Promoting deep learning in lectures

Abstract

The use of lectures as an educational tool is well established and its roots can be traced back to ancient Greece. However, use of the lecture as an educational tool has been increasingly questioned where the opposition claims that the lecture promotes a surface learning approach where the students emphasis is on memorizing facts and not gaining a deep understanding of the presented material.
The traditional lecture format in education is generally regarded as the transmission of ideas from the lecturer to the audience. To promote deep learning in such an environment students need to be engaged and think critically about the material. In this report a number of suggestions are presented which the lecturer can apply to engage the students and as a result, promote deep learning.