The development, evaluation and underlying rationale of a two-day course on explaining and lecturing is described. It is argued that since lecturing is the major method of teaching in universities it is important to help lecturers improve their technique and make them aware of their strengths and weaknesses. (Author/MLW)

Recommends black chalkboards, wet-washed before every lecture and advocates the use of Railroad Crayon chalk because its softness and larger size result in a wide high-intensity line. The resulting contrast improves the visibility of material written on chalkboards. (Source for the chalk is provided.) (JM)

A new questionnaire entitled "Evalec" (for evaluating faculty lecturing) incorporates principles of both the appropriate teaching-learning model and the students' more subjective dimension. This allows for transformation of student perceptions into constructive advice to the teacher. (MSE)

Action research refers to research activities carried out by educational field personnel with the objective of forming a link between researchers and practitioners. A study is described in which 133 Israeli students were trained to perform diagnostic action research. (Author/JN)

The lecturer's first job is to get the students' attention. Techniques to hold the students' interest include: adapting the lecture to the audience; covering a few topics in depth rather than many superficially; and putting variety in the format. Nonverbal communication is as important as the content of the lecture. (JN)

Audio-taped lectures by male or female professors were produced in four versions: no humor; sexual humor; other-disparaging humor; and self-disparaging humor. Male and female students rated lecturers' intelligence and appeal. Intelligence ratings were unaffected by humor variations, but significant lecturer-student sex interactions were found on…

Provides physics teachers with comments on the value and role of demonstrations during lecture sessions. (SK)

The standard lecture/discussion format and the Personalized System of Instruction format (PSI) are compared by analyzing student evaluations of two sections of a course in production and operations management. Results of a t test, used to identify significant differences, indicate that PSI received higher ratings on most measures. (Author/AEF)

Compared lecture and small discussion group methods in regard to increasing knowledge and affecting attitude change about alcohol use and alcoholism among mental health workers. Results indicate it is relatively easy to change levels of information, but attitude change through alcohol education is a complex and intricately involved phenomenon.…

A study to test the hypothesis that self-instructional programs in nutrition and dentistry are as effective a teaching method as traditional lectures is discussed. The results of the analysis demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the test scores in the lecture and self-instruction groups. (Author/MLW)

Authors discuss ways to present a challenging classroom or shop format. Suggestions include quiz games, peer tutors, and goal-setting guides. Also includes tips from professional actors and a proven approach for using everyday adult mathematics skills to prepare students for using decimals and fractions. (CT)

This pre-post field study compared effects of a coping model (CM) and a lecture/discussion style on use of redirection, general praise, and paraphrasing by 48 undergraduates in an elementary health methods course. Lecture subjects had no significant changes. CM subjects change significantly in use of praise and paraphrasing. (Author/SJL)

When a lecture course seems to be unsatisfactory, a systematic analysis of its content, objectives, and learner characteristics may prove helpful in selecting a more appropriate teaching-learning method. A model for such a process is examined. (CT)