Methods of Teaching Economics

Lecture 1

General Strategies

• Do not read your notes– Very mechanical; students know

• Prepare yourself mentally for class– Come early and prepare your thoughts, listen

to relaxing music, etc.

Opening a Lecture

• Avoid a “cold start”– Talk to students informally before class, etc.– Helps keep the voice (tone) conversional

• Minimize nervousness– Nervousness is normal– Use relaxing techniques to keep your mind

calm– As you get experience, this goes away

Opening a Lecture

• Grab students’ attention– Provocative question– Startling statement– Unusual analogy – Striking example– Personal anecdote – Dramatic contrast – Powerful quote– Short questionnaire– Demonstration

An Example• The world is full of contradictions!

• Mikhail Gorbachev is still a communist.

• Why does he live in California?

• Isn’t the U.S.A. a symbol of capitalism?

• Does he have an agenda?

Opening a Lecture

• Vary your opening!– Prevents the opening from becoming stale!

• List the Objectives for the course– Lets students know what you are planning

• Establish rapport with your students– Warmth and rapport has positive affect on

students

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Keep an eye on students– Do the students look confuse?

• Try another example– Are you boring your students

• Maintain eye contact– Students know you are paying attention to

them– But don’t stare for long periods of time!

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Vary your lectures– Students need to pay attention to learn– Students lose attention about 10 minutes of listening

– Ask questions– Play the devil’s advocate

• Look at the other side of the issue

– Use visual aids• Slides, graphs, charts, video, etc.

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Explicitly organize your lectures– Use an outline– The form of this lecture

– Students can easily catch up, if their attention wanes

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Be enthusiastic about the material• Use facial expressions

– Students know if you are bored or do not like your subject

– If you are bored with the subject, then why should students be excited about it?

– I had several very boring professors

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Be conversational– Use informal language

• Colorful language, expressive adjective, use first or second person (I, we, and you)

– Be direct– Be natural

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Use anecdotes– Anecdote is a short story– Anecdotes help break up monotony– Students pay better attention

– Can use for key points

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Move around the room– Keeps students’ interest– Breaks up monotony

– Can use gestures

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Laugh at yourself when you make a mistake– Drop notes, mis-pronounce words, etc.

– Helps keep students at ease

Capturing Students’ Interest

• Keep track of time

• If time is running out, don’t speed up the lecture up to finish– Most professors do this; even me!

Mastering Delivery Techniques

• Vary your speaking pace– If you go too slow, then students become bored!

• Vary your voice– Pitch– Volume– Duration of words– Intonation– Intensity of your voice

• Lawyers do this!

Mastering Delivery Techniques

• Use pauses– Used as punctuation– To mark a thought, sentence, or paragraph– Add emphasis, before or after a key idea

– Take a sip of water or coffee after discussing an important idea

Mastering Delivery Techniques

• Avoid saying – "um" – "well" – "you know" – "OK" – "so" – Watch yourself on video tape

– Silent pauses are more effective

Mastering Delivery Techniques

• Breathe normally– Normal breathing prevents vocal strain that

affects the pitch and quality of your speech

– Keep your shoulders, neck, and jaw relaxed– Keep your eyes fully open

Closing a Lecture

• End with a conclusion– Students know the lecture had a purpose– They have closure

– End with a thought provoking problem or question

– Avoid “I almost forgot.”

Closing a Lecture

• Keep your voice strong• Lift your chin up• Keep your eyes facing the audience.

• Be sure to stay after class for a few minutes to answer students' questions.

Improving Your Lectures

• Assess how the lecture went and which parts need improvement

• Record your lecture• Watch yourself on video tape

– Watch for good and bad traits and mannerisms

• Talk to a speech consultant

Economics Instructors

I violated most of these suggestions.

• The best suggestion is to pick a good professor and emulate him or her.