50 Alternatives To Lecturing

05/27/2015, TeachThought Staff, 0 Comments

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50 Alternatives To Lecturing
by TeachThought Staff
Ed note: This post is promoted by SEUS online masters in education programs. SEU
simply asked us to write about how learning is changing and the updated kinds of things
teachers need to know, and to let you know about their program. So here we are.
As teachers, when we lecture, we have the best of intentions. We have a concept we want the
class to understand, so we stand and explain it to them. We give them background. Offer
details. Anticipate and pre-empt common misconceptions. Illuminate the more entertaining
bits. Emphasize the nuance.

So explaining things isnt bad, so how about beginning with some clarification. Talking is
not lecturingits talking. Talking with students and expecting them to respond meaningfully
isnt lecturethats accountable talk, which itself is close to a Socratic dialogue or Paideia
seminar. Explaining an idea verbally, especially if being done to clarify a context or history
of circumstancecan be a powerful tool if used expertly.
Everyone loves a story, and unless youre awful, your students probably like you and want to
hear from you. But you cant give knowledge. Or verbally annotate discovery and
inquiry. Clearly this thinking comes from a place of constructivism, so its slanted that
way. Lecture likely has a place in education. In the background knowledge-building phase of
learning, for example.
Or in a flipped classroom setting where the lecture is designed to be consumed at the
students own pace (usingviewing strategies, for example).
Or when students have mastered a core set of understandings, and are readyin unisonto
hear something from an honest-to-goodness expert who only has an hour to unload what
he/she knows. In these cases, when

All students are similarly motivated

All students have mastered certain listening strategies
All students have strong note-taking skills, and can adapt those strategies for a
variety of content, delivery speed, and so on
All students have a similar background knowledge

then lecture can be moderately effective, but even then it depends on what we mean by
effective. (Prince 2004)
The List of Alternatives To Lecture
So then, the list. This is an interesting post to write, because a large part of our content is to
provide alternatives to lecture. In that way, our site at large could be seen as a compilation of
alternatives to lecturing. But for those educators thatd like to see a kind of index all gathered
in one place, with certain links to more in-depth analyses elsewhere, this post might help
scratch that itch. This is a long list. The idea is to see a lot of awesome possibilities in one
place, not write a book.
A few notes:
1. This is a mix of learning models and literacy strategies that can be used to accomplish what
we hope a lecture mightgive information and promote understanding. Not every one is a
perfect replacement for what a good lecture is, but most, in spirit and function, are close.
2. Some of the ideas dont have linkswell try to go back and add them. Suggest some in the
comments if you know of a good one. We may go back and add brief definitions links to
great content that then clarifies and extends these items with thinking, frameworks, strategies,
and tools, because some are admittedly confusing in name-only. We were going to include
several videos and frameworks, but that makes the post clumsy and slow-loading on smaller

mobile devices. If you get curious and/opr confused and we still havent clarified something
youd like to know, either ask in the comments, or try keyword searching on your own.
3. If you look at this list as a whole, its clear education is either changing, or has a slew of
tools its ignoring in not changing.
50 Alternatives To Lecturing
Learning Models
1. Self-directed learning
2. Learning through play
3. Scenario-based learning
4. Game-based learning
5. Project-based learning
6. Peer-to-Peer instruction
7. School-to-school instruction (using Skype in the classroom, for example)
8. Learning through projects
9. Problem-based learning
10. Challenge-based learning
11. Inquiry-based learning
12. Mobile learning
13. Gamified learning (gamification)
14. Cross-curricular projects
15. Reciprocal Teaching
16. Flipped-class learning
17. Face-to-Face Driver blended learning
18. Rotation blended learning
19. Flex Blended Learning

20. Online Lab blended learning

21. Sync Teaching
23. HyFlex Learning
24. Self-guided MOOC
25. Traditional MOOC
26. Competency-Based Learning
27. Question-based learning
Literacy Strategies
28. Write-Around
29. Four Corners
30. Accountable Talk
31. RAFT Assignments
32. Fishbowl
33. Debate
34. Gallery Walk
35. Text Reduction
36. Concentric Circles
37. Traditional Concept-Mapping (teacher-given strategyfishbone cause-effect analysis,
for example)
38. Didactic, Personalized Concept Mapping (student designed and personalized for their
knowledge-level and thinking patterns)
39. Mock Trial
40. Non-academic video + academic questioning
41. Paideia Seminar
42. Symposium

43. Socratic Seminar

44. QFT Strategy
45. Concept Attainment
46. Directed Reading Thinking Activity
47. Paragraph Shrinking
48. FRAME Routine
49. Jigsaw Strategy
Other
50. Content-Based Team-Building Activities
51. Learning Simulation
52. Role-Playing
53. Blooms Spiral
54. Virtual Field Trip
55. Physical Field Trip
56. Digital Scavenger Hunt
57. Physical Scavenger Hunt
58. What? So What? What Now? (See also here.)
50 Alternatives To Lecturing; adapted image attribution flickeringbrad