THE LECTURE: A TEACHING STRATEGY IN DECLINE?

This paper considers the viability of the lecture as a teaching strategy for large groups. We proceed from the dominant pedagogical perspective of the past and translate that into our current understanding of the lecture as a teaching strategy in present practice. We then raise some issues about the future of the lecture. A review of the literature suggests that research and debate regarding the role of the lecture in the learning process has been minimal and mixed. Historically, the changes that have occurred in the lecture format are the result of new technologies applied to the presentation process rather than the content. One result of technological advances in the classroom and lecture theatre has been the creation of a discerning/sophisticated audience (students). Other impacts of technology including the creation of cyberspace, have motivated the development of alternative approaches both to the traditional lecture as a strategy and within its parameters.