Session 4: Preparing and Presenting a Lecture

This session will explore how to organize and deliver a lecture. It will help you understand how to organize content and use verbal and non-verbal communication to keep your students’ attention and increase learning.

Learning Objectives

After completing this session, the participant will be able to:

  • Explain how the structure of a lecture can influence learning.
  • Explain effective means of communication during lecture.
  • Critique and evaluate lectures.

Pre-Session Assignments

  1. In preparation for this session, please complete the following readings:
    • Curzan, A., & Damour, L. (2006). Chapter 3: Weekly class preparation. In First day to final grade: A graduate student’s guide to teaching(2nd ed., pp. 31–44). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. [PDF]
    • Gross-Davis, B. (1993). Chapter 12: Preparing to teach the large lecture course. In Tools for teaching (pp. 99–110). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. [PDF]
  2. Watch Professor Walter Lewin’s Physics 8.01 OCW lecture on simple harmonic motion with his classic demonstration of the independence of the mass and the period of the pendulum (Lecture 10). Identify specific techniques and strategies that Lewin uses to engage the class.

Session Outline

We have provided a session outline for this session. The outline is designed to serve as a guide while you are participating in the video and interactive activities and it may also serve as a support for note taking.

Two file formats of the outlines are provided for this session. The Adobe Reader [PDF] format is provided for easy viewing and printing, and the Microsoft Word [DOC] format is provided to allow you to add your notes by typing them directly into the outline during the session.

Additionally, the session presentation slides are provided for your reference [PDF].

NOTE: This section of the session page will provide a link to the outline file. However, this and all other course files are also available in the Session Files folder located at the bottom of this and every session page.

Session Chat Room

For this session we will utilize a chat room to provide you with real-time interaction with your peers and instructors. During the session time, the instructors will be logged into and available in the provided chat room. This tool provides a wonderful opportunity for you to interact with your instructors and peers in real-time.

Please use the chat room during the scheduled times to send and receive real-time messages between your peers and instructors regarding the session content. The chat room is provided as a real-time interactive tool for you to post questions and comments to your instructors.

We recommend that during each scheduled session you have two browser windows open: one to display the chat window and the other to display the online course session page. By having two windows open at the same time, both the chat room and session content will be visible at all times.

Session Introduction

Welcome to the fourth session! Our topic for this session is preparing and presenting a lecture. We will begin the session with a few questions based on the pre-session assignments, as well as your own experiences as a student and teacher. The first part of this session will begin by exploring what structure and lecture formats work best to maximize student attention. The second part of the session will concentrate on best practices of content delivery and effective communication strategies that you can integrate into your lecture delivery method to increase student attention.

During this session, we will interact with each other using pre-recorded video lectures that include pauses where you will engage in a variety of activities. Please ensure you have the chat window available during this session for directions, questions, and comments from your instructors and peers. Some of the activities will require you to interact with your peers, watch additional videos, and post responses to provided discussion forums located within the online course room.

We look forward to the opportunity to interact with you in the online chat room as well as during this session.

During the video, be prepared to pause the video and think about the questions posed.

Download the transcript for the Session 4 Introduction video.

Session 4 Activity 1: Discussion Forum for Traditional Lectures Think-Pair-Share Activity

Part 1 Preparing a Lecture: Variability of Instruction Methods

The first part of this session will talk about how to structure your lecture and the types of lecture formats to consider when deciding how to organize the content of your lectures.

Download the transcript for the Preparing a Lecture: Variability of Instruction Methods video.

Session 4 Activity 2: Discussion Forum for Think-Share Activity

Part 2 Delivering a Lecture: Learning from Actors

Welcome back! You have now planned and prepared a lecture. In this part of the session we will discuss the actual delivery of the lecture.

Download the transcript for the Part 2 Delivering a Lecture: Learning from Actors video.

Part 2 Delivering a Lecture: Visuals

After discussing how to present a lecture, we now need to return to other aspects of delivering your lecture. In this part of the session we will discuss a few principles regarding the selection and use of presentation tools during your lecture.

Download the transcript for the Part 2 Delivering a Lecture: Visuals video.

Prior to leaving this session, follow the MUD card link and complete the survey to provide the instructors with information regarding your understanding and any remaining questions you may have. Remember that the MUD card helps us understand how you are doing and if there are topics that we still need to address. We look forward to your comments and feedback. Thank you!

Session 4 Activity 3: Discussion Forum for Think-Pair-Share Activity
Session 4 MUD card: Preparing and Presenting a LectureFeedback

Post-Session Assignment

Click the Post-Session Assignment link for the instructions and requirements for this sessions assignment. Note that this assignment will not be evaluated, but is designed to help you enhance and reflect on your learning.

Post-Session Assignment for Preparing and Presenting a LectureForum

Video Download

Download the Session 4 Preparing and Presenting a Lecture full video [208 MB, ZIP].