IMPROVING YOUR LECTURING

May be quoted in whole or in part if credit is given the source

Instructional Development
Center for Teaching Excellence
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

FOREWORD

Acquiring knowledge is a task which you, as a university instructor, have successfully mastered. Just acquiring knowledge, however, will not always be sufficient. Sooner of later you will be judged, not only by how much you have learned, but also by how well you can pass your knowledge on to others--whether those be students in a classroom or colleagues in business or industry. We believe that much of what is involved in passing knowledge on to others can be learned, practiced, and continually improved upon.

These pages represent neither a recipe booklet nor a text for teaching. Rather they address a series of topics thought to be important for all who wish to seriously consider their lecturing skills. It is meant to provide you with some ideas that may be elaborated or adapted according to your purpose.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Lecture Method

Suggestions for Effective Lecture Preparation and Delivery

The Beginning of the Lecture

The Body of the Lecture

The Closing of the Lecture

Questions to Consider

• Delivery-Vocal
• Delivery-Physical
• Other

Practical Suggestions for Using Visual Instructional Aids

Three Methods for Assessing Lecturing Skills

Videotape Self-Review

Colleague Review

Student Evaluation of Lecturing

Suggestions for Interpreting Collected Assessments

References for Further Reading