Starvation in the Midst of Plenty (Case Scenario on Traditional Lecture)

1. STARVATION IN THE MIDST OF PLENTY
Group B (Anam Tahir, Jibran Mohsin, Maria A. Ghani, Nazish Shahani, Sobia Khan)

2. Outline
• Scenario
• Identification of teaching & learning issues in scenario
• Identification of relevant learning perspective and related theories
• Literature review for issues & their solutions
• Appropriate solutions applicable on scenario
• References

3. Scenario
(Starvation in the midst of plenty)
Dr. Raza Hassan has recently been appointed as a senior faculty
member in Department of Surgery at a Private Medical College in Lahore. Before
his new appointment , he used to be an Associate Professor of Surgery at a
Government Medical College. In his new role he is expected to teach a class of 150
Final year MBBS students on assigned topics for one hour per week.
Three months after joining the department , he was summoned by Dr Jalal Ahmad, the
Head of Department - General Surgery, to discuss the consistently poor
attendance of students in academic sessions and poor feedback which Dr. Raza has
received from students.

4. Dr. Jalal Ahmad: What do you think, how are you doing your job in delivering
lectures on the assigned topics?
Dr. Raza Hassan: I think I am doing a great job in preparing & delivering my
lectures.
Dr. Jalal Ahmad: I'm afraid, students feedback suggest otherwise.
Dr. Raza Hassan: Students of private medical colleges don’t want to listen to
lecture.....they just want their attendance to be marked....they don’t concentrate
during lecture except for some students in front 2-3 rows....
Scenario
(Starvation in the midst of plenty)

5. Scenario
(Starvation in the midst of plenty)
Dr Jalal Ahmad: I would like to share some of student's feedback with you:
"He sometimes speaks too quickly...... I can't take the notes of the important points".
"He is sometimes too slow, like he is giving us lullaby...... his lectures provide perfect environment to
sleep".
"His lecture are very dry.......... he keeps reading his slides from the podium...... slides full of text".
"I don’t feel like going to class.............. only attend his lectures for attendance".
"I can only understand initial 20 mins of his whole lecture.....afterwards his words fly over my head".
"Dr Raza only explains topics he likes the most.....he spent most of his time in explaining the anatomy".
"His lectures are copied lines of lecture notes that are available in bookshop.....so better to stay at
home and read in comfort".
“His lectures are the best place to scroll social media, watch reels & use Tik Tok :)”

6. Scenario
(Starvation in the midst of plenty)
Dr. Raza Hassan:
I have been taught in exactly the same way as I am teaching and was able to
understand the content perfectly well......Our teacher used to dictate the notes
during lectures to ensure that we remember every point and we did!
We all are successful clinicians in our field. I don’t know what is the problem with
this Gen-Z......They don’t know want to get engaged in anything except their
gadgets..... I spend 4-5 hours in preparing the lecture from the main textbook
recommended in university curriculum....
I am doing my best in that congested environment of lecture hall. I think I should
ban all laptops & mobiles in my next classes to prevent unnecessary distraction
during my lectures.

7. Teaching & Learning Issues in Scenario
Ineffective use of lecture
• Use of single source of information
• Poor Presentation skills
• Lack of triggers to grab learner's attention
•Standing by previous Pedagogic experience
Ineffective Learning Experience
• Lack of interest/attention/motivation
• Lack of engagement (poor attendance & poor feedback)
• Lack of promotion of retention
• Non conducive Physical Learning Environment

8. Applicable Learning Perspective & Theory
Perspective Cognitive Constructivism
Theory
Constructivist Learning Theory (of Piaget)

9. Applicable Learning Perspective & Theory (contd.)
Constructivist Learning Theory (of Piaget)
Concepts
Learner is advanced through three mechanisms:
1. Assimilation – fitting a new experience into an existing mental structure
(schema).
2. Accommodation – revising an existing schema because of new experience.
3. Equilibrium – seeking cognitive stability through assimilation & accommodation.
During lecture, teacher presents material which students interpret, compare to existing
knowledge, and create new meaning (integrated with previously assimilated material)
Principles • Learning is an active process
• Learning should be whole, authentic and real to be effective.

10. Relevant Learning theory in Scenario
Constructivist Learning Theory (of Piaget)
• Knowledge is constructed
• Learning is an active process
• Learning is contextual
• Learning exists in the mind
• Motivation is key to learning
• People learn to learn as they learn
• Learning is social activity

11. Cognitive Constructivist Theory
Traditional Classroom Cognitive Constructivist Classroom
Student Role • Mostly Solo Work.
• Viewed as blank slates
• Mostly Group Work
• Viewed as thinkers
Curriculum • Presented part to whole, with emphasis on
basic skills. (Bottom-up)
• Rely heavily on textbooks of data
and manipulative materials.
• Strict/fixed curriculum
• Presented whole to part with emphasis on the big
concept. (Top-down)
• Rely heavily on primary sources.
• Pursuit of student questions
Teacher Role • Didactic
• Disseminate information
• Seek the correct answers to validate
students' lessons.
• Interactive
• Seek the student's point of view in order to
understand student learning for use in subsequent
conceptions.
Assessment • Separate from teaching
• Occur via testing
• Interwoven with teaching
• Occurs via observation of students
work, exhibitions / portfolios.

13. Literature review for Issues & their Solutions
Issue 1 Consistent poor attendance of students in academic sessions
Scenario • "His lectures are copied lines of lecture notes that are available in bookshop.....so
better to stay at home and read in comfort".
• "I don’t feel like going to class....."
Literature Search • Factors of absenteeism include bad construction of the lectures and preferring self-
study over lectures.
• Need to focus on the contents of the lectures which should be interactive.
• New teaching methodologies required to improve the quality of lectures; to increase
the percentage of presence in lectures. (Sial, 2018)
Sial, N. A., Humayun, R., & Humayun, F. (2018). Evaluation of factors causing absenteeism from lectures in a medical college. Khyber Medical University Journal, 10(3), 135-39.

14. Literature review for Issues & their Solutions
Issue 2 • Lack of up-to-date information
• Use of single source for teaching content
Scenario I spent 4-5 hours in preparing the lecture from the main textbook recommended
in university curriculum
Literature Search "If the lecture is used only to provide detailed coverage of facts and findings then
the students would gain more from reading a good textbook” (Brown 2001)
Brown, G., & Manogue, M. (2001). AMEE Medical Education Guide No. 22: Refreshing lecturing: a guide for lecturers. Medical teacher, 23(3), 231-244.

15. Literature review for Issues & their Solutions
Issue 3 Lack of student engagement
Scenario "I can only understand initial 20 mins of his whole lecture.....afterwards his words fly over my
head".
"His lecture are very dry..........he keeps reading his slides from the podium.......slides full of
text".
Literature
Search
• Traditional passive mode of lecture to be replaced with active learning and inquiry-
based approach to adequately utilize the time and resources spent on lectures. (Mustafa,
2014)
• Engagement and active learning pedagogies change the nature of learning, improve
knowledge gain and recall. (Graffam, 2007)
Mustafa, T., Farooq, Z., Asad, Z., Amjad, R., Badar, I., Chaudhry, A. M., ... & Rafique, F. (2014). Lectures in medical educaton: what students think?. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 26(1), 21-25.
Graffam, B. (2007). Active learning in medical education: strategies for beginning implementation. Medical teacher, 29(1), 38-42.

16. Literature review for Issues & their Solutions
Issue 4 Poor presentation skills
Scenario • "He sometimes talks too quickly or too slow ......
• He keeps reading his slides.........which are full of text.
Literature Search • Create effective and engaging presentations by focusing on the three
fundamental components : the message, the visuals and the delivery.
• Slides should not substitute as notes for the lecturer ; should highlight only the
main ideas and explain, the ideas being presented.
(Daniel, 2018)
Daniel, M., Fowler, R., Merritt, C., Raukar, N., Sutton, E., Allen, G., & Clyne, B. (2018). Creating effective and engaging presentations. The Clinical Teacher, 15(3), 191-196.

17. Literature review for Issues & their Solutions
Issue 5 • Perception that traditional lectures are an effective way to transfer information
• Resistance to change
Scenario • I have been taught in same way as I am teaching and was able to understand
the content perfectly well.
• I am doing my best.
Literature Search Strategies for managing resistance to change include:
• Seeking dialogue with resister via one-on-one dialogue
• Listening carefully to his/her reasons for resistance
• Negotiating to a compromise
(Velthmius, 2018)
Velthuis, F., Varpio, L., Helmich, E., Dekker, H., & Jaarsma, A. D. C. (2018). Navigating the complexities of undergraduate medical curriculum change: Change leaders’ perspectives. Academic
Medicine, 93(10), 1503-1510.

18. Literature review for Issues & their Solutions
Issue 6 Non-conducive learning environment
Scenario I am doing my best in that congested environment of Lecture Hall with 150 students.
Literature Search • Overcrowded classroom conditions limit the amount of time teachers can spend on
innovative teaching methods such as cooperative learning and group work or on
teaching anything beyond the bare minimum required by the curriculum.
• Teachers in congested classrooms are over-stretched, more likely to suffer from
burnout, or have a more strained relationship with their pupils.
(Jones, 2017)
Jones, N. (2017). School Congestion in the Philippines: A Breakthrough Solution.

19. Transferring from teacher-centered to learner-
centered learning and teaching strategies

20. Assimilating Solutions for Scenario
Identified Issues Solutions
Ineffective Lectures Traditional lectures should be modified to
incorporate active teaching strategies.
Lack of Self Directed
Learning on Faculty's part
Training/workshops to learn development of:
• Lesson plans
• Smart learning objectives
• Effective teaching sessions
Lack of student
engagement/motivation
Active strategies to engage learners (Icebreakers,
Think pair and share, buzz groups)

21. Assimilating Solutions for Scenario
Identified Issues Solutions
Poor attendance of
students
Monitoring attendance data policy changes.
Non-conducive
learning environment
Well-equipped & comfortable learning rooms.
Positive & healthy teacher learner relationship.
Lack of up-to-date
information
Ensure availability of update teaching resources e.g. digital
library, latest edition of books, use of reliable
web resources.

22. References
1. Baeten, M., Kyndt, E., Struyven, K., & Dochy, F. (2010). Using student-centred learning environments to stimulate deep
approaches to learning: Factors encouraging or discouraging their effectiveness. Educational research review, 5(3), 243-260.
2. Daniel, M., Fowler, R., Merritt, C., Raukar, N., Sutton, E., Allen, G., & Clyne, B. (2018). Creating effective and engaging
presentations. The Clinical Teacher, 15(3), 191-196.
3. Luscombe, C., & Montgomery, J. (2016). Exploring medical student learning in the large group teaching environment:
examining current practice to inform curricular development. BMC medical education, 16(1), 1-9.
4. Matsuyama, Y., Nakaya, M., Okazaki, H., Lebowitz, A. J., Leppink, J., & Van Der Vleuten, C. (2019). Does changing from a
teacher-centered to a learner-centered context promote self-regulated learning: a qualitative study in a Japanese
undergraduate setting. BMC medical education, 19(1), 1-12.
5. Mustafa, T., Farooq, Z., Asad, Z., Amjad, R., Badar, I., Chaudhry, A. M., ... & Rafique, F. (2014). Lectures in medical educaton:
what students think?. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 26(1), 21-25.
6. Scheurs, J., & Dumbraveanu, R. (2014). A shift from teacher centered to learner centered approach. learning, 1(2), 1-7.
7. Sial, N. A., Humayun, R., & Humayun, F. (2018). Evaluation of factors causing absenteeism from lectures in a medical
college. Khyber Medical University Journal, 10(3), 135-39.

23. THANK YOU