Learning From Lectures

A lecture is really just a long informative speech. We've all had to endure (enjoy?) lectures in high school and many of us in college. Of course, some instructors give great lectures, but the vast majority don't. Students try to pay attention to boring lectures but find their minds wandering. When this happens, both parties suffer. The teacher is unsuccessful and students don't learn.

Who's at fault? I say both the teacher and the student. The teacher should give a well organized, well prepared, interesting speech that will maintain the audience's attention. However, it is not the teacher's job alone. The student bears some responsibility. A conscientious student attends class prepared to take notes, listens attentively, and observes the main ideas of the lecture.

A good teacher is a good speaker, preparing the lecture well and practicing. A good teacher is responsive to the audience, noting their reactions. Are they following the ideas of the speech? Are they maintaining interest? Is there anything in the speech that appears to confuse them? Annoy them? Excite them? If so, a good teacher adjusts the lecture to fit the students. A good teacher connects with students even when giving a prepared lecture. In Communication, we call this extemporaneous speaking.

I was lucky to have many excellent teachers who gave wonderful lectures. My favorites went above and beyond mere lecturing. They took the ideas off the page of the textbook and brought them to life right in the classroom.

What about you? Have you had a teacher who gave wonderful lectures?

(photo from http://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills/en/notetaking/90/identifying-lecture-styles/)