Structure of the lecture

Lectures can seem endless, especially when the relevance of the topic to a real situation is not clear. It is therefore very helpful to introduce each lecture by highlighting the aims and context of the material, and outlining the structure the lecture will follow. A slide, anecdote, or demonstration to illustrate the aims and context of the lecture can be invaluable. Highlighting the relevance to other aspects of engineering is always useful - students all have their own subject(s) of interest. A short diversion (slides, demo etc) in the middle of the lecture can stimulate interest and can also greatly improve the concentration of a class for the remainder of the lecture: an hour is a long time to listen for, as well as to speak for.

Try to adhere to the fifty-minute time-slot of the lecture. Students expect it, and will not be receptive, or even present, until five minutes past the hour.

Style

Lecturers who allow students time to write and to see the notes and also to hear exactly the same message are most helpful. It is confusing if a lecturer writes down one thing while saying something slightly different. Some lecturers talk and write too fast: on a blackboard this is not usually a problem, but if writing on the OHP, it is possible to beat even the fastest-writing students. If using pre-prepared OHP slides, be aware that there will always be those still note-taking when you are on to the next slide, and using both projectors is very useful.

The most important points of the lecture should be given special emphasis, and for that reason, the temptation to underline too many equations should be resisted, although it is important to point out the fundamental concepts and equations.

Audibility and legibility

Lecture theatres 0, 1 and 2 are large and communication is therefore difficult. The use of the radio microphones is essential.

The importance of legibility cannot be overemphasised. The noise level will rise if students have to consult their neighbours about blackboard notes which are written too small or handouts which are not projected clearly.

On blackboards, the thick white chalk is by far the most easily visible. Orange and yellow chalk are the only other colours visible at the back of the lecture theatres, but it is not easy to distinguish between them so do not use both. Labelling diagrams in other colours is unhelpful. When using the OHPs, lecturers are recommended to use dark coloured pens (ie black or blue). Red ink is difficult to see.

Typewritten (or normal-size handwritten) handouts need to be enlarged before being projected on an OHP. Please make sure that the image projected by the OHPs is fully visible, and is not projected onto the top of the blackboards or above the projection screen.

Lecturers should never tolerate talking at the back of the lecture room as this is distracting for other students who are trying to concentrate.

Book recommendations

Some courses rely heavily on a single source book. Such a single source book can also be used adversely to cram in too much material for the time allocated. Often other books are as helpful and interesting, and should also be recommended.

A booklist with detailed references for major course topics is invaluable (eg. on the course syllabus).

Reaction forms and feedback

Lecturers are strongly encouraged to invite students' reactions to lectures at an early stage of the course, so that remedial action can be taken if required.

Handouts

Please request the printer to double-punch all handouts to fit in a standard A4 binder (as for example papers).

Handouts can increase the speed of a lecture to a pace at which students cannot follow. This use of handouts to arbitrarily increase the lecture content is unsatisfactory.

Handouts are useful when they consist of:

• Diagrams. (The lecturer should not project a filled-in diagram which the students have to complete while the lecturer is explaining the diagram - thereby missing the explanation.)
• Background text work (eg a long, detailed proof) which is not an integral part of the course.
• Difficult algebra where it is important to get every step right. This should not be an excuse for a rushed explanation of difficult material.

Handouts are not useful when used in a manner which encourages a class to become bored and fall asleep. Some lecturers prepare handouts with gaps for the students to fill in during the lecture. Where this is done, it is important to show clearly what students are expected to write. It can be difficult to follow a lecture and work out which gaps need to be filled in at the same time.

It is helpful to include notes in handouts to indicate which Examples papers can usefully be attempted at each stage of the course.

The number of handouts is not important if they are used properly. They should be clearly labelled to show their sequence so they can be easily arranged in the correct order. A number of short handouts, issued at the beginning of lectures, will avoid the waste that occurs when a single, large handout covering several lectures is used. The latter can easily be forgotten for the next lecture, which leads to an excess demand. Conversely, some students prefer to receive a smaller number of longer handouts.

Students prefer handouts to be typed. Please ensure that an appropriate font size is used so that the handouts are well structured and clear to read. If handouts are handwritten, please check that the photocopies are legible.

Examples Papers

In principle, example papers are scheduled to keep pace with the lectures. In practice, there are naturally last-minute changes of material, presentation and order. It is therefore helpful if lecturers tell the class which questions in the examples papers have been covered as the lectures progress. Otherwise, students can waste time attempting problems not yet covered.

It is often a waste of time to go through questions on the examples papers, as few of the students will be up-to-date, or have completed all examples papers before the end of the lecture course.