PME 096 Lecture Analysis 2

Due: Thursday December 8 in Moodle

The purpose of this assignment is to help you apply what you are learning about university lectures to a real
LCC lecture. For this assignment you will visit an LCC class for freshmen (see link to sign-up sheet on Moodle)
and share your observations about different aspects of the class. No more than 2 PRIME students may visit a
particular class session together. If you miss the class session that you signed up to attend, you will need to talk
to Gretchen to find out if there is another opportunity to attend a different class.

Your lecture analysis will take the form of a short paper in which you will answer questions about different
aspects of the class you visit. Your answers should be in full sentences and paragraphs; the entire paper should
be 450-650 words. You should organize the paper with headings, according to the different sections listed
below.

When you visit the class, be prepared to sit in the back as a quiet observer (if the professor invites you to
participate in some way, you may; otherwise, just sit quietly in the back). Take a pen/pencil and paper so that
you can take notes – not on the class content, but on the different things that the professor and students are
saying and doing, according to the categories below. Make sure you arrive a few minutes early so that you can
introduce yourself to the professor, find out his/her name if you don’t know it, and get settled and ready to
observe.

At the beginning of your paper, please include the name of the class, the name of the professor, and the date
you visited the class.

Part 1: Lecture Language

Does the professor use words and phrases to help students understand and follow the organization of the
lecture? Use the following questions to help you.

o Does the professor use a topic signal? If so, what does s/he say?
o What is the topic of the lecture?
o Does the professor use any plan signals? If so, what does s/he say?
o If s/he states a plan, what are the points of the lecture plan?
o Does s/he use any generalization and support signals? If so, what are they?
o Do you hear any cause and effect signals? Any compare/contrast signals? If so, what are they?
(Try to include the whole sentence or enough of the words to provide some context.)
o Does s/he say anything to show that the lecture is almost finished (conclusion signal)? If so,
what does s/he say?

Part 2: Visuals
Notice how the professor uses visuals (e.g., slides, pictures). Describe the professor’s use of visuals. The
following questions can help you:

o What types of visuals does the professor use?

o What do you think is the purpose of the different visuals used?
 o In what way(s) do you think the visuals help the students to understand the lecture or learn the
information?
o If there is information on slides, do you think you would need to write more than what is on
the slides in your notes? Why or why not?

Part 3: Gestures and Non-Verbal Communication

Notice the professor’s use of gestures.

o Does s/he use gestures (movements of hands and arms, e.g.)? If so, what do you think is the
purpose of the gestures?
o Can the gestures be helpful for students’ understanding of the lecture? Why or why not? Give
specific examples.

Part 4: Classroom Communication

o Does the professor ever give the students in the class chances to talk?
o If so, how does s/he do this? Does he ask questions of the whole group? Specify one person to answer
a question? Allow students to ask questions? Ask students to discuss something in smaller groups?

Part 5: Response

o What is your opinion of this lecture?

o Is it easy or difficult to understand? What makes it easy or difficult?
o Would you like to be in this professor’s class? Why or why not?

Please head your paper like this:

First Name Last Name

PME 096
Lecture Analysis 2
Date

Grading:
All questions are answered; evidence of careful observation of the lecture 15
Paper is organized in five sections according to instructions 5
Grammar, mechanics, and spelling do not hinder reader’s understanding 5
25