Travis Carpenter

SOST 316
Lecture or No Lecture
9/8/15
The lecture has been the preferred teaching method, especially in higher education, for
more than 600 years. Some teachers prefer lecturing because they are most comfortable with this
style of teaching. They may not feel they are as effective when they use other teaching methods.
Teachers should be allowed to teach in the way they feel the most comfortable. If the
community of educators has agreed to value student learning styles, why not allow adults the
freedom to play to their own strengths as well? (WALTHAUSEN, 2013). I feel the lecture still
has a place in education as long as it is used correctly. I think students in middle school should
be able to pay attention and follow along with a lecture as long as the teacher presents the
material in an interesting way. Besides, as middle school teachers, we are responsible for
preparing students for high school and beyond where the preferred method of instruction is
through lecture.
I feel the traditional style of lecture is dead, or close to it. The days of the teacher
standing in front of the class droning on and on about a particular topic are definitely over.
Students of all ages and ability levels need to have their minds stimulated through various means
if any learning is to occur. If a teacher does decide to go with a straight lecture format, then he
or she must be able to captivate the audience. I had a history professor recently who mixed in
personal stories from his life into his lecture. The humorous stories made the lecture much more
interesting because he was able to personalize the information.
Lectures should be used in conjunction with other teaching methods. While some
students may learn best by listening to the teacher and taking notes, others may not learn in the

same way. The teacher should incorporate hands on activities to ensure that those students who
are kinesthetic learners get the most out of the instruction. Also, a teacher who uses lectures
should also incorporate some sort of technology into the lesson. This could be accomplished
through the use of programs such as power point to display images of what is being lectured on.
Doing so would allow students who are visual learners to view as well as hear the information
and will enhance the learning of all students.
There are many ways in which a teacher can improve the lecture. One way is to make a
lecture more interesting is to break up the instruction into smaller chunks. The teacher should
provide mental and/or physical breaks every 15 or 20 minutes (or sooner for younger
students) (WALSH, 2014). As an education major, we are instructed to allow the students to
have a brain break in order to get up and move around a little bit so they can stay focused on
the lesson. A teacher who uses lectures should be enthusiastic about the subject. If the teacher is
passionate and excited about the material, then the students are more likely to be interested.
Another way to lecture effectively is to engage the students in a discussion based on the topic
being taught. A teacher should stop lecturing once in a while and ask students questions, not
only to assess student understanding, but also to engage the students critical thinking skills.
Research studies have shown that in order to understand, analyze, apply, and commit
information to long-term memory, the learner must actively engage with the material. In order
for a lecture to be effective, it must include activities that compel the student to mentally
manipulate the information. Many lecturers of course do this, by stopping and asking for
comments or questions throughout the lecture (BATES, 2014). The Derek Bok Center for
Teaching and Learning at Harvard University lists 20 strategies teachers can use to enhance
participation during lectures. One particular suggestion was for the teacher making eye contact

with the student when the student is answering or asking a question. Teachers should also
create an atmosphere that encourages student participation by using a conversational tone and
not criticizing student questions or comments in front of the class (Sarkisian, 2010).
Overall, I feel the lecture still has a place in education, teachers just need to learn
strategies for making lectures more effective.

References
BATES, T. (2014, July 27). Why lectures are dead (or soon will be). Retrieved from
http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/07/27/why-lectures-are-dead-or-soon-will-be/
Sarkisian, E. (2010). TWENTY WAYS TO MAKE LECTURES MORE PARTICIPATORY.
Retrieved from Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard
University: http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/TFTlectures.html
WALSH, K. (2014, November 2). The Lecture is Dead! Long Live the Lecture!
Retrieved from Emerging Ed Tech:
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/11/lecture-is-dead-long-live-thelecture/
WALTHAUSEN, A. (2013, November 21). Don't Give Up on the Lecture. Retrieved
from The Atlantic:
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/11/dont-give-up-on-thelecture/281624/