A recent article in the Chronicle of Education features a letter from students responding to a study about the efficacy on lecture as the dominant model of “content delivery in college classes. Even as discussions about active learning and project based assignments continuously ripple through higher education, it seems we find ourselves married to the safe and comfortable, which students are increasingly finding lackluster. Let’s be clear: education is not for entertainment (although it can be entertaining.) But the lecture is largely a one way affair, and easily lends itself to boredom and tedium.
The lecture certainly has its place in the instructor’s toolkit. It has served us for a long time, and there are those who highlight its continued virtues. But it simply isn’t the only game in town anymore and should be critically examined for its merit in each context. Should it continue to be the primary form of instructor-student engagement? Or is there room for other styles?
Consider whether the lecture is your primary tool and if you may be ready to try something new.
“Lecture in Progress” Image by Dunedin NZ
Licensed under Creative Commons
“UCSF Traditional Lecture Hall” Image by EdTech Stanford University School of Medicine
Licensed under Creative Commons
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