Faculty often tell students to study two hours for every credit hour or even 3. The U.S. Department of Education defines the credit hour as “One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester. Most University classes have an average fixed time of lecture fixed at three hours, and usually followed by a short 10 minute break at the mid point. This is true from US to across Asia. However in Australia its around one and half hours with heavy doses of assignment and research work. However student focus wavers generally after the 1st 20-25 minutes. Modern best practices strongly suggest limiting the length of a lecture to 15-20 minutes, or breaking up a longer lecture with hands-on activities, as research shows that 20 minutes is about as long as humans can maintain their attention on one source of information (Bligh, 2000).
So should the Universities and Dept of Education rethink and draft a new binding teaching pattern with 20-25 minutes per session followed by activities or assignments or group projects?
This not addressing policy, but varying classroom experiences can relieve the boredom factor. For example, punctuating lecture with small group breakout activities or a minute of free writing.
Three hrs are so suitable, and in some circumstances, two is enough. Regards
Dear Sudeep Debkuumar,
I think teaching hours should be shorter than 3 hours per lecture. We all have the same experience that our students lose their concentration during a long session and their attention shifts to other subjects outside classrooms. I agree with you that the universities should rethink a new teaching pattern with shorter session followed by hand-on activities or assignments or projects.
In our country, we usually take 2 classes weekly each lasting 1:30 hours for 1 credit. Some departments take 3 classes of 1 hour each.
I remember that in 1990s and in 2000s, when I was studying, 3 hour-classes or seminars were normal, and sometimes they took a little bit more. Nowadays, it does not work. Even I find 2 hour or more, difficult to follow. It also depends, as dr. Rhianon Allen said, on how con you vary the activities. I have an online instruction space on neuropsychology for education students, and it worked like dr. Rhianon Allen said.
I think that complete instruction should include lecture, instruction, and, when possible, group and individual hands-on examples or activities to perform. It engages students more and stimulates them to deep their subject understanding.
Thanks!
Dear Razia, Nicolas, Medhat
Thank you so much for your learned opinions and taking time to share. A lot would depend on the use of IT resources which unlike what people think-is expensive for many students to also arrange in many countries such as smart phones or iPad or even laptops. Traditional classroom learning required the lecturers to complete the entire course syllabus (baed on the text book) in class-time and time was not enough then. Today with more resources and smart learning ( anything from handouts to online virtual resources) can we really reduce the lecture time and add more to what the students can produce from the after effect of learning?.
Dear pr. Sudeep Debkuumar :
It depends a lot on how much freedom do you have, as professor, to modify your coursework. I prefer to work with much of that freedom, because I like the students to go as deep as possible, exploring the topic, than to cover topics prescribed in a syllabus.
This is because I think that in that way, the students learn more for real. In the other way, you can only deliver a content, but with no oportunity to see better in student learning.
Anyway, it depends on the degree of freedom that departaments and institutions give to you to make such arrangements in your own way.
Thanks!
Hello Sudeep Debkuumar
I think that your idea of each segment for 20-25 minutes is an excellent notion. I know I definitely have a limit for my concentration or attention. The longer lectures in undergraduate university, if the lecture was too long, I would just fall asleep, which is a waste for everybody. This proposal would have helped me so much when I was at university myself!
Hi Joseph, Kiran, Yaseen, learned colleagues, and friends. true. the whole purpose of teaching students is to pass factual knowledge and enhance their learning experience in the best possible way.
Yes.But 20 min is not enough.In subject like Mathematics Some theorems proof requires 30 minutes after giving a basic knowledge about the topic.In my opinion
45 minute lecture is an ideal time for subjects..After each hour a water break of 5 min should be given and students should told to drink water compulsorily which is very much helpful for their health.After 2 periods,ten minutes break
After three hours ,Lunch break should be given.Same is continued for afternoon lectures.
Also better to have 6 hours on all
week days and give holiday both on saturday and sunday for all teachers.
It really depends on the subjects. The Dutch universities of applied sciences for many years in general have 90 minutes of lecturing time per subject weekly. It has not been proven as an improvement for learning outcomes and better skills development.
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