Ideas for lectures that aren’t lectures (Humanities)

[theferry]

I’m in the Humanities. I have to fill some one hour sessions in a large lecture theatre (140 students), but it can’t be a traditional lecture (ie where I talk on my own). Any suggestions?

I’ll be honest and say I’m not really sure what you're asking.

If it’s not a lecture, can you show a documentary on a relevant subject?

Why can't it be a traditional lecture?

What information are you trying to impart? There shouldn't be any 'how can we fill this time?' filler.

You could treat it as a big tutorial (lectorial) and set them questions to discuss in small groups and then ask a couple groups every time to give you parts of the answer from discussion.

It depends very much on what is the point of the students being there

Give us a little bit more context

What are they supposed to be learning?

Take them to a local graveyard and discuss death in society
Identify different sections and religions in the grave.

Seperate in groups and ask them to explore different areas of the city reporting back influences from other societies?

I’ve previously shown documentaries, but for various reasons that’s not going to work any more.

I need to find a way to teach for an hour with 140 students without resorting to just giving a standard lecture. I need it to be more interactive, but that’s very difficult with such a large class and I’m struggling to find a solution.

What are the learning outcomes for these sessions? That needs to be the basis of your plan.

I've used platforms like Poll Everywhere, Padlet or Kahoot to create word clouds, quizzes and other interactive activities in big lecture rooms. Seems to be popular with students when I've used it

Why? What's wrong with an old fashioned lecture?

Workshop with lots of activities they could do on their own or in pairs?

Agree with this, also lots of ideas here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/oed/ed/Ideasforlecturesandlargegroups.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwif_LqK5q-LAxVEYEEAHSNPCH4QFnoECHgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw153BZEOPcJDlrMWL-pYmQj

Essentially I'd break it up, maybe into three sections, with an activity after each mini lecture. It might be helpful to tell them what the activity it is before the mini lecture to focus them (eg this section is on x, then I'll be asking you to discuss the potential answers to this question etc).

Thanks for sharing this, this is a really helpful resource

One exercise I have previously done which students enjoyed was a 'connect the dots', although I have never done it with a group of that size, so not sure it would work. In put students in small groups of 4 and give them a print out of 6 images related to a specific theme. By the end of the hour they need to be able to explain to me how the 6 images relate to one another. If they have done the readings, it will not be too difficult. If they haven't done the readings, it is much more challenging.

use poll everywhere so they can answer questions/ discuss points