The lecture and teaching with large groups

Published on 01/06/2015 by admin

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Last modified 01/06/2015

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21 The lecture and teaching with large groups

Lectures can make a valuable contribution to the education programme. Careful consideration needs to be given to their role and how they are delivered.

The use of lectures

Of all the approaches to teaching, the lecture is perhaps the method most widely adopted. It is estimated that the average medical student sits through some 1800 lectures in the course of their studies. Most will be quickly forgotten. A few may be memorable. Despite much criticism, the lecture has stood the test of time. It has a lot to offer and should not be tossed aside as being ineffective and as a result excluded from the teacher’s toolkit.

Brown and Manogue (2001) describe lectures as an economical and efficient method of conveying information to large groups of students. The lecture can provide an entrée into a difficult topic, it can offer different perspectives on a subject, it can communicate relevant personal, clinical or laboratory experience, and it can deliver a research-based view where teaching is immersed in a research-intensive university.

Problems with lectures

Problems attributed to the lecture may be the result of a ‘bad lecturer’ or the inappropriate use of the lecture. Common criticisms of lectures (Fig. 21.1) include:

• The lecture is a passive learning experience with a failure to engage the students in their own learning.

• Much of what is covered can be learned better from reading a book or engaging in an online programme.

• The delivery is difficult to follow with the visuals overloaded with information.

• The content of the lecture is inappropriate for the audience and is irrelevant, too advanced or too simple.

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Fig 21.1 The lecture has been much criticised.

When to use lectures

Lectures, if used properly, offer a number of advantages:

• The lecturer can meet simultaneously with a large group of students and convey his or her passion and enthusiasm for a subject.

• The lecture can serve as an introduction to a difficult topic and provide the students with a framework for their further studies.

• Dealing with a controversial area, the lecture can provide different perspectives and at the same time relate the topic to the local context.

• In an advancing area of knowledge, the lecture can provide up-to-date information and highlight the contributions of research in an area.

• The lecture can be used to provoke thought and discussion and to encourage the student to reflect on the topic.

• The lecture can include a practical demonstration, for example with a cardiac simulator or a patient introduced to illustrate a point (with the agreement of the patient).

• The lecture can provide the students with guidelines about their further study of the topic and can introduce the resources available.

Delivering a good lecture

Lecturing can be a daunting task for some teachers who feel ill at ease when asked to perform in front of a large audience of students. Much of the stress can be alleviated with good planning and preparation.

Get some facts in advance

Before concentrating on the content of the lecture, first do some fact finding:

• Refer to the statement of learning outcomes for the course. This should provide a clear idea of the purpose of the lecture and how it fits into the curriculum.

• Find out what the students already know about the subject of the lecture.

• Establish whether the lecture is one of a series of lectures on the subject and, if so, what the other lectures cover.

• Find out about the venue and the equipment to be used.

Think about the content and structure

Plan in advance the content and structure of the lecture:

• Plan the content for a lecture the students will wish to hear rather than the lecture you would like to give.

• Create a title for the lecture. It is sometimes easier to get started with the content if you first think of a title as it helps to structure your thoughts. It is more likely to interest students if the title is in the form of a question.

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