Practical Strategies for Effective Lectures

Abstract

Lecturing is an essential teaching skill for scientists and health care professionals in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. However, few medical or scientific educators have received training in contemporary techniques or technology for large audience presentation. Interactive lecturing outperforms traditional, passive-style lecturing in educational outcomes, and is being increasingly incorporated into large group presentations. Evidence-based techniques range from the very simple, such as inserting pauses for audience discussion, to more technologically advanced approaches such as electronic audience response systems. Alternative software platforms such as Prezi can overcome some of the visual limits that the ubiquitous PowerPoint imposes on complex scientific narratives, and newer technology formats can help foster the interactive learning environment. Regardless of the technology, adherence to good principles of instructional design, multimedia learning, visualization of quantitative data, and informational public speaking can improve any lecture. The storyline must be clear, logical, and simplified compared with how it might be prepared for scientific publication. Succinct outline and summary slides can provide a roadmap for the audience. Changes of pace, and summaries or other cognitive breaks inserted every 15-20 minutes can renew attention. Graphics that emphasize clear, digestible data graphs or images over tables, and simple, focused tables over text slides, are more readily absorbed. Text slides should minimize words, using simple fonts in colors that contrast to a plain background. Adherence to these well-established principles and addition of some new approaches and technologies will yield an engaging lecture worth attending.

Teaching & Learning Tips 5: Making lectures more “active”

“…Namely, key points should be made at the start and end of a lecture, with engaging activities taking place while attention nadirs in the middle of the lecture (Fig. ) . A suggested beginning‐to‐end approach to structuring a lecture in accordance with the “primacy‐recency” effect is outlined below.…”

“…The primacy‐recency effect. Learner attention nadirs in the middle of the lecture and is highest at the beginning and end of a lecture (adapted from Figure in Lenz et al …”

“…Take an opportunity to: State clear learning goals: Learning goals for a lecture about dermatologic signs of systemic disease, for example, will be different for an audience of medical students and continuing medical education conference attendees, respectively. Failing to pitch content and goals at an appropriate level may disengage audience members Draw learners in through a “hook”: Take advantage of the fact that learners’ attention is high at the beginning of a lecture and engage learners’ interest through a “hook.” Table summarizes “hook” techniques for opening a lecture.

Examples of “hooks” and their benefits “Hook” ideas Benefit Ask students to share what they already know about the lecture topic Gauges what students already understand or think about the material Share an interesting clinical vignette or relevant clinical image Captures students’ attention by imparting real‐life relevance to the topic at hand Pose a problem and elicit possible solutions from learners that can be revisited at later points in the lecture Assesses baseline student understanding of the topic and also serves as a “re‐hook” to engage learners throughout the lecture/course Ask students to jot down some of their own questions about the lecture topic Encourages learners to connect their existing knowledge to new knowledge

Provide a road map: Providing an outline of the lecture allows learners to anticipate what is to come.…”

“…In addition, several peer‐to‐peer learning activities are described below. Consider spacing these activities every 10–15 minutes to renew audience attention given that learner attention tends to nadir every 10 minutes or so Pause‐and‐clarify: Use 2‐minute pauses so that learners can reflect on new material and discuss their understanding of the content with their neighbors.…”

“…In broadest terms, “active learning” is promoted by instructional strategies that engage students in the learning process . Though variably defined in the literature (see Teaching & Learning Tips 3: Active learning strategies ), active learning has demonstrated benefits over passive learning at all levels of medical training . Learning benefits include improved attention span, promotion of higher order learning (e.g., analysis, synthesis), prolonged retention of information, and higher performance on written exams …”