The lecture remains a basic element of many college courses,
but research continues to show it’s time for a change. Researchers from the
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, recently found that students
taking traditional lecture classes displayed little or no improvement in their problem-solving
skills after the first semester of their freshman year.
The results were similar to a 2011 UBC study which showed
that student engagement and learning doubled when interactive teaching methods
were utilized. Researchers from the University of Washington also released a
report in 2014 that found students in lecture classes were 1.5 times more
likely to fail than students who took classes with more stimulating
instruction.
“There is strong evidence that different methods of
teaching can heavily influence the development of problem-solving skills,”
Andis Klegeris, associate professor of biology at UBC, told eCampus News.
“It does not appear that the traditional, lecture-style of information delivery
is well suited to helping students build those skills.”
The latest UBC research involved a test that measured
problem-solving skills throughout an undergrad’s educational career. One test
was given at the start of the first semester and another at the end.
“As problem-solving is becoming an increasingly
sought-after skill, it is likely postsecondary institutions will need to adapt
their teaching styles to ensure students are able to better participate in a
skill-based economy,” said Heather Hurren, a UBC researcher and manager of
academic development at the UBC Centre for Teaching and Learning. “If they
haven’t already, professors will need to move from traditional lectures and
expectations of memorization to approaches that see small groups of students
actively discover knowledge on their own.”
