Getting the Most Out of Lectures . Materials developed by the Learner Development Unit at the University of Bradford

Objectives To understand what lectures are and what they are not. To develop effective learning behaviour to get the most out of the time you spend in lectures.

To understand what lectures are and what they are not.

To develop effective learning behaviour to get the most out of the time you spend in lectures.

The plan… Examine your current expectations of lectures. Summarise what lectures are really for. To look at strategies before a lecture. To look at strategies during a lecture. To look at strategies after a lecture.

Examine your current expectations of lectures.

Summarise what lectures are really for.

To look at strategies before a lecture.

To look at strategies during a lecture.

To look at strategies after a lecture.

Hard to understand boring Too easy Not compulsory useful A way to pass on information Thought-provoking essential formal not worth going to long I feel like I should listen I feel like I have to concentrate I feel like I have to participate Enough knowledge for me A place to start scary I know no-one Which of these apply to your view of lectures?

What are lectures for?

To share ideas generally Give all the information on a set topic To raise more questions than they answer To highlight lecturers’ specialisms To bore you To test you To be thought-provoking To give you help for essays To make you experts in the subject

To share ideas generally

Give all the information on a set topic

To raise more questions than they answer

What are lectures for? Give all the information on a set topic. No. To raise more questions than they answer. Yes. To be thought-provoking. Yes. To bore you. No. To share your ideas. No. To make you experts in the subject. No. To give you help for essays. Yes. To highlight lecturers’ specialisms. Not necessarily. To test you. No.

The Four ‘Getting the Most Out of Lectures’ Essentials Happiness Preparation Alertness Organisation

Happiness

Preparation

Alertness

Organisation

Before

Before Look at the title of the lecture. Look at the other titles in the series of lectures. Do some background reading. Think about what you already know about the topic. What do you expect the lecture to be about?

Look at the title of the lecture.

Look at the other titles in the series of lectures.

Do some background reading.

Think about what you already know about the topic. What do you expect the lecture to be about?

Before Try asking yourself these questions. What do I think this lecture will be about? Why am I going to it? What do I hope to get out of it? Is there any background reading I could do? What frame of mind am I in?

Try asking yourself these questions.

What do I think this lecture will be about?

Why am I going to it?

What do I hope to get out of it?

Is there any background reading I could do?

What frame of mind am I in?

Before... be organised You may want to have: Cornell note-taking template different colour pens or pencils A dictaphone Highlighters You will definitely need: Plenty of plain or lined paper or a notebook A pen or pencil Spare pens or pencils

You may want to have:

Cornell note-taking template

different colour pens or pencils

A dictaphone

Highlighters

You will definitely need:

Plenty of plain or lined paper or a notebook

A pen or pencil

Spare pens or pencils

During

During Think about what you do whilst the lecture is in progress. Should you… Write down everything that is said? Annotate the PowerPoint handouts? Not rely on handouts but make your own notes and compare them to the handouts? Use diagrams, symbols, mind maps? Record the lecture? Rely on the materials being available electronically?

Think about what you do whilst the lecture is in progress. Should you…

Write down everything that is said?

Annotate the PowerPoint handouts?

Not rely on handouts but make your own notes and compare them to the handouts?

Use diagrams, symbols, mind maps?

Record the lecture?

Rely on the materials being available electronically?

Remember: “ Taking lecture notes effectively not only helps you to keep track of what was covered in class but also improves your ability to think about your subject while you are being taught.” Moran, A.P. (1997) p.43.

“ Taking lecture notes effectively not only helps you to keep track of what was covered in class but also improves your ability to think about your subject while you are being taught.”

Moran, A.P. (1997) p.43.

During Make decisions about what you note down – be selective. Highlight in your notes: Ideas, facts or concepts which you don’t understand. Ideas, facts or concepts which you agree or disagree with. The difference between facts and people’s opinions. Note any questions or comments that occur to you whilst listening. Note if there is a gap in your knowledge. Listen out for the lecturer’s ‘signposts’.

Make decisions about what you note down – be selective.

Highlight in your notes:

Ideas, facts or concepts which you don’t understand.

Ideas, facts or concepts which you agree or disagree with.

The difference between facts and people’s opinions.

Note any questions or comments that occur to you whilst listening.

Note if there is a gap in your knowledge.

Listen out for the lecturer’s ‘signposts’.

After

After Read through your notes, talk them through with a friend. Use your notes as the basis for essay/exam reading – add to them. Write down new questions that arise (maybe for the seminar which follows the lectures.) File them where you can find them during assessments. Go for a coffee with a friend and see what you both remember. Try out any web-links suggested. Check your notes for questions and try to answer them. Check for recommended and related reading – and DO IT! Write a short (300 words) summary of the lecture.

Read through your notes, talk them through with a friend.

Use your notes as the basis for essay/exam reading – add to them.

Write down new questions that arise (maybe for the seminar which follows the lectures.)

File them where you can find them during assessments.

Go for a coffee with a friend and see what you both remember.

Try out any web-links suggested.

Check your notes for questions and try to answer them.

Check for recommended and related reading – and DO IT!

Write a short (300 words) summary of the lecture.

A useful book to try: Moran, Aidan P. (1997) Managing your own Learning at University , University College Press, Dublin This session is based on excellent resources produced by: Joanne Wood and Robert Blake Student Learning Development Centre Student Development Service http://www.lancs.ac.uk

What next? Check out our website for more learning materials or contact us for 1-2-1 advice and support: http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/learnerdevelopment Come along to a workshop: http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/lssworkshops/ Workshop designed by Russell Delderfield. Adapted from: Joanne Wood and Robert Blake, Student Learning Development Centre, Student Development Service, http://www.lancs.ac.uk

Check out our website for more learning materials or contact us for 1-2-1 advice and support: http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/learnerdevelopment

Come along to a workshop: http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/lssworkshops/

Workshop designed by Russell Delderfield. Adapted from: Joanne Wood and Robert Blake, Student Learning Development Centre, Student Development Service, http://www.lancs.ac.uk