The Lecture: Going for a walk whilst sitting down
Year: 2011
Editor: Kovacevic, Ahmed, Ion, William, McMahon, Chris, Buck, Lyndon and Hogarth, Peter
Author: Leslie, Arthur; Crisp, John; Roy, Alan
Series: E&PDE
Section: Pedagogy
Page(s): 211-215
Abstract
Today, the student experience is important; reading from a lectern has become well worn. As academics, we need to reconsider how we deliver information to students. It is asserted in this submission that it is time to re-visit the most common method of delivery. When a lecture is given to students and re-consider how a different approach can challenge pre conceptions and produce positive responses. The Lecture: Going for a walk whilst sitting down was delivered at Nottingham Trent University during October 2010 to a group of second year under graduate students from BSc, (hons) and BA (hons) programmes, all were studying Design. The design of the presentation was helical, in that the seminar literally walked the lecture several days later. As part of the process, key observations were re-iterated and others added during the walk. The purpose of this was to walk the path that the students do everyday to mirror familiarity; to empathise with the student in the act of ensuring that the lecture was cognizant in character. The rationale of the lecture was to arrest pre-conceptions and patterns of thought and behaviour that are almost automatic, which is something many do when travelling to work. Although, the lectures primary focus was cognitive, the secondary aspect was to present information, objects, buildings and artefacts they see everyday and make them aware that they are looking and not seeing. It was a deconstructive process; by recording these observations the students also began to accrue imagery that interests them that also embodies semiotic reference points and remain copyright free for them to use as a starting points for ideas. A questionnaire was completed by 100 students after the walk and the response to the lecture & seminar was positive and informative concerning a number of areas. The authors of this paper assert that it is time to re visit how a lecture and seminar can be delivered to change and help to develop the student experience in 2010. Keywords: Experience, lecture, challenging pre conceptions, familiarity
Keywords: Keywords: Experience, lecture, challenging pre conceptions, familiarity