THREE
METHODS FOR ASSESSING LECTURING SKILLS
This section of the booklet presents three methods for
collecting feedback on one's lecturing skills. The three
methods include videotape self-review, colleague review,
and student evaluation of lecturing. A lecturer can use
the information gathered from one or more of the methods
to identify strengths and weaknesses in his/her
lecturing.
Suggestions for Viewing Your Videotape
Focus your attention on a few lecture skills which are
of particular interest to you and which are important to
student learning. Select one or more of the following
Rating Guides to focus upon while you view your
videotape.
Rating Guides
Consider the following questions after viewing your
videotape.
- What aspects of your teaching do you like?
- What aspects of your lecturing would you like to
change?
- Did you teach what you intended to teach?
To arrange for videotaping: Instructors wishing to
have a lecture videotaped should call the Center for Teaching Excellence at (217)
333-3370. Instructors can view the videotaping privately
or with a CTE staff member.
Rating Guide
Content: Importance and Suitability
- Directions: Respond to each of the
statements below by writing next to the
statement the number which best expresses
your judgment.
-
- = Strength
- = Somewhat of a Problem
- = A Major Problem
- = Not Applicable
- The material presented is
generally accepted by colleagues
to be worth knowing.
- The material presented is
important for this group of
students.
- The instructor seemed to match
the lecture material to the
students' backgrounds.
- The examples used were easily
understood by students.
- When appropriate, a distinction
was made between factual material
and opinions.
- Appropriate authorities were
cited to support statements.
- When appropriate, divergent
viewpoints were presented.
- A sufficient amount of material
was included in the lecture.
Other Comments:
Rating Guide
Content: Organization
- Directions: Respond to each of the
statements below by writing next to the
statement the number which best expresses
your judgment.
-
- = Strength
- = Somewhat of a Problem
- = A Major Problem
- = Not Applicable
- Introduction:
-
- Stated the purpose of the
lecture.
- Presented a brief overview of the
lecture content.
- Stated a problem to be solved or
discussed during the lecture.
- Made explicit the relationship
between today's and the previous
lecture.
Body of Lecture:
- Arranged and discussed the
content so that the
organization/structure was made
explicit to the students.
- Asked questions periodically to
determine whether too much or too
little information was being
presented.
- Presented examples, illustrations
or graphics to clarify abstract
and difficult ideas.
- Explicitly stated the
relationships among various ideas
in the lecture.
- Periodically summarized the most
important ideas in the lecture.
Conclusion:
-
- Solved or otherwise dealt with
any problems raised during the
lecture.
- Restated what students were
expected to gain from the lecture
material.
- Summarized the main ideas in the
lecture.
- Related the day's lecture to
upcoming presentations.
Other Comments:
Rating Guide
Presentation: Style
- Directions: Respond to each of the
statements below by writing next to the
statement the number which best expresses
your judgment.
-
- = Strength
- = Somewhat of a Problem
- = A Major Problem
- = Not Applicable
- Introduction:
-
- Voice could be easily heard.
- Voice was raised or lowered for
variety and emphasis.
- Speech was neither too formal nor
too casual.
- Speech fillers, ("okay
now," "ahm,") were
not distracting.
- Rate of speech was neither too
fast nor too slow.
Non-Verbal Communication:
- Established and maintained eye
contact with the class as lecture
began.
- Listened carefully to students'
comments and questions.
- Wasn't too stiff and formal in
appearance.
- Wasn't too casual in appearance.
- Facial and body movements were
consis-tent with instructor's
intentions. For example, the
instructor looked at students
while waiting for their responses
after asking questions.
Other Comments:
Rating Guide
Presentation: Clarity
- Directions: Respond to each of the
statements below by writing next to the
statement the number which best expresses
your judgment.
-
- = Strength
- = Somewhat of a Problem
- = A Major Problem
- = Not Applicable
- Stated the purpose at the
beginning of the lecture.
- Defined new terms, concepts and
principles.
- Told the students why certain
processes, techniques or formulas
were used to solve problems.
- Used relevant examples to explain
major ideas.
- Used clear and simple examples.
- Explicitly related new ideas to
familiar ones.
- Reiterated definitions of new
terms to help students become
accustomed to them.
- Provided occasional summaries and
restatements of important ideas.
- Used alternate explanations when
necessary.
- Slowed the word flow when ideas
were complex and difficult.
- Did not often digress from the
main topic.
- Talked to the class, not to the
board or windows.
- The board work appeared organized
and legible.
Other Comments:
Rating Guide
Questioning Skills
- Directions: Respond to each of the
statements below by writing next to the
statement the number which best expresses
your judgment.
-
- = Strength
- = Somewhat of a Problem
- = A Major Problem
- = Not Applicable
- Asked questions to see what the
students knew about the lecture
topic.
- Addressed questions to individual
students as well as the group at
large.
- Used rhetorical questions to gain
students' attention.
- Paused after all questions to
allow students time to think of
an answer.
- Encouraged students to answer
difficult questions by providing
cues or rephrasing.
- When necessary, asked students to
clarify their questions.
- Asked probing questions if a
student's answer was incomplete
or superficial.
- Repeated answers when necessary
so the entire class could hear.
- Received students' questions
politely and when possible
enthusiastically.
- Requested that questions which
required time-consuming answers
of limited interest be discussed
before or after class or during
office hours.
Other Comments:
Rating Guide
Establishing and Maintaining Contact with
Students
- Directions: Respond to each of the
statements below by writing next to the
statement the number which best expresses
your judgment.
-
- = Strength
- = Somewhat of a Problem
- = A Major Problem
- = Not Applicable
- Establishing Contact:
-
- Greeted students with a bit of
small talk.
- Established eye contact with as
many students as possible.
- Set ground rules for student
participation and questioning.
- Used questions to gain student
attention.
- Encouraged student questions.
Maintaining Contact:
- Maintained eye contact with as
many students as possible.
- Used rhetorical questions to
re-engage student attention.
- Asked questions which allowed the
instructor to gauge students'
progress.
- Was able to answer students'
questions satisfactorily.
- Noted and responded to signs of
puzzlement, boredom, curiosity,
etc.
- Varied the pace of the lecture to
keep students alert.
- Spoke at a rate which allowed
students time to take notes.
Other Comments:
- Conducting a Mini-Lecture
Why?
The purpose of teaching to one to three
colleagues is to provide you with an opportunity,
in an informal atmosphere, to practice some of
the suggestions mentioned in this booklet. Your
colleagues can provide you with support and
assistance in analyzing and refining your
teaching skills.
What is involved?
- Identify a few specific teaching goals or
skills you wish to practice or try out.
Plan and teach a 20-30 minute lesson to
your colleagues.
- Let your colleagues know:
- The time involved - one half to
one hour.
- What they as students, are to
know when the lesson is finished.
- Upon what aspects of teaching you
want them to focus.
- Which rating sheet(s) above) you
wish them to use.
- Conducting a Classroom Videotaping
Why?
The advantages of being videotaped in your own
classroom are: that you are closer to reality
than the mini-lecture; that of increased time
flexibility and convenience (you can review the
videotape more than once and at times of your
choice); and that you can see yourself as you
think your students see you.
What is involved?
The same as for a mini-lecture except that:
- The time involved for colleagues is
usually one hour for viewing the tape and
one hour for discussion and review.
- Arrangements for videotaping and playback
sessions need to be made.
How do your colleagues help?
They help by:
- Discussing your goals or objectives with
you.
- Observing your teaching.
- Providing constructive feedback.
- Helping you develop a strategy for making
your instruction more effective.
What is in it for your colleagues?
Some of the ideas and approaches you will be
reviewing may also be new to one or more of the
group. Through active participation and exposure
to these concepts, viewers can learn more about
teaching.
How can it be arranged?
You can make arrangements yourself, or you can
call members of the Course Development Division
who will help you make the arrangements and
recommend colleagues who will be willing to
review your mini-lecture, or videotape.
There are many ways of collecting information from
students that can help you assess and improve your
lecturing as the semester progresses. Several are listed
below. Try them, modify them, or use them to generate a
similar idea of your own. These evaluations may be used
anytime during the semester.
- Ask for student volunteers (3-6) to meet with you
during the week to review the lecture and to
transmit comments from other students. Membership
can be rotated over the semester among all who
wish to volunteer.
- Ask two or three students to meet with you after
class and review the notes they took that day.
Look for spots where they may have been confused,
and check to see that major points are accurately
perceived. This activity can be particularly
helpful for instructors who have received
information from other evaluations that their
organization of lecture material is weak, or that
they do not explain things clearly.
- Some faculty are not inclined to discuss their
lecturing with students, yet want to know their
perceptions. Members of the Course Development
Division can interview an entire class and
transmit the resulting information to the
instructor. The class interview takes about
thirty minutes and can be done anytime during the
semester. This method has been especially well
received by instructors and students.
- Let your students know that you are interested in
getting feedback about your lecturing. Place a
"suggestions" box in the classroom.
- Ask a person from the Course Development Division
in interview a few students outside of class or
to meet with volunteers after class in order to
provide you with accurate information about your
lectures. This can be an ongoing activity.
- Another way of collecting student evaluations of
lecturing is described by McKeachie (1978, pp.
22-23):
Using Student Lecture Committees
"One method I have used to increase
the students' feeling of participation in the
lecture, while keeping the lectures most
closely related to student needs, was to
choose a student lecture committee. Lecture
notes were dittoed a week in advance; then a
student committee was chosen from volunteers
to read over the next week's assignment and
lectures. The members of the committee also
interviewed other members of the class to
obtain their reactions to past lectures. The
members of the committee then met me to
suggest revisions of the forthcoming
lectures. Since they could cloak their
criticisms by saying 'Some of the students I
interviewed said...,' they were usually quite
frank.
"Some of the special techniques
favored by such lecture committees are:
- Placing a brief outline on the
blackboard during the lecture.
(Perhaps students pay more attention
to an outline they copy than to one
given to them ready printed.)
- Summarizing important points at the
end of the lecture.
- Using demonstrations or movies to
break up the lecture.
- Breaking the lecture group into small
buzz sessions to discuss particular
problems. This technique seems to
secure much greater student
acceptance of some lecture materials.
I've broken lecture sections of 500
students into groups of six. These
groups discuss a problem for ten
minutes, after which I call upon some
of the groups to report. After each
idea or suggestions, other groups
which had the same idea are asked to
raise their hands so that they too
are involved and rewarded. The main
points of the reports are placed on
the blackboard and I then try to
incorporate them into the lecture or
at least discuss the problems
involved."
Printed by permission of the publisher.
- Use ICES questionnaire items to assess your
lecturing skills.
The following items are from
the Instructor and Course Evaluation System
(ICES). The item catalogs are available from
departmental offices or from Measurement and
Evaluation, Center for Teaching Excellence
(333-3490). Numbers preceding each item
below are ICES numbers. The catalog contains
additional items which you may prefer.
- ORGANIZATION/STRUCTURE OF THE LECTURE
-
- 248--The instructor seemed well prepared
for classes.
- Yes, always - - - - - No, seldom
- 242--The instructor's knowledge of
subject was:
- Excellent - - - - - Poor
- 22--Did lectures repeat material covered
by the reading?
- Yes, but too often - - - - - No, too
seldom
- 284--The instructor followed an outline
during classroom presentations.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 281--The instructor presented material at
a level appropriate for me.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 27--The instructor described at the
beginning of class what was planned.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 297--How much detail did the instructor
provide in his/her explana-tion?
- Too much - - - - - Too little
- 339--The instructor pointed out what was
important to learn in each class session.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 7--Did the instructor present topics in a
logical sequence?
- Yes, almost always - - - - - No, almost
never
- 294--The instructor broke down complex
topics for easier explanation.
- Often - - - - - Seldom
- 13--Was class time spent on unimportant
and irrelevant material?
- Yes, often - - - - - No, never
- 523--Each concept was explained and
discussed thoroughly.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 132--The instructor attempted to cover
too much material.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 285--The instructor summarized material
presented in each class.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 255--How interesting were the
instructor's presentations?
- Very interesting - - - - - Rather boring
- 299--The instructor did not synthesize,
integrate, or summarize effectively.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 528--How helpful were the instructor's
examples/experiences?
- Very helpful - - - - - Not at all helpful
- PRESENTING THE LECTURE
-
- INSTRUCTOR'S COMMUNICATION SKILLS
-
- 241--Was the instructor a good speaker?
- Yes, very good - - - - - No, rather poor
- 259--It was easy to hear and understand
the instructor.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 305--The instructor looked at the class
while speaking.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 313--The instructor's lack of facility
with English hindered communications of
ideas.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 289--The instructor generally talked:
- Too fast - - - - - Too slow
- 145--What pace did the instructor set in
presenting the material?
- Too fast - - - - - Too slow
- 380--The instructor varied the tempo of
the class to suit content and students'
needs.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 280--The instructor's presentations
allowed for easy note taking.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 139--Use of blackboard, overhead
projector, demonstrations, films or
models.
- Used effectively - - - - - Not used
effectively
- 288--How difficult was it to coy what the
instructor put on the board?
- Very difficult - - - - - Very easy
- 257--The instructor emphasized important
points by raising voice, repeating, etc.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 341--During presentations, did the
instructor check on students'
understanding?
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 355--The instructor was skillful in
observing student reactions.
- Almost always occurred - - - - - Almost
never occurred
- 354--The instructor listened attentively
to what class members had to say.
- Always - - - - - Seldom
- 292--The main points of lecture were
clearly understood.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 244--How would you characterize the
instructor's ability to explain?
- Excellent - - - - - Very poor
- 293--The instructor explained new ideas
by relating them to familiar concepts.
- Often - - - - - Seldom
- 286--The instructor's presentation of
abstract ideas, concepts, and theories
was:
- Very clear - - - - - Very unclear
- INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT INTERACTION
-
- 246--Did the instructor seem to enjoy
teaching?
- Yes, very much - - - - - No, enjoyed it
little
- 392--The instructor promoted an
atmosphere conducive to work and
learning.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 377--Did the instructor intimidate the
students?
- Yes, frequently - - - - - No, never
- 358--The instructor could sense when an
idea had not been clear to me.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 401--Students were free to interrupt
presentations if points needed
clarification.
- Strongly agree - - - - - Strongly
disagree
- 328--Did the instructor raise challenging
questions in class?
- Yes, often - - - - - No, seldom
- 359--How often did the instructor
understand your comments or questions?
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 367--How often did the instructor give up
on students when they didn't understand?
- Very often - - - - - Seldom
- 79--The instructor was willing to answer
my questions thoroughly.
- Almost always - - - - - Very seldom
- 295--The instructor was able to answer
questions clearly and concisely.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- 265--The instructor made use of
alternative explanations when needed.
- Almost always - - - - - Almost never
- AUDIO/VISUAL
-
- 90--Did instructional materials appear to
be conscientiously prepared or chosen?
- Yes, always - - - - - No, seldom
- 91--Instructional materials for this
course were:
- Too elementary - - - - - Too advanced
- 93--Were slide presentations interesting
and stimulating?
- Yes, always - - - - - No, never
- 96--How much explanation did the
instructor provide in discussing slides,
films, etc?
- Too much - - - - - Too little
CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Advantages and
Disadvantages of the Lecture Method
- Suggestions for Effective
Lecture Preparation and Delivery
- The Beginning of the Lecture
- The Body of the Lecture
- The Closing of the Lecture
- Questions to Consider
- Delivery-Vocal
- Delivery-Physical
- Other
- Practical Suggestions for
Using Visual Instructional Aids
- Three Methods for
Assessing Lecturing Skills
- Videotape Self-Review
- Colleague Review
- Student Evaluation of Lecturing
- Suggestions for
Interpreting Collected Assessments
- References for Further
Reading
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