The Lecture Phil Lightfoot (Physics) A personal perspective.

The Lecture

Phil Lightfoot (Physics)

A personal perspective

Contents

Input and outcome based teaching

Constructive alignment of learning outcomes

My tool box of learning styles

Examples of application of learner centred teaching techniques within Maths III module

Techniques to promote real audience interaction

Ways to encourage continued offline engagement

Movie summary of an Applications of Optics lecture

Adding material to the lecture framework

Barriers to learning

A history of input based teaching

Lecturer focuses on transmission of content and a lecture is deemed successful if the appropriate quantity of syllabus has been covered.

• little attempt to stimulate student off-line learning

• passive student learning taking place in lecture

• under-use of available teaching resources

• lecturer regarded as focal point and conduit of information

The limitations of input based teaching

Passive students tend to be:

• dependent on lecture material and less likely to work offline

• interested by the greatest reward for the least effort

• focused on passing exams

• Surface learners rather than deep learners (SOLO 2,3)

The limitations of input based teaching

A larger intake means that a greater proportion of students come to university simply to get a degree to move into a job and their focus whilst at university is on the destination rather than the journey.

But can a module be designed to cater for the 2013/14 audience?

A future for outcome based teaching

Here the module lectures are based around creating an active learning environment inside and outside the lecture theatre.

• frequent reference to offline learning linked to learning outcomes

• active student learning takes place in lecture

• extensive use of a wide range of available teaching resources

• sustained student engagement and deeper learning are the overarching goals (SOLO 4,5)

The module framework

Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Biggs (1999)

‘getting the student to successfully perform the verb stated in the learning outcome and assessing their performance’

Module design aligns the learning outcomes, the learning activities and the assessment tasks.

Constructive Alignment

The framework of the moduleLearning outcomes should address both higher and lower cognitive skills (i.e. top and bottom levels of Bloom’s taxonomy).

Anderson and Krathwohl 2001

The approach to lecturing

Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Biggs (1999)

Biggs describes four levels of thinking about learning and teaching.

Level 1 : Input based : Not the teacher's responsibility to engage students.

Level 2 : Seeing teaching as a performance : Onus is on lecturer to ‘sell’ a lecture using good craft.

Level 3: Teaching seen as support for learning strategy linked to constructive alignment of a module.

Level 4: The student takes control of their own learning framework (independent learner).

My toolbox of learning styles

• Assimilation

New information is incorporated within an existing schema.

• Accommodation

New information cannot be incorporated within existing schemata, requiring understanding to change to be able to fit. Accommodation comes about when assimilation has failed.

I speed up for assimilation usually showing an example

I slow down for accommodation usually providing evidence, allowing reflection and conceptualisation.

1. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development


I try to construct material to chase the learners around the cycle by asking questions which encourage reflection, conceptualisation and ways of testing ideas and models.

2. The Kolb cycle (1984) Honey and Mumford (1986)

Key questions for activists:Will there be a wide variety of different activities? Will having a go be encouraged?Will I be challenged?

Key questions for reflectors:Will I be given enough time to consider and assimilate?Will there be plenty of reference material to use?Will there be opportunities to develop knowledge offline?

Key questions for theorists:Will there be opportunities to question?Do the learning objectives indicate a clear structure and purpose?Will I encounter complex ideas that will stretch me?

Key questions for pragmatists:Will there be time to practise and experiment?Will there be lots of practical tips and techniques?Will we address real world relevant problems?


To disseminate information

To develop capability to use ideas and info

To develop the ability to critically assess ideas and

information

To develop ability to

generate ideas

Lecture P,T,R Role play A,PGroup

discussionAll

Brainstorm as class

A,P

Lecture led problems

P,T (A get bored, R get distracted)

Practical task

A,P (T and R if time given to reflect)

Students give presentations

A,P

Individual mini

research project

T,R

Self directed study

P,T,A,R as can choose their own method

Team quizzes

A,P (T and R if time given to reflect)

Case study All

Team problem solving

task

All

Demonstration by lecturer

P,R but too passive for A

and too basic for T

Individual quiz

All if questions are well

chosen and relevant


3. VARK model Fleming (1987)

(1) Visual learners: a preference for seeing (maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams).

(2) Auditory learners: best learn through listening (lectures, group discussion, speaking).

(3) Read/write: text-based input and output (reading and writing, PowerPoint, Internet).

(4) Kinaesthetic learners: prefer to learn via experience (demonstrations, simulations, videos, applications).


VARK Example: Snell’s Law

Snell's law is a formula used to describe the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction, when referring to light passing through a boundary between two different media such as water and air.

Audio

Kinaesthetic

Water

air

4. Ripple Model, Phil Race (1993)

Wanting

The student must want to learn. Achieved by pointing out why they’re learning the subject, its relevance and value for their future work. Students must be aware of the learning outcomes.

Feedback

Must be returned to students in good time so that they still care about it, ensuring that they get plenty of advice so they can improve future work. Self assessing their own learning, peer assessing other students.


Adding material to the lecture framework

Clarify the learning outcomes (1 min)

Recap of previous lecture (2 min)

Clarify the offline resources (VLE, facebook) (1 min)

Lecture body menu (4 x 10 min activities): various traditional e.g. discussion, taking notes, solving problem, etc.

Lecture jolt menu (1-2 min activities): tell a story, show a movie, give a demonstration, ask a question, pair discussion, quiz, pass round

an object

Summarise what has been covered (2 min) providing a couple of ‘take home’ messages.

• Students are provided with pre-reading ahead of the lecture and are expected to ask questions during session.

• Prior to starting, initiate a light-hearted conversation with students

• Be friendly - relaxed, enthusiastic, positive

• Lecturer and student on equal basis. Tone of voice = conversational not dictatorial.

• Strong use of eye contact and always refer to students by name

• Be critical of any negative behaviour - maintain environment

• Make it clear that the lecture is for their benefit - focus on learning

• Remind students to interrupt if they need clarification and thank students for questioning material

• Address student concerns sharing knowledge and understanding

• React to audience attention, changing lecture plan to suit.

Techniques to promote audience engagement and real interaction in a large lecture format

Things you can’t change but of which you should be aware

• Room temperature, room dimensions, visibility of boards, noise.

• Attention span varies on the number of prior lectures, low blood sugar, time of day, number of hours sitting in the same seat, etc.

Things you can do to prevent learning

• A stressful environment can be created if there is an expectation that individual students will be singled out to perform.

• Failure to break up a 50 minute lecture into 4 or 5 sections using a demonstration, a worked example, a question to the audience, a story, a video, etc.

• Failure to observe the audience and react by changing the teaching style if their attention is waning.

Barriers to learning during the lecture and those actions performed by the lecturer which can prevent learning

Promoting continued enthusiasm for offline independent study

• At end of lecture summarise what has been covered and ask if students are happy. Provide a couple of ‘take home’ messages.

• Direct students to engage in activities related to the lecture content (e.g. use of Audacity, timelapse photography, internet ‘instructables’, Youtube).

• Some learning outcomes must be linked / aligned to offline components (applets, online tutorials, support movies, practice questions, quizzes, worked examples).

• Promote offline resources at the start of each lecture.

• Promote the use of group resources for discussion.

Contact time in lectures represents a small fraction of the time students are expected to spend learning a module. Sustained participation in offline active high-level learning is important.

Example: Maths III2nd year module teaching solution of partial differential equations, Fourier series, Fourier transforms and the Frobenius method.

2 2

2 2 2

( , ) 1 ( , )y x t y x t

x c t

0)()()(2

2

xtCdt

dxtB

dt

xdtA

dtetfF ti )()(

Maths III LecturesGood for P,T,R. Try to ask many questions to keep A engaged.

Maths III Lecturer Led ProblemsGood for P and T. A get bored and R get distracted so try to make sessions as interactive as possible and link to notes.

Maths III Demonstration by lecturerGood for P ad R but too passive for A and too basic for T. Ask lots of questions and link demo to theory and maths.

Maths III Team QuizGood for A and P (T and R too if time given to reflect)

Maths III Case StudyAll : to critically assess information and ideas

Maths III Offline challengeGood for A and P (T and R too if time given to reflect)

Maths III notes/self directed studyGood for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....

Maths III Individual QuizGood for all

Maths III notes/self directed studyGood for P,T,A and R as they can choose their own method....

The Lecture Phil Lightfoot (Physics) A personal perspective.

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