![]() Unlike professors who typically expect students to conform to college-level norms (such as sitting through an hour-long lecture and at least appear to be attentive), K-12 teachers think of the classroom period as a block of minutes that needs to be carefully structured to maximize the potential for student engagement. ![]() But Bligh’s point was that because students’ attention spans and memory stamina vary widely, breaking the lecture into smaller increments of no longer than 20-30 minutes was optimal for different age groups he studied.Īny college professor who noticed a dramatic drop-off in attendance and participation in virtual courses that tried to preserve the existing lecture format could benefit from strategies K-12 educators learn in teacher-preparation programs regarding how to structure classroom time. The author’s work did not discount the fact that there are inspirational teachers whose lectures are so compelling they can hold student attention for hours. In his 1971 book “ What’s the Use of Lectures?,” author Donald Bligh compared the four things teachers claimed students would get from lectures (acquisition of information, promotion of thought, changes in attitude, and development of behavior skills) with what his research showed pupils actually gained: only acquisition of information. Let’s start with one of education’s most hallowed traditions: the lecture. Yet that discomfort also raises opportunities to question prevailing assumptions about how teaching and learning occurs. Many things did not translate well online. What’s the Use of Lectures?įor many, the recent leap to remote instruction felt rushed, chaotic and disorganized. This was followed by a stint helping to create a new graduate school of education that required understanding the job of a K-12 teacher well enough to create a set of teachable and measurable competencies that would undergird a competency-based teacher-education program.įrom these experiences, it became clear that every aspect of education could benefit from sharing of experience and expertise across educational sectors. In my 2014 book “ MOOCS Essentials,” I reflected on each aspect of the residential learning process and how developers of massive open online courses were trying to replicate those experiences virtually, or come up with ways to keep students engaged without direct teacher-student interaction. Insights that derive from dialog between K-12, higher education, and online-learning providers could well shape instructional practices for the better as students return to school, whether in a classroom or over Zoom. One source for insights on how to proceed is the cross-pollination that takes place when educators working in separate spheres learn from one another. Much of this reflection is likely to take place within the often siloed communities of practice in K-12 and higher education. With some schools already announcing they will not reopen normally in the fall, and many others considering their options, educators are hoping to take advantage of the summer to improve on this spring’s sink-or-swim plunge into distance learning.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |