Lecture Slides

Poll

For what purpose to do you use lecture slides posted on the student intranet?

As a both an M.Phil candidate and a course convenor I have a little research to do concerning lecture slides.

Please answer my poll and feel free to comment. I accept that at Oxbridge lectures do not have the same meaning or relevance. I am not running this course at Oxbridge despite studying the M.Phil there.

Reply 1

Nana_Julia

9

Lady Narcissus

As a both an M.Phil candidate and a course convenor I have a little research to do concerning lecture slides.

Please answer my poll and feel free to comment. I accept that at Oxbridge lectures do not have the same meaning or relevance. I am not running this course at Oxbridge despite studying the M.Phil there.

I was torn between one and two -they're not an EXCUSE not to go, but very bloody handy when you em...forget...to go, through hangover or otherwise...

Reply 2

Lewisy-boy

11

I voted number 3, because I found that all the best lecturers don't use slides. Also the ones who used slides put massive quotes on them and stuff and all it did was encourage people to try and copy them down rather than listening. I think if you use slides they have to be quite scant on the detail. Handouts which contain some basic detail are quite good because then people aren't desperately trying to scribble down everything eg case names, brief facts and then a very brief bit on the judgment. Too much detail and people won't go, not enough and everyone will be scribbling violently and complaining that there's too much to write!

Reply 3

Lady Narcissus

OP

14

Nana_Julia

I was torn between one and two -they're not an EXCUSE not to go, but very bloody handy when you em...forget...to go, through hangover or otherwise...

Agreed

Reply 4

Lady Narcissus

OP

14

I also agree with Lewis to some extent but I want as many students to do well as possible since it is my first year. I am wondering whether the minority of boardline 2.2's would benefit from an extra push and learning aid.

I cannot say that I really used the slides available during my degree. I often felt cross when I had found a really good quote from a useful section of a textbook through hard work and now everyone had it.

Reply 5

iodine

8

The handouts are more important than the lecture slides. Powerpoints are either too detailed to be of use or (as my contract lecturers were) not detailed enough - What is the point of three words on one slide?

Reply 6

Lady Narcissus

OP

14

OK- what is useful to find on the intranet then? Handouts? The man who ran the course last year offered a very thorough module guide but because its not mine, I think I would struggle to use it. May-be just reproduce that in my own way.

Reply 7

Tory_boy

2

They are not a great excuse not to go to lectures. Lecture handouts can be a good excuse not to go to lectures but even then I would need to be confident that it was a completely boring lecturer who never deviated one bit from his notes.

I wouldn't regard them as an excellent way of learning either. They can supplement what was said in class quite well and provide points of reference for further reading.

Its possible that slides can be completely pointless. If they just group together really obvious cases and state obvious points then they are pretty useless. Especially because students - especially of the female variety - are so keen to be seen to be writing something down in lectures. So why not give them something to do by not using slides?!

Accordingly I don't know which box to vote in.

Are you planning on providing a more detailed lecture handout too?

Reply 8

Lady Narcissus

OP

14

The module guide last year was extremely detailed. That should do it. Then may-be an odd additonal handout if I am feeling extremely generous. :smile:

Reply 9

Scots_Law

2

I think they can be quite useful as a revision aid in the sense that they ensure students know all the relevant points to cover. Although, I agree with what others have said: they should be brief. If they are too detailed students (wrongly) come to the conclusion that the slides cover all the information they need to know.
I don't think students scribbling down everything on the slides is really a problem provided they know that they'll be availible online/as a handout.

Reply 10

Nana_Julia

9

Laura quit faffin with slides and get to the Bar, I'm really looking forward to knowing who you are while you will never be able to be sure it's me :biggrin:

Reply 11

Lady Narcissus

OP

14

:eviltongu he, he- what if I get married and change my last name? Will you still find me.

Reply 12

AdamTJ

12

Handouts are the best! So much better than lecture slides. If they are concise and good means you just have to read them and journals rather than ****ing around with a textbook.

Reply 13

Lady Narcissus

OP

14

Last year they were referred to no articles, cannot believe it.

Reply 14

Scotsman1988

1

It really depends on the lecturer. I've had some lectures where the lecture slides had far too much information contained in them, some with too little and some that were just right.

Reply 15

Lewisy-boy

11

Referred to no articles at all? Not like our lecturers are in a hurry to dish out which articles to read (normally expected to do some research yourself) but major ones are normally listed under 'further reading' or the like.