Hi there - I presume fellow converts to the benefits of active learning This is an interesting article, I agree. And there are several points that one might not disagree with. For example, I fully agree that note-making is an excellent active learning exercise and one very likely to benefit students enormously. Having facilitated staff and student development workshops on learning how (and why) to Mind-map, or, slightly less good, concept-map, the question is more pertinently, "what kind of note-taking should we promote". Mind-mapping is brilliant for visual thinkers and from feedback I received was a salvation for dyslexic learners. I have attended 'brilliant' lectures - not many, unfortunately. But the experience of most students whether arts/humanities or science/engineering is that such stimulating lectures are few and far between and furthermore, the number of lecturers capable of preparing and delivering such inspiring learning experiences is even fewer. Nevertheless, one has to concede, even in TBL only courses, some ‘lecturing’, eg mini lectures, summarising class discussions, providing briefs etc does take place, and therefore it is imperative that ‘lecturers’ are able to provide inspiring short presentations to students. After all, isn’t this one of the skills we want students to develop themselves through opportunities to summarise team discussions, present solutions to applied learning exercises etc. So, again I concede there is room for ‘good’ lecturing. However, this is not the same thing as conceiving that ‘lecturing’ as an example of ‘critical thinking’, where arguments are presented for both sides (or more) of difficult or disputed concepts and hypotheses, is actually a great learning experience for those on the end of an hour of intense listening (whether note-making, especially more interactive styles are facilitated simultaneously). My guess is that such role-modelling of presenting arguments, synthesising, contradicting, bringing together disparate academic resources is undoubtedly very good and pleasing for the lecturer, but has only a marginal effect upon recipients. Our aim as teachers is to help students to become ‘these analytical, critical and creative thinkers themselves. So for a whole course to adopt a lecture-only format surely leaves little space for such student-directed activity. Furthermore, the lecturer style neglects the social aspect of learning, where the huge diversity and inherent creativity of large groups and smaller teams can be unleashed. I have heard the arguments for/against lectures a lot of times (eg Donald Bligh’s book, “What’s the use of Lectures” and from many academic staff in diverse HE institutions (eg St Andrews, Scotland, Auckland, New Zealand, Melbourne Australia as well as my own Alma Mater, Bradford, England), and I am more convinced that those keen to lecture have, conscious or otherwise, a mindset: I know best, or would rather not be challenged (the opposite of a liberal approach to learning and challenging orthodoxy); or, I can’t be bothered with the extra work and very much higher skill demands of preparing for active learning classes. High class “researchers”, though not all, often have these traits. I am rather more sympathetic to colleagues very new to teaching in HE adopting lecturing, at least to commence their careers, as the demands to be knowlegable about their discipline, be confident and organised, often set against the pressure of teaching many cohorts of large numbers of students, in courses that they themselves are only vaguely informed about, and often at early levels (First year or second year), whilst their more esteemed colleagues have 'bought themselves out' of intensive teaching schedules, but point instead to the 'demands' of their own loads - final year classes (often fewer students), Masters Classes (even fewer students) and PhD supervision - all likely to enhance their reputations as academics and contribute to their research profile; often the only valued aspect of academic life in HE - unfortunately! Dr Colin Mason Formerly: Director and Professor of the Institute of Teaching and Learning, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia Dean of Teaching and Learning, Unitec, New Zealand Director of Learning and Teaching Development, St Andrews, UK On Mon, Oct 19, 2015 at 9:25 PM, Nicholas DiFonzo <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hello TBL-ers. Our dean recently sent the link below which is a recent > piece arguing in favor of the traditional ‘lecture’ as a valuable > pedagogical approach to teaching. I am curious what people think about it: > http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/opinion/sunday/lecture-me-really.html > > > > Nicholas DiFonzo, Ph.D. > > Professor of Psychology > > Department of Psychology > > 18 Lomb Memorial Drive > > Room 1-2363 > > Rochester Institute of Technology > > Rochester, NY 14623 USA > > [log in to unmask]* > > Phone: 585-475-2907 > > Skype: nicholas.difonzo > > Faculty Website <http://www.rit.edu/cla/psychology/faculty/difonzo>*Personal > Website <http://www.professornick.com/> > > *Rumor Psychology: Social & Organizational Approaches > <http://www.rumorpsychology.com/>* > > *The Watercooler Effect: A Psychologist Explores the Extraordinary Power > of Rumors <http://www.thewatercoolereffect.com/>* > > Rumor-Gossip-Research Google Group > <https://groups.google.com/d/forum/rumor-gossip-research> > > > > **Note: I typically process my email to zero around 10 AM and 4 PM each > weekday.* > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click here. > <https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1> > > Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on > the UBC IT website. > ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click the following link: https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1 Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website.