Preparing Handouts

1. Preparing Handouts Prof. T. Bere and Mrs. D. Musiyandaka January 25, 2012 for AcademY of Teaching and Learning, Chinhoyi University of Technology

2. What is a Handout? • A document that serves as an addendum to lectures used for student • Preparation • Comprehension • Revision • NB: Not a Substitute for Lectures

3. Purpose of Handouts • Mature Student • As a template to use during lectures. Few notes required during lectures • Traditional (conventional) student • As a template to which to add notes during lectures • Student with disability • To be downloaded before lecture and engage in individual reading • Student with specific learning difficulties • To familiarise with structure of lecture beforehand • International student • As a templates to which to add notes and highlight keywords • ALL STUDENTS • To reuse as a study aid at exam time

4. Level of Detail in Handouts • Mature Student • Highly detailed material • Traditional Student • Slide notes handouts • Student with disability • Highly detailed material • Student with specific learning difficulties • Slides notes handouts • International Student • Slide notes handouts

5. Material Presented on Handouts Summary of issues discussed in class Complete worked examples Graphical illustrations of concepts Directions/References to additional learning/reading resources Discussions of advanced work in areas just introduced Discussions of practical applications of theoretical aspects just presented Supplementary notes on subject areas Additional practice exercises for student to attempt on their own

6. Guidelines on Preparations Identify the primary objective of the handout Identify the student group (mature(block)/conventional/disabled etc.) Collate the material you wish to present Type the material as a Word document for ease of distribution/printing/reading Distribute the handouts in advance (at end of lecture in preparation for next lecture)

7. Distributing Handouts • Do not distribute the handout for lecture A at the end of lecture A otherwise students will experience the following problems: • Difficulty in writing continuously e.g. Mature students • Hindrances in cognitive engagement and full participation since lecture degenerates to an exercise in speed writing • Missing lectures e.g. Disable students • Difficulty writing notes in a second language – foreign students

8. Pertinent Issues to Consider • Partially sighted students • Use clear, simple, semi-large typefaces • Size 12 font size • Bold print for emphasis • avoid block capitals • Have plain background • Introducing new concepts in handouts • Poor lecture skills • Introduce the concepts in the very least • Use handout to point to additional material

9. Pertinent Issues to Consider • Using skeleton handouts • To give structure of the lecture • With space for note-filling during the lecture • The Spoon-feeding Phenomena • Students must do the work and earn their degrees • Do not give handouts in place of lectures (they cannot be a substitute for the learning achieved though interactions and discussions between student and lecturer.

10. Lectures and Handouts The English you speak is better than the English you write. Really??? Let students be the Judge. OR • Handouts ADD VALUE to your lectures! • Use BOTH I can’t understand a thing that he is saying: the handout uses better English. His is broken! Ndakuno ‘stada’ shamwari. Kuuyakulecturekunobatsira. Anyatsotsanangurachaizvo. Shaa! You missed out I tell you! Baba avavanogonokuleya!

11. Conclusion • A lecture without handouts means students spend too much time writing and too little time assimilating content • End Result: Reduce Learning