Lecturing vs. Active Learning
Lecturing can be defined as “a speech read or delivered before an audience or class.” (Dictionary.com). On the other hand, active learning is defined by “a learning environment that allows students to talk and listen, read, write and reflect as they apply what they are learning.” (Meyers and Jones). There are many distinguishable differences between these two types of teaching/learning styles. Lecturing may be seen as simply reading as it is derived from the Latin word “to read” (Hanford). Active learning is different. It entails many different types of learning such as cooperative learning which is simply problem based learning and the use of case methods and simulations to promote active learning (Hanford). There are many other ways active learning can be used, such as one minute papers which entail students to answer a question given within a minute time frame so that the teacher may see how or if they are grasping the material (Paulson and Faust). Daily journals are another way active learning is used. They are similar to one minute papers except students record what they learned during the day (Paulson and Faust). Active learning stimulates critical thinking while lecturing only allows the student to listen and tune the teacher out.
Lecturing is not always seen as a bad thing. It is a straightforward way to teach students quickly (Kelly). It is also very easy for the teacher to prepare. “Logistically, a lecture is often easier to create than any other methods of instruction.” (Kelly). Lecturing is also beneficial to those who are auditory learners. This type of teaching appeals to their learning style the most (Kelly). Those who learn by listening are prepared for college in this nature because...
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The multiple choices students have today in college have made the university a party environment, resulting in complacent students. Mark Edmundson raises important questions and makes valid points in this essay that are worth thinking about. If people don’t take a look at our present college system and start thinking outside the box, the college education system will continue on its downward spiral of consumerism. It is fun to graduate high school and go to college to party and to have a comedic professor, but there is so much more to college then having fun. People need to realize that by challenging student, students can then start to recognize their own potential end become better for it. Learning and utilizing the information that is being taught in college is essential. “Everyone is born with their own mind, all that is left to do is break out of the stereotypical college student mold, and use
Policymakers pushed for the reconstruction of college financing models, into what we now have today, as a profitable student loan market has emerged (Rossi). Although Edmundson agrees that colleges and universities do not offer today what they once were envisioned to, his opinion on why greatly differs from an emerging possibility. Edmundson in his essay outlines a student body, wholeheartedly content with an education system created entirely for show, rather than the widening of perspective, as a liberal arts education was once meant to do. When detailing student responses to his teachings, Edmundson writes that, “most of all I dislike the attitude of calm consumer expertise that pervades the responses. I 'm disturbed by the serene belief that my function -- and, more important, Freud 's, or Shakespeare 's, or Blake 's -- is to divert, entertain, and interest.” The interest of the students, in the opinion of Edmundson, is supremely consumerist in nature, as defined by their inability to “see intellectual work as a confrontation between two people, student and author, where the stakes matter. ” He goes on to argue that, “university culture, like
According to Worthen, "these newer and innovative teaching methods are moving out the traditional lecturing method " while on the other hand according to Annie Murphy Paul, the active learning helps students to openly interact with one another and participate in lecture. Annie Murphy Paul says, "The act of putting one's own thoughts into words and communicating them to others, is a powerful contributor to learning. Active-learning courses regularly provide opportunities for students to talk and debate with one another in a collaborative, low-pressure environment". Whereas as per Worthen, "Absorbing a long, complex argument is hard work, requiring students to synthesize, organize and react as they listen". I do agree with her that it is a hard work but at the same time I also feel there is no scope of interaction for students during traditional lecture teaching. I would say the key to lecturing method is to keep them short as well as one needs to in cooperate other innovative teaching approaches like active learning. This helps students to interact with the given piece of information which promotes active thought, with the help of activities like discussions, debates , seminars, showing educational videos, application of principles etc. Students are doing more than simply listening which helps in skills development rather than just note-
Wallace, David Foster. “Kenyon Commencement Speech.” They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter In Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 198-210. Print.
Going through college should not be as easy as going through a drive-thru at a fast food restaurant. Young adults should be interactive and critically thinking throughout their education, not disinterested of it. Author Simon Benlow, in his essay “Have It Your Way: Consumerism Invades Education,” believes that students are turning to consumerist ways, not thanks to the college’s culture (139). Since my return to community college, there has been a trend with the younger adults: Not caring.
Style: In terms of style I plan to use a high level of friendliness, which allows me to talk to the audience as a fellow student. While also using informality and low power to make the audience feel at ease.
The article featured by the New York Times called Are College Lectures Unfair? by Annie Murphy Paul is a about the inequality of lecturing in college classrooms. The article talks about how women, minorities, low-income and first generation families have a disadvantage in a lecture setting because they cannot connect with the material as well as others. The article talks about the lecture style classroom and the active learning style. The lecture is as it sounds the teacher talks for hours on end, boring the students half to sleep. Whereas the active learning style which has more structure and teacher-student connection. Overall the article talks about the disadvantages of lecture style classes and it would be in
Paul, Annie Murphy. “Are College Lectures Unfair?” New York Times 13 Sept. 2015: 12(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
Our education is changing every day; students should take full advantage of learning to succeed throughout their career. Miller depicts several meaningful points that bring an agreement on education. Gabrielle Napolitano was suing Princeton University because of the accusation of plagiarism. Back to the article Miller states, “Students get a lower grade in a course than they think they deserve; they sue. Students graduate and fail to get a job, or as good as they expected; they sue.” This quote shows that students think that college will train them for employment, but instead, college is the time to learn and advance in education. Many students today worry more about getting into Ivy Leagues rather than learning and trying to get that learning to have a positive outcome for their own knowledge. The beneficial way into education is to learn more material for one self. For example, if a student is in a class and all they do is try to get everything done for the
Sawhill, Isabel V., and Stephanie Owen. "Why We Still Think College Isn't for Everyone." http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/05/13-college-for-everyone-criticism-response-owen-sawhill. Web blog post. Brookings. The Brooking Institution, 13 May 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
is enough to jog a student’s memory about an assignment due or upcoming test. Students in traditional classroom settings have the responsibility of attending class on time, remaining engaged, and coming prepared. Students are expected to come to class having read the material beforehand in order to participate in class discussions. Professors also have to be ready to teach and keep students engaged by not solely lecturing but involving innovative teaching techniques that help stimulate
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