Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning - The good and the bad of lectures

The advantages of lectures

Lecturing that is done well can reach a large number of students and at the same time:

expose them to the personal perspective of an expert on their field of expertise
reveal to them the ongoing workings of a scholarly mind: Students can see how professionals work through disciplinary questions or problems
inform them of the most recent developments in the field
demonstrate a lecturer’s own enthusiasm and interest for the subject
cover large amounts of material that may not otherwise be available to them
provide information specially organised for their needs
set clear expectations and structure thus setting the stage for forthcoming activities
highlight major ideas for the class
provide a role model of good communication skills
provide a low risk educational experience for students.

Lectures are constrained by:

being no more effective than other methods for teaching information
the inadequacy of students’ note-taking in lectures
poor recall and understanding of lecture content by students
students’ lack of attention after 15 – 20 minutes
lecturers getting little feedback about what students are learning
the assumption that students are at the same level of understanding and will learn at the same pace
their lack of suitability for teaching complex, abstract material
their emphasis on learning by listening, which is a disadvantage for those who have other learning styles
the need for effective speakers
student passivity.