This brief forum article reviews texts on lectures and reveals that not much has changed on this topic. What has happened over the years is that lectures have often been maligned and alternatives that promote student engagement, active learning, and experiential learning have been promoted as the (only) way to reach today's students. The use of…

Two articles in the January 2013 issue address the need for teachers to focus on student learning rather than on what the teacher does (Scoufis, 2013) and make learning the object of inquiry (Cerbin, 2013). A big part of making this happen is reducing or eschewing lecture that is one-directional and one-dimensional. This often means that teachers…

In this article, the author discusses two approaches to teaching: "a guide on the side" and "a sage on the stage." He juxtaposes Alison King's heavy-handed characterization of the traditional college lecturer, and offers his own characterization of self-styled stage-hog professors to offset King's caricature. He also presents a composite picture…

Discussed is the college teacher as lecturer. Three basic areas are looked at: attention mechanisms, information processing, and memory. Nine suggestions are presented which, if employed, will improve the lecture process. (KC)

Examines the negative aspects of teleteaching and distance education. Makes recommendations for teachers to follow to improve both classroom lecturing and distance education teleconferencing. (JMV)

Presents an interview with Leon F. Litwack, a professor of U.S. history at the University of California, Berkeley. Covers topics such as what led him to teaching history, his lectures at Berkeley, themes covered in his U.S. history surveys, and his perception of good teaching. (CMK)

Examines the poor professional preparation of college students for postgraduate employment. The article maintains that students are unprepared to teach upper-division courses in second-language instruction. A lecture series to address problems in teaching these courses was developed and offered as a minicourse. (CK)

If librarians want to be given faculty status, they must become more involved in the instructional process. Part of that responsibility is to help inform faculty of the ineffectiveness of the lecture-textbook method in educating undergraduate students and to demonstrate that practical and constructive alternatives exist. (MSE)

In an article in the "Northern Star," a university student newspaper, reporter Lauren Stott began a lyrical note: "It's every student's dream: Wake up for school, stumble over to the computer, and download the day's class lectures ... then crawl back into bed--iPod in one hand, notebook in the other." The object of the student journalist's…

Considerations that affect the type of teaching method employed in undergraduate studies and medical schools are addressed, with attention to the current emphasis on the lecture method and alternative educational experiences that require students to be active, independent learners and problem solvers. Perceived academic priorities and the…

The beliefs and experiences of three college teachers at a college of business are described to examine assumptions about teaching and its improvement. One of the teachers was a full professor who had spent 12 years with a consulting firm and continued to work as a consultant. Classroom observation revealed that he was an outstanding narrator who…

This article profiles the teaching careers of history professor Giovanni Costigan of the University of Washington and English professor Tommy Howells of Whitman College in Walla Walla (Washington). It maintains that both men were accomplished lecturers who set the standard for their respective campuses and corners of Washington State. (MDM)

Challenges to the psychology teacher are considered, including engaging students in the learning process, helping students develop a historical perspective in their study of psychology, and dealing with controversial topics. Resistance to answering questions is likely to be greatest when the lecturer asks for highly specific facts. Students may be…

Drawn largely from the experiences of Bloomfield College (Illinois) with its Freshman Core Program, but citing other efforts to develop thinking skills as well, this essay considers several questions and issues concerning the cognitive skills approach to teaching. The paper begins by identifying some of the increasingly common learning problems…