[comp.edu] Books on Lecturing: SUMMARY

hand@gec-mi-at.co.uk (Chris Hand) (08/13/90)

Recently on comp.edu I asked:

> Surely there are some books out there that are considered essential
> reading for budding lecturers?

The simple answer seems to be:  "No there aren't!"

Here's what information/advice I managed to collect:

____________________

From: Michael Faiman <faiman@cs.uiuc.edu>

    1.  Make sure, first, that you have something to say.

    2.  If, perchance, you have two things to say, say first one, then the
        other, and not both at the same time.


____________________

From: KG967@albnyvms.bitnet (Kenneth Grau, University at Albany)


Some books:

    Mastering the Techniques of Teaching - Joseph Lowman
    The Essence of Good Teaching - Stanford C. Ericksen
    Preparing Instructional Objectives - Robert F. Mager
    The Open Classroom - Herbert R. Kohl
    Deschooling Society - Ivan Illich
    How Children Learn - John Holt
    How Children Fail - John Holt
    The Underachieving School - John Holt
    Freedom and Beyond - John Holt
    Education and Ecstasy - George B. Leonard
    Fostering Academic Excellance - John McLeod and Arthur Crowe.

I wrote a paper a while ago on using lecture demonstration in the
physics class but I have not been able to find it at home.  In it
I had references to the technique of lecturing in the journals.  Some
of the books above are for teaching in general.

--------------------

Bill Hahn <bhahn@bogus.sw.stratus.com> and Sean Philip Engelson
<engelson-sean@cs.yale.edu> both mentioned the idea of videotaping
lectures to enable the novice lecturer to realise their faults and
habits. 


That's all the reponse I got, except for quite a few "me too" messages.

A glance through the database at my local lending library revealed the
following titles (caveat: I haven't managed to get hold of any of
these books yet).

"Lecturing"
 Powell, L.S. 1973
 Dewey: 317.396

"Lecturing and Explaining"
 Brown, G. 1978
 Dewey: 371.1

"A Lecturing Life"
 Gohorry, J.
 Dewey: 821

"Lecturing to Large Groups"
 Powell, L.S. 1966
 Dewey: 371.3

"The Art and Science of Lecture Demonstration"
 Taylor, Charles   1988
 Dewey: 371.396

"Communication and Learning"
 Powell, L.S.
 Dewey: 371.3


In addition, I received the following words of advice from my
girlfriend's grandfather, a lecturer for many years.

On Books:

	"There is no real `Classic Book' for lecturers, in the sense
	of `An Actor Prepares' which is considered to be essential
	reading for actors." 
        
On Lecturing:

	"You have the knowledge that your audience need -- what's the
	best way to give it to them -- the clearest way?  That's the
	first point -- and it makes the whole business fascinating.

	"Add, to the clarity, _variety_ -- in speed, in tone, as you
	find (beforehand) that they fit in -- because their ears won't
	then get tired of listening to you.

	"Use pauses before a particularly important point -- and
	after, if necessary.  This has the added advantage of
	increasing the variety.

	"Use some humour: some wit, however dry -- even if it means
	going off you subject a little;  be human; be genuinely
	friendly -- as long as you're not showing off your
	"friendliness"... not "showing off" at all.

	"Your audience will, usually, be younger than you: see how you
	can add to them, to their minds, imaginations, ways of
	thought; in your subject, but even beyond your subject
	sometimes. 

	"Above all, be interested in your audience -- they always are
	interesting.  If you are self-conscious walking before the
	audience (you won't be for long!), try "drawing" numerals in
	your head.  Concentrate on that, or on whatever you wish, till
	you're in place!"


Thanks to those who responded, and good luck to all those about
to take up lecturing posts for the first time.


Chris
-----


 
-----------------------------(Until August 31)--------------------------------
  Chris Hand  hand@gec-mi-at.co.uk         Tel: [+44|0]727 36421 x4363
         or:  hand%miduet@ukc.uucp         Marconi Instruments, ATE Division
 UUCP: ...!uunet!mcsun!ukc!miduet!hand     St Albans, Herts UK  AL4 0JN

gollub@nprdc.navy.mil (Lewis Gollub) (08/17/90)

Several additional sources with helpful information for both
beginning lecturers and those who want to improve their skills:

1. "What works", a research based compendium published by the U.S.
    Department of Education. Available from Govt. Printing Office,
    Pueblo, CO 81099. For more information about this book you can
    call (202) 783-3238 or  (800) 424-1616, the Office of Education
    Research information office.

2. A practical article: "25 ways to improve any lecture", by Sivalailam
    Thiagarjan, published in Performance & Instruction Journal,
    December 1985.

3. This R&D Center has done some excellent work on improving insturction
    (I'm just a visitor, so I'm not bragging!). Evaluating what you are
    doing and how well you`ve done it are important for developing and
    maintaining lecturing skill and effectiveness. Two Tech Reports that
    discuss good evaluation methods are:

        John Ellis: The Course Evaluation System (TR 87-19)

       William Montague: The Instructional Quality Inventory (TR 83-31).

       (Their email addresses are <lastname>@nprdc.navy.mil)


   I hope these references are helpful.


"These opinions are mine, but hopefully not mine alone, and do not
represent those of the U.S. Government, or of my sponsor."

cjoslyn@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Cliff Joslyn) (08/17/90)

I've been referred to a set of aids to instructors called /Teaching
Effectiveness Training/.  Has anyone heard of it?

Thanks.

-- 
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