Transcript Faculty Seminar on Learning & Teaching Excellence Teaching

November 19-20, 2007
Workshop
Interactive lecturing
By Malek Tabbal,
Associate Professor & Chairman
Department of Physics, AUB
Beirut, Lebanon
E-mail: [email protected]
Main Learning Outcomes
Day one: after reflecting on how an effective lecture can be
planned, we will present a draft plan of an effective lecture
session.
Day two: after sharing my experience on interactive
lecturing in large classes at AUB, we will apply a simple
yet effective way to turn your classroom into a lively but
well structured interactive session.
OUTLINE, Day 1: Effective lecturing

Session 1*: (2 hours)



Introduction: Outline, presentation
Discussion questions on the lecturing process.
Guidelines to have in mind when preparing a lecture
BREAK

Session 2*: (2 hours)



Plan and draft a lecture.
Examples of effective lecturing: Discussion & assessment.
Wrap-up of Day 1 and additional talking points.
* These sessions were originally designed and developed by Dr. Amal Bou Zeineddine of AUB
Warm up Discussion Questions
Pre Lecture
1. Why do I use the lecture method in my course?
2. How do I prepare for my lecture? What specific
decisions do I take into consideration when planning a
lecture?
3. Do I rehearse my lecture before I go in?
Warm up Discussion Questions
During Lecture
4. Do I read my lecture or “tell” it to students?
5. How would I describe students’ behavior/attitude in my
lecture?
6. How do I know that my students are with me during my
lecture?
Post Lecture
7. What do I do to make sure that students attained the set
objectives for my lecture?
Guidelines to Have in Mind When
Preparing a Lecture
(Adapted from: Teaching Methods (2000), Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Chicago)
1.
Who are my students? What can I assume with
absolute certainty what they know?
2.
What are the major points that I want to get
across in this lecture? If my students walk out of
the lecture knowing only one new idea, skill, or
concept, what would it be?
3.
What concrete examples can I use to emphasize
these points? Can I think of any examples that
draw on my students' own experiences?
Guidelines to Have in Mind When
Preparing a Lecture
4. What kinds of connections will my students have to
make to previously covered material? Should I plan to
provide these connections?
5. In what ways will my presentation be different as a
lecture from what it would have been as an essay on
the topic?
End of Session 1, Day 1.
BREAK
Planning a Lecture
I. Lecture Introduction
1. I start my lecture by announcing the
specific learning outcomes.
Example(s):
2. I start the lecture by posing a
question or problem to be solved
during the lecture.
Example(s):
3. I tell students how I expect them to
use the lecture material in lab sessions,
classes, assessment etc.
Example(s):
4. I begin my lecture with a quick
summary of key points of previous
lecture.
5. Other suggestions:
Example(s):
Example(s):
Planning a Lecture
II. Lecture Body
6. I make my lecture conversational
(ask questions, ask for oral/ written
responses, pause for 2/3 minutes for
student questions/summary etc.
7. I relate my lecture to real life
situations.
Example(s):
8. I include more than 4 concepts in
a 50-minute lecture.
Example(s):
9. I repeat key ideas and connect them
to the following concept.
Example(s):
10. Other suggestions:
Example(s):
Example(s):
Planning a Lecture
III. Lecture Conclusion
11. I plan time for student
questions/clarifications.
Example(s):
12. I summarize at the end of my
lecture.
Example(s):
13. Other Suggestions:
Example(s):
Planning a Lecture
IV. Lecture Delivery
14. I cue important ideas by varying
speech rate, volume, pitch.
Example(s):
15. I speak to the students and maintain
eye contact ( i.e. not speak to the board,
walls, notes or floor).
Example(s):
16. I let my sense of humor/enthusiasm
show.
Example(s):
17. Other Suggestions:
Example(s):
Planning a Lecture
V. Reflections
18. I make notes to myself after my
lecture (what went well, what didn’t).
Example(s):
19. I use my students’ feedback to
modify/improve my lecture.
Example(s):
20. I solicit feedback from my peers.
Example(s):
21. I know my students’ ability in
note- taking skills.
Example(s):
22. I record and/or videotape myself
lecturing.
Example(s):
23. Other Suggestions.
Example(s):
End & Summary of Day 1

The advantages and disadvantages of the lecture method were
assessed.

We have presented the guidelines to have in mind when
preparing an efficient lecture.

A plan of an efficient lecture was designed and drafted.
OUTLINE, Day 2: Interactive lecturing

Session 1: (2 hours)




Feed-back from participants on Day 1.
Introduction
Issues to consider when teaching “large classes”.
Implementing interactive teaching.
BREAK

Session 2: (2 hours)




Plan and draft an interactive lecture: “Converting” your lecture into an
interactive one.
Examples of interactive lecturing: Discussion and assessment.
Wrap-up of Day Two and additional talking points
Conclusion of workshop: discuss implementation & follow-up
Goal of the session
In this session, we shall present a simple and
effective way to turn your classroom into a
lively but well structured interactive session by
- enhancing teacher-student communication
- encouraging student-student interaction
Why do we lecture?

We teach the way we were taught!

Thought to be the most effective way of delivering
a large amount of information in a short period of
time.

Nice and clear overview of the material.

Is it a HABIT?
BUT…
From Mazur, Physics Today (1996)
Teaching Large Classes: An Uphill Battle?
Anything you can do in a large class,
you can do better in a small one!
(P. Wankat)
Everybody is against it but we have to do it!!
Teaching Large Classes: An Uphill Battle?
1. How do we define a large class? Why do we usually
use the lecture method in large classes?
2. How do you think students feel in a large class? What
about you?
Teaching Large Classes: An Uphill Battle? (II)
3. Do you believe that class size influences:
a. Your teaching effectiveness?
b. The organization and delivery of the
material?
c. Your student assessment plan?
d. Management of your class?
Teaching Large Classes: An Uphill Battle? (III)
4. In your opinion, how long is the attention span of
students in a large class?
5. How would you describe an interactive lecture given
to a large class? Have you ever used interactive
lecturing in large classes? Is applying an interactive
method of learning in a large class is the last thing
you would want to do?
Peer Instruction*: an example of interactive lecturing
* Adapted from “Peer Instruction: a user’s manual”, E. Mazur, Prentice Hall (1997).
Introduction
Lecturing: presentation of a concept
50 minutes
4
Ask a multiple-choice conceptual
question (ConcepTest)
10
Conclusion
1
2
1
4
1
2
1
10
10
1 2 1
Students discuss possible
answers with each other
Solicit answers from student
and summarize
This represents
the ideal lecture
Example of a conceptest
A train car moves along a long straight track. The graph shows
the position as a function of time for this train. The graph shows
that the train:
2. slows down all the time.
3. speeds up part of the time and slows
Position
1. speeds up all the time.
down part of the time.
4. moves at a constant velocity
Time
Student response

Show of hands.

Flashcards.
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/dubsoncards.JPG

Clickers
Variations along the same theme: the ConcepTest
1. Question posed: 1 minute
2. Student thinks, each on his/her own and answers: 1 min.
3. Student discusses answer with neighbor: 2 min.
4. Student shows revised answer.
5. Explanation of correct answer: 1 min.
Two levels of interaction
• Teacher-student:
- active solicitation of student participation.
- teacher enthusiasm is a must and is contagious!!
• Student-student:
-Students can explain to each other more efficiently
than teachers
- Explaining to others leads to clarification and better
understanding of concepts.
Some Advantages
• Student actively involved in the learning process.
• Particularly suitable for large classes where other active-learning
approaches are difficult to use.
• Easy to implement.
• Acquire the habit of reading the material before coming to class
(Check using graded pop-quizzes).
More Advantages
• Immediate feed-back to teacher on student understanding.
• Improved attendance.
• Emphasis on concept based understanding that helps
problem-solving and discourages rote learning
And More…
• Short
questions can be given to start or to wrap up a
lecture.
• Vary the methods: use class demonstration and multimedia (short movies).
• Call on some students (sitting in the back!) to answer.
BUT…
• Less lecturing time means less material covered!
• Student should read before coming to class? You must be
joking!
• Level of multiple-choice conceptual questions?
• Availability of a suitable textbook?
• Uncooperative students...
End of Session 1, Day 2.
BREAK
Planning an interactive lecture

How do I make my lecture interactive?

Can learning be achieved by questioning?

How can I make my lecture “conversational”?
Planning an interactive lecture

How many short questions can I ask during my
lecture?

Design 3 or 4 multiple choice questions that you
can introduce in your lecture.
i.
 ii.
 iii.
 iv.

Summary of Day 2

We have presented a simple and effective way to turn your
classroom into a lively but well structured interactive session.

The major advantages of this technique are the following:
- it triggers student involvement in the teaching-learning
process.
- it emphasizes on conceptual understanding as opposed to
rote-memorization.
- easy to implement!
Acknowledgements: Dr. Amal Bou Zeineddine.