Over the past few years the question of whether the lecture is an effective teaching method has been one of the most heatedly debated topics in the field of higher education. While research on the effectiveness of lectures has been carried out since at least the 1960s, the value of the lecture has been increasingly questioned recently for a number…

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of assessment method (essays vs. examinations) and instruction method (seminars vs. lectures) on student perceptions of the fairness of the assessment process. Department-specific combinations of these factors give a unique profile to the assessment process and to the way students interact with…

Self-efficacy for learning, which refers to students' beliefs in their capabilities to regulate their own learning, could determine students' motivation and academic achievement and, therefore, is significant in the learning process. This study examined how educational efforts based on constructivist theory were associated with the…

Although collaborative instructional techniques have become popular in college courses, it is unclear whether collaborative techniques can replace more traditional instructional methods. We examined the efficacy of collaborative courses (in-class, collaborative activities with no lectures) compared to traditional lecture courses (in-class,…

Traditional classroom instruction consists of teacher-centered learning in which the instructor presents course material through lectures. A recent trend in higher education is the implementation of student-centered learning in which students take a more active role in the learning process. The purpose of this article is to describe the discomfort…

There is a growing literature on the educational benefits of using podcasting of lectures in higher education, but to date little research that interrogates closely its impact on student learning. The present study investigated how students used lecture podcasts produced in two engineering courses at a South African university. The findings…

Describes three studies that were performed to investigate the efficacy of digital PowerPoint lecturing in undergraduate classrooms. Results revealed that lecture difficulty, but not the method of lecturing, contributed to grade differences, and suggest that the efficacy of PowerPoint lecturing may be case specific rather than universal.…

Three members of the Ohio State University Astronomy department developed an audiovisual program in Astronomy to provide a format for more active student participation than is possible in large lecture sessions. The program consists of 18 filmstrip/cassette modules and an integrated textbook which were utilized on an individual basis, allowing…

Compares two introductory statistics courses at Bar-Ilan University (Israel), one offered as an Internet-based course and one as a traditional lecture-based course. Highlights include expectations of students; student satisfaction at the end of the course; students' self-confidence in the Internet course; and cost effectiveness. (Author/LRW)

Compares lecture, video, and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to identify which method produces more immediate and long-term recall of the information presented in an introductory college mass communications course. Findings showed that CAI and lecture formats seemed to provide better opportunity for immediate recall, although no single method…

Auto-tutorial instruction was compared to traditional lecture instruction in a university entomology course. In seven consecutive terms, undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory entomology course were divided into two groups: Group I received only lecture instruction on insect orders, while Group II was dismissed for three consecutive…

Describes a study that examined instructor perceptions of the effectiveness of various instructional methods used with interactive television at Ohio University. The frequent use of the lecture format, group discussions, and overhead transparencies is examined, recommendations for faculty training are discussed, and future research is suggested.…

This study investigated the effectiveness of videotape as a medium for communicating skills in audiovisual instruction to education students at a university. Results indicate videotape mediated instruction can be better for developing skills in some practical aspects of audiovisual instruction than the lecture method. (MBR)

Discussion of computer-based learning (CBL) in universities focuses on a study in the United Kingdom that measured the effectiveness of replacing lectures with CBL materials. Describes the results of questionnaires used to assess students' perceptions of the usefulness and effectiveness of the CBL materials compared to lectures. (Author/LRW)

This study compared the effectiveness of the traditional library lecture and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in scheduled credit classes in library skills. Subjects were 18 college freshman attending branch campuses who were academically underprepared for college level study and who also lacked basic library skills. Eleven students were taught…