The lecture

The lecture is the most common of all university teaching delivery modes. Lectures are a vehicle for staff to communicate with large numbers of students - sometimes hundreds - all at the same time. Lectures are generally very passive forms of learning because there is little opportunity for interaction. Questions are seldom fielded in a lectures - they are generally saved up for asking in tutorials. You may have some idea about what to do in a lecture but most first-year students do not. This information is to assist those who do not know what is expected in a lecture.

Like all classes, arrive punctually for a lecture. To do this, ensure that you know where you have to go and what time you need to be there. Although it is understandable that for the first couple of weeks while you adjust to university life you may lose your way in getting to the lecture theatre and so be a little late, you should not make a habit of tardiness.

You will find that the convention is for lectures to finish five minutes before the hour is up to enable students to get to their next class on time.

Before

You will feel more secure and comfortable if you have already completed the suggested 'readings' for each lecture. The 'readings' are vital information that will give you some idea of the material to be covered in the lecture. They are important because lectures are not necessarily linear - that is, they may not progress from 'A' to 'B' to 'C', etc. Some lectures are essentially a collection of thoughts on a particular topic - the lecturer may appear to jump from one thing to another without any apparent linking of ideas. It is especially in such cases that having completed the 'readings' can be very useful as you will have clear 'sign-posts' to follow; even if you temporarily lose the thread you will be able to pick it up again very quickly. 

During

The beginning of a lecture is a critical time as it is during the first few minutes that proficient lecturers will outline the content of the lecture. This outline will give you important sign-posts to follow during the course of the lecture. Make sure that you have plenty of paper and pens that write! During lectures, you are expected to take notes of the most important concepts covered. These notes will form the basis of your understanding of the course (demonstrated through the assessment tasks you will complete) and the revision that you undertake for examinations. These 'concepts' covered in lectures are related directly to the 'big ideas' of the course. You are not expected to write down everything said in a lecture. This is another reason for paying careful attention to the 'readings' beforehand. The 'readings' will help you distinguish the pertinent from the peripheral. If you have a good idea of what is going to be covered in a particular lecture you are in a better position to make judgements about what is key information - and because it is valuable should be recorded - compared with that which is only being provided by way of example.

Over time, you will learn to recognise some of the signs that preface important information and typify the style of lecturing of particular individuals. Here are some examples to help you:

• bluntly being told 'this is important';
• emphasis through repetition;
• emphasis through increased volume of voice;
• change in the tone of voice;
• use of visual aids, e.g., overhead transparencies, videos;
• use of diagrams, notes, dates on the board;
• use of hand gestures and/or other non-verbal behaviour; and
• a range of other idiosyncratic means.

Some subjects produce audio or videotapes of lectures - increasingly, lectures are also be available on-line. If you are enrolled in such units you may find it valuable to listen to and/or watch the tapes and experience the multimedia presentations, especially in the early days of your university experience to improve your note-taking skills. Listening to and/or watching tapes should be done in addition to, not instead of, attending the lecture.

After

Following each lecture you should try to get together with other students who have attended the same lecture to compare notes and discuss the material covered. By doing this, you will develop more confidence in your ability to take lecture notes successfully and understand more fully the subject matter. Remember it is only when you verbalise your ideas that you begin to realise your own areas of strength and weakness. Working collaboratively with others in 'learning communities' will be to your mutual benefit.

If there are aspects of the lecture that you have not fully understood, the time to resolve any uncertainty is when you attend the tutorial. Your tutor is there to clarify any concerns you may have but remember this individual is not a mind-reader. It is crucial for you to take an active role and ask for clarification, this is part of the process of becoming an independent learner.