Return to Question

added 425 characters in body

view source

edited Jun 8 2010 at 14:54

There are many different styles of lecturing, and many different aspects that are blended together to give a whole "lecturing style". That said, I'm particularly interested in hearing people's experiences with so-called "handouts". At one extreme lie the lecturers who "dictate" a set of notes (usually not actual dictation, but by writing on a board) whilst at the other are lecturers who distribute complete lecture notes in advance.

As this is math overflow, I realise that it is extremely unlikely that it will be possible to answer the question "which is better", and I realise that this probably depends much more on other factors than just whether or not notes where given out or not, but to help me decide what to do then I'd like to hear people's experiences - both as lecturers and students. If anyone can point me to actual research on this in the (mathematics education) literature then that would be an unlooked-for bonus.

(Minor edit: in light of the way that comments get displayed in "short form", I'd like to make it clear that the "Andrew" referred to in many of the comments is not the same "Andrew" who edited this question! Unfortunately, if I put this remark in a comment - which is where it belongs - then it wouldn't be seen by those casually stumbling across this question and so those most prone to making that assumption!)

Rewritten to take out the unanswerable question

view source

edited Jun 8 2010 at 12:07

Andrew Stacey
16k●1●40●110

Is it more beneficial to give students a set of typed lecture notes at the beginning What are your experiences of the semesterhandouts in mathematics lectures?

Or is it better

There are many different styles of lecturing, and many different aspects that are blended together to hand them out after you've presented the material give a whole "lecturing style". That said, I'm particularly interested in order to encourage students to pay attention to hearing people's experiences with so-called "handouts". At one extreme lie the lecture? Or is it more instructional to force students take notes in class?

In particular, I'd like to hear from people lecturers who have taught or taken classes that had lecture "dictate" a set of notes handed out to see how their experience compared with classes that did (usually not have pre-made actual dictation, but by writing on a board) whilst at the other are lecturers who distribute complete lecture notes in advance.When answering

As this is math overflow, I realise that it is extremely unlikely that it will be possible to answer the question please also say "which is better", and I realise that this probably depends much more on other factors than just whether your experience concerned undergraduate or graduate classesnot notes where given out or not, but to help me decide what to do then I'd like to hear people's experiences - both as lecturers and students. If anyone can point me to actual research on this in the two situations might (mathematics education) literature then that would be very differentan unlooked-for bonus.

added 457 characters in body

view source

edited Jun 7 2010 at 22:22

Noah Snyder
11.3k●1●26●70

Or is it more instructional better to use hand them out after you've presented the blackboard material in order to develop encourage students to pay attention to the theory and have lecture? Or is it more instructional to force students take notes in class?

In particular, I'd like to hear from people who have taught or taken classes that had lecture notes handed out to see how their experience compared with classes that did not have pre-made lecture notes. When answering the question please also say whether your experience concerned undergraduate or graduate classes, as the two situations might be very different.