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1999
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April
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In the Classroom
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The Mid-Lecture Break: When Less Is More
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John Olmsted III
California State University, Fullerton, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Fullerton, CA 92834-6866
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April 1999
Vol. 76 No. 4
p. 525
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| Abstract |
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Chemistry courses that operate in the traditional mode typically involve 50-minute presentations, even though human attention spans are substantially shorter. Decline of attention toward mid-lecture can be avoided by inserting an interactive "intermission", the mid-lecture break. Change of pace, student involvement, and in-class assessment are the three essential features of mid-lecture breaks. These can be implemented in a variety of ways, depending on the instructor's interests and ingenuity. Most of the mid-lecture breaks that I use fall into three general categories: brief in-class assessment questions, feedback concerning previously collected information, and "news breaks". An in-class assessment poses a single question for students to answer in writing. Feedback provides the class with information about student responses to classroom research questions.. News breaks convey announcements and chemistry-related news. Examples of each of these are described. Student response to this instructional feature, as determined by in-class surveys, is overwhelmingly positive. At the end of a recent semester, students ranked the mid-lecture break on a par with detailed problem solving as the most effective instructional strategies.
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| More Information |
 Citation |
Olmsted, John A., III. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 525.
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Keywords |
Chemical Education Research; Teaching / Learning Aids; Teaching/Learning Theory/Practice
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History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
June 14, 1999
June 23, 2005
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| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
1999
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April
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525
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