Lecture Method

Advantages of using Lecture Method

One need not heavily depend upon audio-visual aids
and other gadgets for presentation. We may not even
use any audiovisual aids and gadgets for a lecture.
Most economical one from cost point of view assuming
that the trainer is competent in lecturing on the
particular content.
Knowledge-level content can very conveniently be
passed on to the participants.
Disadvantages of Lecture Method

Someone poor in these aspects is likely to give a very
poor performance in lecturing.
Practically some trainers take advantage of the method
because of its medium (the spokenwords) and speak
anything and get away with it. Thus, they misuse the
method.
Some trainers make use of the age old, outdated
lecture notes, which they might have prepared several
years back.
They present outdated information through lecture
method and waste the time allotted.
Effective oral presentation depends heavily upon the
strength of vocabulary and knowledge of grammar
rules including structures of sentences.


Advantages and disadvantages of lectures
Advantages
* Effective lecturers can communicate the intrinsic interest of a
subject through their enthusiasm.
* Lectures can be specifically organized to meet the needs of
particular audiences.
* Lectures can present large amounts of information.
* Lectures can be presented to large audiences.
* Lecturers can model how professionals work through
disciplinary questions or problems.
* Lectures allow the instructor maximum control of the learning
experience.
* Lectures present little risk for students.
* Lectures appeal to those who learn by listening.

Disadvantages
* Lectures fail to provide instructors with feedback about the
extent of student learning.
* In lectures, students are often passive because there is no
mechanism to ensure that they are intellectually engaged with
the material.
* Students' attention wanes quickly after fifteen to twenty-five
minutes.
* Information tends to be forgotten quickly when students are
passive.
* Lectures presume that all students learn at the same pace and
are at the same level of understanding.
* Lectures are not suited for teaching higher orders of thinking
such as application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation; for
teaching motor skills, or for influencing attitudes or values.
* Lectures are not well suited for teaching complex, abstract
material.
* Lectures requires effective speakers.
* Lectures emphasize learning by listening, which is a
disadvantage for students who have other learning styles.


Why lecture?
Though no longer used to spread the content of a single book,
lectures are generally used to teach new knowledge and skills,
promote reflection, and stimulate further work and learning.
In the appropriate context, and assuming a certain quality
standard, the lecture is an effective means of teaching. The
main benefits of lectures are that:
they are an effective way of providing information that is not
available from other sources
they can be cost-effective for transmitting factual information
to a large audience
they provide background information and ideas, basic concepts
and methods that can be developed later by private study, or in
small tutor-supervised group activities
they can be used to highlight similarities and differences
between key concepts
They can be a useful way of demonstrating processes.
He main disadvantages of lectures are that:
Lecturing tends to place the audience in a passive role. People
may be busy taking notes but usually have little time to reflect,
question or analyse and synthesise ideas
lectures are not an effective method for changing attitudes or
encouraging higher-order thinking
lecturing doesnt encourage the audience to move beyond
memorising the information presented and long-term retention
may be poor
lecturing reproduces a power differential in which the lecturer
is guardian and gatekeeper of knowledge and the audience are
the recipients of whatever the lecturer chooses to reveal
Lectures are not suitable for a wide diversity of ability.
While we tend to assume that a lecture is the only way to teach
a large body of people, and equally we tend to rule out the
possibility of delivering a lecture to a small group, by no means
is either always the case. There are a number of effective
methods of teaching large groups, and a skilled lecturer can
adapt the format to accommodate relatively small groups yet
it will still be recognisably a lecture.
There are a number of sound reasons for choosing the lecture,
among them (starting with the most pragmatic):
When there is no workable alternative due to size of group,
venue, etc.
when the programme stipulates it, such as at a conference or
as part of an undergraduate programme
when part of the purpose is to set guidelines for assignments,
exams, etc.
when the aim is to present broad outlines of a subject and
factual information
when the aim is to illustrate process and/problem-solving
strategies
when you want to model academic practice you wish to
encourage
When you are invited.
A good lecture at the right time:
facilitates learning of the key basic principles of the subject
fits coherently into the overall teaching programme
is relevant, well presented and holds students attention
is organised into a logical structure
supports and builds on previous learning
is stimulating and provides food for thought.


What is the Lecture Method?
The word lecture comes from the Latin word lectus, from the
14th century, which translates roughly into to read. The
term lecture, then, in Latin, means that which is read. It
wasnt until the 16th century that the word was used to
describe oral instruction given by a teacher in front of an
audience of learners.
Today, lecturing is a teaching method that involves, primarily,
an oral presentation given by an instructor to a body of
students. Many lectures are accompanied by some sort of
visual aid, such as a slideshow, a word document, an image, or
a film. Some teachers may even use a whiteboard or a
chalkboard to emphasize important points in their lecture, but
a lecture doesnt require any of these things in order to qualify
as a lecture. As long as there is an authoritative figure (in any
given context) at the front of a room, delivering a speech to a
crowd of listeners, this is a lecture.
Now, you might feel that this method sounds pretty one-
sided. If you think so, youd be one of the many people who
believe the lecture method is a poor way of teaching. Before
we get into the cons, though, lets explore why the lecture
method has been used for as long as it has, and what value
educators have found in its ways.

Advantages of the Lecture Method
The lecture method has a few advantages that has kept it as
the standard approach to teaching for so long. Below is a list,
followed by some descriptions of each of these.
Teacher control: Because the lecture is delivered by
one authoritative figure a teacher, professor, or
instructor of some other kind that person has full
reign of the direction of the lesson and the tone of
the classroom. They alone are able to shape the
course, and so lectures remain highly consistent when
it comes to what kind of information is delivered, and
how its delivered.
New material: Lectures are literally just long-winded
explanations of information, deemed important by
the lecturer. As such, students can absorb large
quantities of new material.
Effortless: The lecture method makes the learning
process mostly effortless on the part of the students,
who need only pay attention during the lecture and
take notes where they see fit. Because so little input
is required from students, its the most clear,
straightforward, and uncomplicated way to expose
students to large quantities of information as
explained above and in a way that is controlled and
time sensitive. Students just need to know how to
take good notes check out this course on note
taking skills for some tips.


Disadvantages of the Lecture Method
Whats funny about the lecture method is many of the pros
listed above could actually be seen as cons, as well. Many
dont see the nature of the lecture method as helpful in the
least, and youll find the explanations as to why listed below.
One-way: People who are against the lecture method
see it as a one-way street. Professors dictate
information to students, who have little to no
opportunity to provide their own personal input, or
protest the information being delivered. What if the
professor is wrong, or what if the student disagrees
with the professor on a fundamental ideology in their
lecture? Well, the student just has to sit down and
take it; sometimes, the student will even be forced to
agree with the lecture if they want a passing grade. If
the lecture is on a sensitive topic, over which there is
much conflicting discourse, you can imagine the
problems this might cause.
Passive: Not only do people see the lecture method as
a biased, one-way road, but they also see it as a
wholly passive experience for students. This isnt just
harmful because of the ways we described above. Not
being actively engaged in a discussion over certain
material can make the material itself seem worthless
to a student. After all, the point of an education isnt
to be programmed to think a certain way, according
to your instructors lectures, but to critically analyze
the information being provided and learn how to
apply it in different contexts. If a student has no place
to opportunity the course material with the person
delivering the lecture, they will receive only a shallow
understanding of the subject being discussed. Simply
put, they might even be bored by the material
because they will have no opportunity to learn how
the subject applies to them on a personal level.
Strong speaker expectations: The lecture method can
be disadvantageous to the professor, as well. Not all
academics can be expected to have the same level of
public speaking skill. What if a teacher is a genius in
his or her field, knows the material from every angle,
and is enthusiastic about the subject but has
trouble speaking in front of large groups? The quality
of a professors course should not suffer because they
are unable to prepare a decent lecture. Just as being
lectured to might not be the learning method of
choice for many students, being the one that is
expected to do the lecturing might not be the best
way for every instructor to present their course
material. But because the range of academic teaching
methods are so limited, they are usually expected to
do exactly that, potentially losing the elements of
their lesson plan that makes it so strong. Check out
this course on mastering public speaking for some
tips on avoiding this pitfall.