| ALTERNATIVES TO THE LECTURE FORMAT: How | | | | simplistic visual stimulation with surprising speed.Unless |
| often do you use lectures as your sole training | | | | the trainer can make his material unusually interesting, |
| technique? Nearly always? Often? It's not unusual for | | | | something that few of us accomplish consistently, the |
| trainers to use the lecture technique exclusively. After | | | | constant stream of words will become monotonous to |
| all, this is what we have all seen and are familiar with. | | | | trainees. When there is no room for active participation, |
| The format is easily mastered, and innovation may not | | | | it is very difficult for trainees to maintain an adequate |
| seem necessary when the traditionally accepted | | | | attention level. Finally, just as the term "lecture" |
| technique garners no complaints. Unfortunately, while | | | | suggests, there is no room for "back talk." In a lecture |
| there are several conditions under which a lecture may | | | | format, any trainee's expression of a different point of |
| be useful to the trainer, for several reasons it is not a | | | | view on a subject matter is simply seen as disruptive |
| very effective tool for changing behavior in | | | | or rude. The more controversial (and therefore |
| trainees.PROBLEMS WITH THE LECTURE FORMAT: | | | | interesting) questions will be turned aside without |
| The format requires that trainees receive information | | | | adequate attention.Copyright AE Schwartz & |
| passively, without reciprocal involvement. This tends to | | | | Associates All rights reserved. For additional |
| make trainees feel like children. In fact, this is the | | | | presentation materials and resources: |
| precise connotation that the word "lecture" calls up - | | | | ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, |
| an authority figure addressing children. The structure of | | | | Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: |
| the lesson is therefore instructor-centered rather than | | | | TrainingConsortiumCEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, |
| trainee-centered. The efficacy of the lecture also | | | | Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which |
| suffers from its long history-lectures are expected to | | | | offers over 40 skills based management training |
| be boring. Very few speakers have either training in | | | | programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs |
| public speech or theatre, and most lecturers, no matter | | | | annually for clients in industry, research, technology, |
| how hard they try, move slowly toward either | | | | government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit |
| monotone or singsong patterns as they settle in. | | | | organizations worldwide. He is often found at |
| Hearing is a sense that seems to demand constant | | | | conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. |
| change - without it, any repetitive tone dissolves into | | | | His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and |
| background music. Even the addition of static visual | | | | humorous. He has authored over 65 books and |
| aids helps very little-the human eye is capable of | | | | products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges |
| seeing, recognizing, processing, and ultimately tiring of | | | | and universities throughout the United States. |