Lecturing: Stimulating Our Students to Think at Higher Cognitive Levels

1. Lecturing: Stimulating Our Students to Think at Higher Cognitive Levels Larrie Greenberg, M.D. Internal Consultant, Faculty Development George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences Clinical Professor, Pediatrics 202-994-9302 mcalwg@gwumc.edu

2. Lecturing: ‘The biggest enemy to learning is the talking teacher’ John Holt- Educator/Author Objectives: To identify when lecturing is an appropriate teaching tool To analyze three important aspects of lecturing (objectives, recapturing the audience and questioning) and how to apply these To comprehend and apply best practice tips on lecturing

3. Three Principles To Aspire To In Lecturing: • Setting learning objectives that inspire students to achieve higher cognition • Recapturing the attention span of the audience twenty minutes into the lecture • Discouraging memorization by using higher cognitive levels of objectives and questions

4. Behavioral Objectives One secret of a successful teacher is to formulate quite clearly in her mind what the learner needs to know in precise fashion and communicate that to the learner The effectiveness of the teacher is compromised if learners don’t know what the purpose of the session is or what’s expected of them

5. Reasons for Objectives • To facilitate an increase in learner achievement • To assist those responsible for curriculum planning and development • To promote better techniques to assess the program

6. Without Objectives The learner tries to learn everything, which is not possible; tries to learn which she thinks is relevant to her world, of which she may know very little; and finally learns for the exam, which usually is very superficial learning.

7. Key to Writing Objectives • Written in behavioral terms • Measurable • Addresses what the learner would be expected to do after the lecture • Need to choose the right verbs (handout) • Think about the three educational domains: Knowledge, attitudes, and performance

8. Bloom’s Taxonomy • Knowledge: List, define, describe, show, name • Comprehension: Summarize, describe, predict • Application: Apply, calculate, complete, modify • Analysis: Analyze, separate, connect, order • Synthesis: Combine, rearrange, plan, formulate • Evaluation: Assess, measure, conclude, judge

9. Assumptions • Learners looking at the teacher=active listening • When the teacher talks, learners start listening • Learners will remember key points • Teacher stops talking, learners cease listening • Learners can repeat what they’re told • Teachers and learners process information the same • Learners translate information from the classroom to the real world

10. Lecturing Tips • Know your audience • Prepare/Rehearse • Arrive early to check AVs and greet participants • Focused objectives • Start/End on-time

11. Lecturing Tips • Vary your delivery • Don’t read • Show your passion • Start out well • Reflect on how it’s going

12. Lecturing Tips • Make the content contextual • Do something interactive at 20’ • Use cases, examples • Use your AVs well • Close with repeating the message/objectives • Get feedback

13. Mid-Talk Interventions • Film excerpts • Defining dyads • Buzz groups • Role-play • List development • Problem analysis • Questions • Participant props • Feedback

14. Summary • Think about where your lecture is going…make objectives specific and don’t overload students with information • Think about how you are going to keep their attention (twenty minutes into the lecture) • Think about the cognitive level of questions to stimulate higher level thinking (Bloom’s taxonomy) • Pay attention to the tips