Tip #220: Debunking Myths About a Lecturer #2

When there is a lot of information to cover, not even a fast-talking lecturer will be effective.

Two Reasons Why a Lecturer is Ineffective

1. There is only so much information that learners can absorb at one time.

Brain studies have found that participants can learn only 2-3 new and entirely unfamiliar items in a training segment. If the learning involves items that are familiar and meaningful to the learners, the number that participants can learn increases to 4-5 in a training segment. (Please bear in mind that a training segment is the amount of time necessary to teach the specific content to the desired level of learning. This period of time may be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or even an hour or more.)

Therefore, a lecturer who sprays information at the participants will be ineffective.

2. Few learners are aural learners.

Although there are many models of learning styles, they all indicate that aural learners (those who learn by listening) comprise only a portion of total learners. The remaining learning styles (visual, interactive, print, haptic, and kinesthetic, if we use the Perceptual Learning Styles Model) do not learn in this fashion.

When only a few participants can learn from a lecturer, the rest of the participants are left with very little to no information.

Meet the Intent

When the intent is merely to share information, then why not save everyone time and energy? Simply mail (email or snail mail) them the information to read at their leisure.

If the intention is to ensure real learning, then reduce the amount of information. Focus on the key content and simply reference the additional nice-to-know but not essential information. Then break the lecture every five minute.  Give the participants an interactive exercise  that engages them with the key content:

  • questionnaire,
  • pop up,
  • case study,
  • discussion,
  • simulation,
  • demonstration, or
  • question and answer.

If you would like to learn how to design and facilitate effective learning, please book a call to discuss a tailored train-the-trainer program. https://laurelandassociates.com/contact/

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