While on one side of the lecture room a lecturer is ranting and complaining that students are disinterested, should get off Facebook and make responsible use of technology; the lecture room is filled with students who, on the other hand, probably want to answer back: “Make the lecture more interesting and we will give you our attention.”
A power point presentation is not enough
In 2009, The Guardian published an article explaining why lectures are boring. The power point presentation was one of them. Slides can be stimulating and a good technological tool for a lecture. Yet, some presentations are not visually appealing (at all) or have too much information. Sitting in a lecture room, trying to look at the TV monitor and attempt to understand what is being presented is sometimes challenged by a presentation with the font size as scrambled as a toddler’s handwriting. Dear lecturers, please remember that not all students have the sharp eyesight of a hawk. Some students comment that lecturers simply read from the slides, which are then posted online on VLE. Result: lectures turn out to be a complete waste of time.
A lecture is not a “speak to impress” session
Everyone loves to show off with "big words.’ I am certain that lecturers are more than qualified but please, students beg you to keep it simple. One sentence too much or a word too many and the students are bound to go off track. I ended up downloading a dictionary application on my Smartphone to be able to follow certain lectures. Sometimes, lecturers themselves who, have so much to say on the topic and other related matters go off track. Students, sitting on that chair for an hour or more can’t be blamed for calling on other muses such as fantasising about their crush or their latest date while the lecturer gets back on track and moves on with the lecture. Let’s not forget all the memes and statuses on social media websites about these poor lecturers trying to educate us while being paid quite a fair salary.
Students engage more where lecturers relate with students
Students want to feel part of the action. Class participation is a very simple method of student engagement. Students should not feel "scared’ to raise their hand and utter a statement or ask a question. I always ask myself: What is a lecturer trying to achieve by scaring and intimidating us? Nobody likes a show-off or a bluff.
Too many subjects, too little time ruin the study-unit
This is not the lecturer’s fault. Most of the time, lectures are a race against time resulting in a mad dash to get things done. The more lecturers try to cram, the less interest there lies in the subject.
That phrase that presents itself too often is irritating!
Examples such as lecturers shaking coins in their pockets for two whole hours, using the same phrase over and over again or making jokes which students are forced to laugh at strain our patience level. A lecture is not a sermon. How many times, at one point in the lecture have we heard the same speech over and over again?
Uncomfortable venues
Once again, not really the lecturer’s fault. But certain venues such as Sir Temi Zammit Hall are definitely not fit for lectures. Most rooms are too dark and too big and the chairs are sometimes so uncomfortable. This disturbs concentration. I worry about these uncomfortable chairs because students will not be able to dose off for at least five minutes to try and regain energy.
On the other hand, some students have encountered the opposite — a lecture room that is too small with everybody trying to cram in or borrowing chairs from the room next door. Nobody benefits from smelling the sweaty armpits of the fellow next to you or your neighbour’s bad breath.
Lecturer’s sweat stains are far more interesting than the lecturer itself
Whether the lecturer is attractive, unattractive, scruffy or smart the student is bound to pass a remark to the other student on the right and on the left. As much as it is sometimes underestimated, appearance is very important. Lectures turn into an amusement show at the expense of a faux pas from the lecturer. Fashion bloggers take note!
