In Defense of the Lecture

I have been thinking a lot about teaching this semester.  During the semester I sat through three lectures/presentations on the subject. 

Two of them suggested that effective teaching should be discussion-based.  The professor should yield the floor to the students and allow them, through conversation and debate, to construct their own knowledge.  Lecturing was frowned upon in both of these presentations.  During the discussion, most in the audience seemed to be in agreement with the presenters.  One professor in the audience said that many faculty in his department lectured too much.  He asked the presenter how he might influence these professors to change their ways. The implication was that in order to become more effective teachers, professors had to stop perceiving education in terms of “pitching” and “catching.”

I left the room at both of these presentations feeling like anyone who stood before a class and talked was somehow immoral or, in at least one case, less spiritual.

The third presentation could not have been more different.  This professor, whose philosophy could best be described as “I’m the Teacher, You’re the Student,” believed that it was the college teacher’s job to impart information and knowledge to the students.  The goal of teaching was not to befriend the students and make the classroom feel all warm and fuzzy, but to educate them. Class discussion was fine, but so were well-crafted and well-delivered lectures.

Interestingly enough, virtually none of the faculty members who were present at the first two lectures were present at the third lecture, and vice-versa.

While I know that there is a lot that is worthwhile in both of these approaches to teaching, I tend to lean more toward the latter view.  After ten years in the classroom, I am convinced that there is a place–especially in the field of history–for a large plenary lecture delivered by an engaging and passionate lecturer.  Of course all history teachers need smaller groups to teach primary sources and engage primary texts, but there is also something very educational about a good lecture.

If you want to hear how scholars defend the lecture, check out these links:

Adam Kotsko, A Defense of the Lecture

Moseilio Schaechter, In Defence of the Lecture

Mary Burgan, In Defense of Lecturing

In Defense of the Lecture

Craig Carter, In Praise of the Lecture

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