:
In corporate and government bureaucracies, the standard method for making a presentation is to talk about a list of points organized onto slides projected up on the wall. For many years, overhead projectors lit up transparencies, and slide projectors showed high-resolution 35mm slides. Now "slideware" computer programs for presentations are nearly everywhere. Early in the 21st century, several hundred million copies of Microsoft PowerPoint were turning out trillions of slides each year.

Alas, slideware often reduces the analytical quality of presentations. In particular, the popular PowerPoint templates (ready-made designs) usually weaken verbal and spatial reasoning, and almost always corrupt statistical analysis. What is the problem with PowerPoint? And how can we improve our presentations?

This slim volume from legendary "information design" guru Edward Tufte answers these questions with Tufte's usual wit, concision, and style. (From the Publisher)

Additional Info:
Brief analyses of why and how to use technology effectively when teaching large classes.

Additional Info:
Until now, though seasoned practitioners know of the problems and have implemented solutions, a practical compendium of advice on teaching and learning in large classes has not appeared in the literature. This volume is an attempt to remedy that omission. It is intended to provide faculty who are teaching a large course for the first time practical advice that will ease the transition from small to large classes. It is the sort of volume every department head should hand out along with teaching assignments for large sections and pass on to colleagues who labor hard and conscientiously in these difficult instructional situations. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
ch. 1 Large classes and learning (Christopher Knapper)
ch. 2 Students' perceptions of large classes (Donald H. Wulff, Jody D. Nyquist, Robert D. Abbott)
ch. 3 Six Keys to effective instruction in large classes: Advice from a practitioner (J. Richard Aronson)
ch. 4 Dealing with details in a large class (Robert P. Brooks)
ch. 5 Student involvement: Active learning in large classes (Peter J. Frederick)
ch. 6 Lecturing: Essential communication strategies (Richard L. Weaver II, Howard W. Cotrell )
ch. 7 Giving students feedback (Joseph Lowman)
ch. 8 Acquiring student feedback that improves instruction (Harry G. Murray)
ch. 9 A bibliography of ideas for practitioners (Maryellen Gleason Weimer, Mary-Margaret Kerns)

Additional Info:
Click Here for Book Review
Have you ever looked out across your students only to find them staring at their computers or smartphones rather than listening attentively to you? Have you ever wondered what you could do to encourage students to resist distractions and focus on the information you are presenting? Have you ever wished you could help students become active learners as they listen to you lecture?

Interactive Lecturing is designed to help faculty members more effectively lecture. This practical resource addresses such pertinent questions as, “How can lecture presentations be more engaging?” “How can we help students learn actively during lecture instead of just sitting and passively listening the entire time?” Renowned authors Elizabeth F. Barkley and Claire H. Major provide practical tips on creating and delivering engaging lectures as well as concrete techniques to help teachers ensure students are active and fully engaged participants in the learning process before, during, and after lecture presentations.

Research shows that most college faculty still rely predominantly on traditional lectures as their preferred teaching technique. However, research also underscores the fact that more students fail lecture-based courses than classes with active learning components. Interactive Lecturing combines engaging presentation tips with active learning techniques specifically chosen to help students learn as they listen to a lecture. It is a proven teaching and learning strategy that can be readily incorporated into every teacher’s methods.

In addition to providing a synthesis of relevant, contemporary research and theory on lecturing as it relates to teaching and learning, this book features 53 tips on how to deliver engaging presentations and 32 techniques you can assign students to do to support their learning during your lecture. The tips and techniques can be used across instructional methods and academic disciplines both onsite (including small lectures and large lecture halls) as well as in online courses.

This book is a focused, up-to-date resource that draws on collective wisdom from scholarship and practice. It will become a well-used and welcome addition for everyone dedicated to effective teaching in higher education. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Part One: A Conceptual Framework for Interactive Lecturing
Ch 1. Lecture versus Active Learning: Reframing the Debate
Ch 2. Integrating Lectures and Active Learning

Part Two: Engaging Presentation Tips
Ch 3. Setting Goals
Ch 4. Creating Content
Ch 5. Structuring the Session
Ch 6. Leveraging the Language
Ch 7. Designing Effective Audiovisuals
Ch 8. Crafting Handouts and Supplements
Ch 9. Demonstrating Readiness
Ch 10. Generating Enthusiasm and Interest
Ch 11. Managing the Session
Ch 12. Presenting Like a Professional
Ch 13. Asking and Answering Questions
Ch 14. Signaling the Takeaways

Part Three: Active Learning Techniques
Ch 15. Actively Preparing
Ch 16. Anticipating and Predicting New Information
Ch 17. Listening for Information
Ch 18. Taking Notes
Ch 19. Rehearsing Information
Ch 20. Applying Information
Ch 21. Checking Understanding
Ch 22. Reflecting and Metacognition

References

Name Index

Additional Info:
300 page pdf version of a book about effective communication. For any given idea we have, there are 100 different ways to communicate it. Which one do you choose? The book answers these questions, and this guide helps to distill these concepts into teachable exercises.

Additional Info:
This site provides a number of resources and suggestions for designing and delivering effective lectures.

Additional Info:
An excerpt from “Improving The Effectiveness Of Your Lectures,“ by William L. Heward, outlining an approach to enhancing the effectiveness of student learning during lectures – through instructor-prepared handouts providing students with background information and cues to write key facts, concepts, and/or relationships during the lecture.

Additional Info:
With this splendid monograph by Allan Gredalof the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education launches its new series of Green Guides. Each guide will deal with some aspect of teaching and learning in higher education. They will be solidly based on relevant research and theory, but the approach will be pragmatic and applied. The guides will be short, with an emphasis on clear, jargon-free expression, and plentiful examples of how the ideas being discussed relate to real teaching situations faced by Canadian academics. Another feature of the guides is their reasonable price, which is made possible by the generous donation of time by STLHE members in writing, reviewing, editing, and distributing these valuable resources.
The idea of Grene Guides originated with our sister organization on the other side of hte world, the Higher Education and Research Development Society of Australasia. HERDSA published its first guide in 1984, and they have now published more htan 20 guides on a wide range of topics related to teaching and learning in higher education. HERDSA has very generously allowed us to use their title for the series, and we will shortly be embarking on a collaborative endeavour to jointly publish some titles in both Canada and Australia. This arrangement has been greatly facilitated by the generous help of Dr. Kym Fraser of Monash University, who chairs the HERDSA publications committee.
Other Grene Guides are in the works and will be published shortly. Meanwhile, any readers inspired to make their own proposals for a new guide are invited to contact one of their series editors. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Acknowledgments
Preface

ch. 1 Preliminary Matters
ch. 2 What is a large class? Do you teach one?
ch. 3 Some fundamental and general problems
ch. 4 Facing our anxiety
ch. 5 Passion, intensity, and energy
ch. 6 Motivatiing

Additional Info:

Additional Info:
A simple and short chart that provides  a few simple strategies for making lectures more interactive. 

Additional Info:
In prepping for lectures, this is the largest pronunciation dictionary, all the words in all languages pronounced by native speakers.

Additional Info:
Resources for redesigning large course, to achieve improved efficiency, cost effectiveness and increased student learning.

Additional Info:

Additional Info:
An excerpt from “Improving The Effectiveness Of Your Lectures,“ by William L. Heward, outlining an approach to enhancing the effectiveness of student learning during lectures – through instructor-prepared handouts providing students with background information and cues to write key facts, concepts, and/or relationships during the lecture.

Additional Info:
The second edition of Giving a Lecture builds upon the reputation and success of the Key Guides for Effective Teaching in Higher Education series. It is an excellent resource for those new to teaching at the University and College level and for those who just want to reflect upon and refresh their lecturing practice. The best selling first edition has been fully revised, and this edition continues to cover all the basics on how to go about lecturing while maintaining its jargon-free and accessible style. New lecturers will find the second edition equips them with the essential tools and guidance for delivering a successful lecture, and explains exciting new developments along with the fundamentals of lecturing.

Addressing a number of rapid developments that have occurred since its first publication in 2004, the second edition provides:

* A new chapter on podcasting and e-lecturing
* Much more on the effective use of PowerPoint
* Guidance on using interactive handsets to promote active learning and engagement
* Consideration of the role of Lectures in problem based learning (PBL) courses
* An expanded chapter that addresses current diversity/inclusivity issues
* A fresh look with new Illustrations
* Updated 'Recommended Reading and Web-Resource' sections

This handy guide uses a multi-disciplinary approach based on sound educational theory to provide clear guidance and engaging ideas on giving a memorable and motivational lecture. Readers will find its straightforward approach is both readable and very practical, and new University and College Teachers, Graduate Teaching Assistants, Part-time Tutors, Teaching Clinicians and Practitioners, together with those interested in educational and staff development, will find this book provides them with all the guidance they need to lecture with confidence and skill. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
ch. 1 Why lecture?
ch. 2 Preparing to lecture
ch. 3 Structuring and sequencing lectures
ch. 4 Using your voice effectively and projecting a confident self
ch. 5 Handling nerves, anxieties and discipline problems
ch. 6 Presenting material visually and using PowerPoint well
ch. 7 Preparing and using handouts and learning resources
ch. 8 Active learning in lectures and using interactive handsets
ch. 9 Podcasting and e-lectures
ch. 10 Responding to different needs and student diversity
ch. 11 Evaluating lecturing and developing your practice

Appendix I: Supporting students with a disability: the legal position
Appendix II: Further information on specific disabilities and support organizations

Bibliography
Index

Additional Info:
Click Here for Book Review
Is the lecture an outmoded teaching method that inhibits active learning or is it a potentially powerful tool that is an essential part of every teacher’s repertoire?

This book presents up-to-date research on the different types of lecture, on what constitutes effective lecturing, and on the impact of lecturing when done appropriately and well. It fills the void in professional development resources on how to lecture, validating the practice when it’s aligned with the educational mission of creating engaged learning environments.

Christine Harrington and Todd Zakrajsek demonstrate that, rather than lecture and active learning being mutually exclusive or either-or propositions, the effectiveness of the former can be greatly enhanced when combined with active learning techniques through what they define as dynamic lecturing; and provide context about the need to balance these approaches to meet the needs of students as they progress from novice to advanced learners.

They present a range of strategies that enhance student learning during lectures. They open each chapter with the evidence behind each lecturing strategy they describe, and conclude with practical suggestions for quick application in the classroom. They offer readers the lecture planning and evaluation tools for reworking their lectures in ways that provide high-level engagement and achievement for their students.

The opening section of the book explores the benefits of lecturing and describes the different modalities of lecture, with an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of each. The second section focuses on educational strategies to enhance the lecture, including, among others, activating prior knowledge, emphasizing important points, effectively using multi-media, making concepts meaningful via examples, and the importance of retrieval practice. Each covers the underlying theory and research, and advice on how to align the engagement techniques with instructional goals. The book concludes with guidance on effective planning for lecturing and helping chairs, administrators, or peers engage in effective evaluation of the lecture.

This is a dynamic resource for all faculty interested in revitalizing their teaching. The strategies are succinct, easy to incorporate into lectures and, done well, will have immediate impact and increase student mastery of course content. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Foreword - José Antonio Bowen

Acknowledgments

Series Preface

Introduction

Part One: Exploring the Lecture
Ch 1. The Lecture as a Teaching Strategy
Ch 2. Types of Lectures

Part Two: Enhancing Lectures
Ch 3. Activating Prior Knowledge
Ch 4. Capturing Attention and Emphasizing Important Points
Ch 5. Effectively Using Multimedia and Technology
Ch 6. Making it Meaningful Through Examples
Ch 7. Reflection Opportunities
Ch 8. Retrieval Practice
Ch 9. Questions for Critical Thinking

Part Three: Planning and Evaluating Lectures
Ch 10. Planning Effective Lectures
Ch 11. Evaluating Lectures

Authors

Index

Additional Info:
In this first American edition of a best-selling classic, Donald Bligh draws from decades of research and hands-on experience to help college and university teachers develop and use lectures effectively. What's the Use of Lectures? is an indispensable guide for anyone who aspires to be a skilled lecturer and teacher. It examines the nature of teaching and learning in a classroom lecture--describing how students learn, how much knowledge they retain, and how to enhance their attention and motivation. Bligh builds on this information to share strategies forcreating organized, thoughtful, and effective lectures. Topics include taking notes, using handouts, practicing different formats and styles, obtaining feedback, overcoming difficulties, evaluating the lecture, and testing alternative methods when lecturing is not adequate. Also included are tables and diagrams to illustrate different approaches to lecturing. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Part 1 What Objectives can Lectures Achieve?
ch. 1 Evidence of What Lectures Achieve

Part 2 What Factors Affect the Acquisition of Information?
ch. 2 Factors Influencing Memory
ch. 3 Factors Affecting Students' Attention
ch. 4 Motivating Students

Part 3 What Lecture Techniques Apply these Factors Most Effectively?
ch. 5 Lecture Organization
ch. 6 Making a Point
ch. 7 Reasons and Explanations
ch. 8 Aids to Comprehending a Point
ch. 9 Note Taking in Lectures
ch. 10 The Purpose, Preparation, and Use of Handouts
ch. 11 Lecture Styles
ch. 12 Ways of Obtaining Feedback
ch. 13 Evaluation of Lectures
ch. 14 Overcoming Common Difficulties
ch. 15 Lectures for the Promotion of Thought
ch. 16 Lectures to Teach Attitudes

Part 4 Alternatives when Lecturing is Inadequate
ch. 17 The Lecture Method Alone is Rarely Adequate
ch. 18 Teaching Methods to Use with Lectures
ch. 19 Some Combinations of Teaching Methods

Part 5 Preparation for the use of Lectures
ch. 20 Thinking the Lecture Through
ch. 21 Writing the Notes
ch. 22 Lecturing for the First Time
ch. 23 Conclusion

Additional Info:
Click Here for Book Review
Pauses constitute a simple technique for enlivening and enhancing the effectiveness of lectures, or indeed of any form of instruction, whether a presentation or in an experiential setting. This book presents the evidence and rationale for breaking up lectures into shorter segments by using pauses to focus attention, reinforce key points, and review learning. It also provides 65 adaptable pause ideas to use at the opening of class, mid-way through, or as closers.

Starting with brain science research on attention span and cognitive load, Rice bases her book on two fundamental principles: shorter segments of instruction are better than longer ones, and learners who actively participate in instruction learn better than those who don’t.

Pausing helps teachers apply these principles and create student engagement without requiring major changes in their lesson plans. With careful planning, they can integrate pauses into learning sessions with ease and significantly reinforce student learning. They will also gain feedback on students’ comprehension.

Rice sets out the characteristics of good pauses, gives advice on how to plan them and how to introduce them to maximum effect. She provides compelling examples and concludes with a repertory of pauses readers can easily modify and apply to any discipline.

This book contains a compendium of strategies that any teacher can fruitfully use to reinforce learning, as well as a stepping stone to those seeking to transition to more active learning methods. It:
• Makes the case for using pauses
• Identifies the primary functions of pauses: focusing, refocusing, enhancing retention, or closing off the learning experience
• Provides research evidence from cognitive science and educational psychology
• Provides practical guidance for creating quick active learning breaks • Distinguishes between starting, middle, and closing pauses
• Includes descriptions, with suggested applications, of 65 pauses (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introducation

Part 1 Benefits of Pausing
Ch 1. Why We Need to Pause

Part 2 Brain Science Support for the Pause
Ch 2. Pausing Supports Ideal Learning
Ch 3. Starting Pauses Focus Attention
Ch 4. Midpauses Refocus Attention
Ch 5. Closing Pauses Capture Learning

Part 3 Reasons for Pausing
Ch 6. Why Start with a Pause
Ch 7. Why Close with a Pause

Appendix

References

About the Author

Index

Additional Info:
Lecturing remains the staple teaching technique for most professionals in higher education. Lecturing can be a chore, a terror or an exhilarating experience. One thing that is certain: for students, good lecturing shows, is expected and pays dividends.

This book does not deal with the dry theory of lecturing, but rather it brings together the advice, experience and guidance of many experienced successful lecturers from the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand. Together they provide stimulating and motivating practical examples of how to improve lecturing technique and confidence.

Written for less experienced lecturers seeking to improve their lecturing, and those with more experience who want to develop their skills further, this book is outcomes focused and covers a range of key lecturing issues. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Contributors
Introduction

Part 1 Key competencies in lecturing
ch. 1 Learning from objectives (Stanley Yeo)
ch. 2 New at this (Sally Brown)
ch. 3 The smart student (Marilyn Baird)
ch. 4 The mobile phone (Brian Hinton and Catherine Manathunga)

Part 2 Orchestrating learning in lectures
ch. 5 I fell asleep in my own lecture (Bob Lord)
ch. 6 Just give us the right answer (Brenda Smith)
ch. 7 Playing the crowded house (Brad Haseman)
ch. 8 We might have to learn it but we shouldn't have to think about it (Lorraine Stefani)

Part 3 Dealing with feedback
ch. 9 Getting to know you (Mark Griffin)
ch. 10 Is it me? (Helen Whiffen)
ch. 11 This is all irrelevant! (Peter Knight and Gary Lee)
ch. 12 Getting sacked (Phil Race)

Part 4 Authenticity: living your values in lectures
ch. 13 Learning from the inside out (Peter Frederick)
ch. 14 Teaching power (Lyn Carson)
ch. 15 Clearly, you can't do it (Gina Wisker)
ch. 16 How can I lecture that topic? (Joy Higgs)
ch. 17 From big water to reflective pools (William M Timpson and Bill G. Wright)

Insights from the case studies
Further reading
Index

Additional Info:
The large introductory lecture classes common on most campuses pose a particular challenge to instructors who want to encourage the active student involvement that is a vital part of the learning process. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
ch. 1. The Argument for Making Large Classes Seem Small. (James L. Cooper)
ch. 2. Getting Started: Informal Small-Group Strategies in Large Classes. (James L. Cooper, Pamela Robinson)
ch. 3. Going Deeper: Formal Small-Group Learning in Large Classes. (Karl A. Smith)
ch. 4. Restructuring Large Classes to Create Communities of Learners. (Jean MacGregor )
ch. 5. Implementing Small-Group Instructions: Insights from Successful Practitioners. (James L. Cooper, Jean MacGregor, Karl A Smith, Pamela Robinson)
ch. 6. Making Small-Group Learning and Learning Communities a Widespread Reality. (Karl A. Smith, Jean MacGregor)

Additional Info:
Video. A video from The Harvard Graduate School of Education "Master Class" series. Eric Mazur (physics instructor) demonstrates how to conduct in-class activities without TAs.  

Additional Info:
Teaching large classes is a fact of life for professors at many institutions. In addition to pedagogy, instructors of these courses must also be concerned with legal, ethical, financial, technological, personnel, and management issues. Virtually all introductory courses are large ones, as are the popular intermediate courses at large institutions. Typically, little or no training or instruction is provided to new professors about how to manage large classes successfully. This book is a valuable resource for any college teacher, adjunct or full-time, facing a large class. It will also be useful for college administrators who might want to issue it to teachers, especially adjuncts, assigned to large classes for the first time. A distillation of years of experience by the authorwho started his college teaching career in 1969in teaching large classes and in coaching other professors to do the same, this guide is concise and user-friendly. It employs teaching-as-acting as a common theme, with many practical examples covering all of the major aspects of organizing, managing, and teaching a large lecture course in any field. (From the Publisher)

Table Of Content:
Preface
Acknowledgments

ch. 1 Thinking Ahead
ch. 2 Getting Ready for the First Day
ch. 3 The Teacher as Actor
ch. 4 Managing Assistants and Graders
ch. 5 Using Media Effectively
ch. 6 Auditorium Classroom Activities
ch. 7 Assessment and Testing
ch. 8 Grading
ch. 9 The Seasons of a Class

Appendix A. Sample Course Outline
Appendix B. First-Day Checklist
Appendix C. Sample Course Syllabus
Appendix D. Sample First-Day Lecture

Index