Lecture Tutorials Help Create Interactive Classes
Research indicates that students learn more when they are actively engaged while learning. Lecture Tutorials are worksheets of carefully-designed questions that require students to think about challenging subjects. They are designed to be used after a brief lecture or introduction to the topic. Working in small groups, students are encouraged to "talk science," ask questions, and teach each other.
Lecture Tutorials Start From the Beginning to Address Difficult Topics
A geologist looking at terrain or a rock formation can often identify its structure and attempt to draw conclusions about its history; most introductory geoscience students cannot make the same connections. Lecture Tutorials use simplified images and questions to help the students build a fundamental understanding of the concept, then move the student into more complex interpretations. In the process, the activities create an environment where students must confront their misconceptions. Misconceptions were identified through literature searches of published misconceptions and through the classroom experience of the authors.
Lecture Tutorials Can Be Used Flexibly
Lecture Tutorials do not need to stand alone in the classroom and can be used with other interactive teaching methods. They are designed to be used to compliment lecture, lab, textbook use, and online resources. While research shows they are most effective when used frequently in the lecture component of a course, instructors from around the country have successfully used them in lab settings or as homework.