GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE: Preparation & Orchestration A session in “Preparing to Teach: Introductory Programme for N

1. GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE: Preparation & Orchestration A session in “Preparing to Teach: Introductory Programme for New Teachers”

2. Adopted from the workshop presented by: Josephine M. Csete Educational Development Centre Hong Kong Polytechnic University August 2000

3. THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION CAROLE CABLE

4. GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE: Preparation & Orchestration “The best general advice to the teacher who would lecture well is still, 'Don't lecture.’” Eble (1988) “Good teaching employs head, hands and heart.” K. P. Kwan (1996) “Most student learning occurs outside the classroom.” McKeachie (1994)

5. SESSION OBJECTIVES By the end of this session you will have: • Discussed key issues and concerns about lecturing • Generated solutions addressing these key issues • Explored the components of good lecturing practice More specifically:  Deciding on learning goals  Organizing the lecture  Preparing lecture materials  Practicing the lecture presentation  Delivery skills  Learning from your own lecturing

6. I. DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS Here are four steps to help you decide what and how much to include in your lecture: • Select the Main Points • Draft Learning Objectives • Prioritize • Revise and Complete Outline

7. Write a one sentence purpose statement for your lecture List the main points you plan to cover Generally no more than five major topics Points can be:  topical  heuristical (reasons why)  chronological  procedural DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS 1. Select the Main Points

8. 2. Draft Learning Objectives DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS • Turn your purpose and main points into objectives of what the students should learn • List everything you want students to learn • Include examples, activities, and demonstrations that would help them learn each main point • Do not be concerned about time (yet)

9. 3. Prioritize DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS i. Go through your outline and prioritize: 1 = essential for students 2 = important but not essential 3 = nice to know ii. Think in terms of what you want students to learn rather than what you will present

10. 4. Revise and Complete Outline DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS • Make sure you have examples, demonstrations, questions and practice activities for each main point • Be sure to include your introduction, break times and conclusion • Assign times for each main point and activity • Continue revising your outline until you have your “best guess” as to the amount of information and activities you can cover In the time available • Final outline becomes a blueprint for developing the lecture

11. II. ORGANIZING THE LECTURE Lectures have three distinct parts: • Introduction: “What you're gonna learn” • Body: “Learn it” • Conclusion: “What you've learned”

12. Introduction ORGANIZING THE LECTURE 1. Purpose • to gain your students’ attention (“Attention Getter”) • to state your purpose and main points (“Objectives”) • to relate to students' motives (“Motivation”) • to orient your students • to the organized main ideas of the lesson (“Advance Organizer”) • to the time schedule and techniques of presentation (“Agenda”) • to help your students recall related information (“Review”)

13.  Introduction ORGANIZING THE LECTURE 2. Gaining attention • describe an interesting case • use a quotation • statistics • unusual story • current events • humor

14. ORGANIZING THE LECTURE  Introduction 3. Stating your purpose and main points • state overall purpose of lecture • state main points to be covered • briefly explain each point • explain how topic will affect them

15. ORGANIZING THE LECTURE  Body 1. Begin by restating each main point/learning goal 2. Explain and demonstrate main points • present essential points first, followed by most important next, and “nice to know” last 3. Use examples to facilitate understanding • at least one example per idea • verbal and/or visual • use several examples for complex ideas • use interesting examples • restate idea at end of example(s) • make sure students can relate to examples

16. ORGANIZING THE LECTURE  Body 4. Have students practice using main points • provide problems, cases, questions, etc., where students respond • students respond by writing answers in pairs or small groups • students’ responses indicate their understanding of the main points • provide correct answers to practice and explain why it is correct (“Feedback & Remediation”) 5. Briefly summarize at end of each main point 6. Provide transition statement to next main point

17. ORGANIZING THE LECTURE  Conclusion 1. Provides a logical ending – a sense of completeness and structure. 2. Restate main points (“Summary”) 3. Restate purpose sentence and how topic relates to audience (“Objectives" & "Motivation”) 4. Connect with other instructional segments of past and future (“Integration”)

18. ORGANIZING THE LECTURE  Conclusion 5. Check to see whether students have accomplished the main purpose of the lecture (Checking can be done by teacher, peer, self) (“Test”) 6. Finish with a flourish • on time • enthusiastic • use an attention getter

19. III. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS • Your Lecture Notes • Visual Aids • Students’ Materials

20. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Your Lecture Notes • Notes should contain the sequence of what you will say and what students will be doing • Notes should serve as reminders only • Detailed notes on attention getters, transitions, conclusion • Reminders for main/sub points • Cues for examples and visual aids • Reminders about presentation style

21. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Your Lecture Notes • Tips: Fewer the better/KISS (Keep it simple stupid) Develop your own style Numbered pages/sheets Print large Use only one side Try computer presentation software

22. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Visual Aids • What visual aids should include:  An attention getter/a presentation overview  Your main points  Graphs, charts, graphics to support main points  Directions for activities  A closing attention getter

23. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Visual Aids • Tips: The “Rule of 7’s” - Overheads and slides should be limited to: 7 words per line 7 lines per visual aid  18 - 24 point font size  Stories & Cartoons: Good idea, but what's the point?  Graphs, charts and tables from books. Blow them up!

24. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Students’ Materials • Provide (some) materials that students can use for preparation before lecture (pre-readings, etc.) • Provide handouts at the start of lecture so that students can: • listen & think about what you are saying rather than just write • add their own notes to yours

25. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Students’ Materials • Handouts should include:  complex charts, tables, diagrams  essential information (main points, key vocabulary, etc.)  information for which accuracy is important (formulae, names, dates)

26. PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS  Students’ Materials • Tips:  consider “interactive handouts” in which students fill in some missing information during the lecture  ascribe to the "less is more" principle

27. IV. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION There are five steps to practicing the lecture for delivery: • Review Your Notes • Early Practice • Polishing the Delivery • Formal Practice • Mental Imaging

28. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION 1. Review Your Notes • Work one section at a time • Review until you can recall both the meaning of your notes and the sequence of thoughts • Continue for entire presentation • All mental – nothing out loud

29. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION 2. Early Practice • Begin practicing out loud • Go one section at a time • Work especially on introduction, transitions and conclusion

30. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION 3. Polishing the Delivery • Practice out loud with visuals • Pay attention to eye contact, gestures and delivery • Time yourself

31. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION 4. Formal Practice • Go through entire presentation • Invite colleagues, staff, etc. to listen • Audiotape/videotape your own lecture

32. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION 5. Mental Imaging • Mentally practice • See yourself in front of the audience • Give yourself a pep talk

33. PRACTICING THE LECTURE PRESENTATION Final Thoughts on Preparing to Present... • Prepare ahead of time • Practicing aloud does make a difference • Identify and develop your own style

34. V. DELIVERY SKILLS • Prepare the Environment Before Lecture • Verbal Delivery • Nonverbal Delivery Click here for the checklist to guide you in delivering your lecture (To read the file in PDF format, Acrobat Reader is required.)

35. VI. LEARNING FROM YOUR OWN LECTURING • Self Reflection • Feedback from Colleagues and Other “Expects” • Feedback from Students

36. LEARNING FROM YOUR OWN LECTURING  Self Reflection • Reflect upon what went well and what needs modification or change • Jot ideas directly on your lecture notes so you will be reminded of revisions for next time. • Video or audiotape a lecture for private review (microteaching)

37. LEARNING FROM YOUR OWN LECTURING  Colleagues and Other “Experts” • Sit in a colleague’s lecture, or ask someone to sit in your lecture • Read about teaching in general and/or teaching your subject area • Make use of local “educational consultants” either for workshops, or individual consulting

38. LEARNING FROM YOUR OWN LECTURING  Students • Collect feedback from students • Types of feedback:  informal conversations (reliable?)  “one minute papers” (to check students’ understanding)  formative surveys (What is helping students learn? What could you do to make their learning easier?)  …

39. GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE: Preparation & Orchestration A session in “Preparing to Teach: Introductory Programme for New Teachers” Enjoy Lecturing!