Caption: College students in a Maryland science class. Some professors are abandoning the traditional lecture because research suggests it's not very effective, but lecture classes are still common. , Credit: Emily Hanford
Image by: Emily Hanford 
College students in a Maryland science class. Some professors are abandoning the traditional lecture because research suggests it's not very effective, but lecture classes are still common.  

Don’t Lecture Me: Rethinking the Way College Students Learn

Series: American RadioWorks: Focus on Education
From: American Public Media
Length: 00:54:00

Most college students spend a lot of time listening to lectures. But research shows there are better ways to learn. (9/1/2011) Read the full description.
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Don_t_lecture_me_promo_image_small In an increasingly competitive global economy the best jobs go to highly skilled workers who can think well and learn fast. Are today’s college graduates up to the challenge? Many experts say no. In this program, American RadioWorks producer Emily Hanford explores how traditional approaches to teaching are failing to provide many college students with the knowledge they need. We hear the unexpected story of how a group of physicists became concerned about what their students were learning, what they did about it, and how their work is influencing a new generation trying to reinvent college so that students really learn.

Don’t Lecture Me: Rethinking the Way College ... | 00:54:00

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Piece Description

In an increasingly competitive global economy the best jobs go to highly skilled workers who can think well and learn fast. Are today’s college graduates up to the challenge? Many experts say no. In this program, American RadioWorks producer Emily Hanford explores how traditional approaches to teaching are failing to provide many college students with the knowledge they need. We hear the unexpected story of how a group of physicists became concerned about what their students were learning, what they did about it, and how their work is influencing a new generation trying to reinvent college so that students really learn.

Transcript

DON'T LECTURE ME
Transcript

Stephen Smith: From APM, American Public Media, this is an American RadioWorks documentary.

College students spend a lot of time listening to lectures.

Eric Mazur: At least until Guttenburg, the only valid approach to education was the lecture.

But experts say the lecture has outlived its usefulness.

Joe Redish: If all there is is lectures, we don't need faculty to do it. Get 'em to do it once; put it on the web; fire the faculty.

Research shows lecturing has never been effective. Now a new college is re-thinking everything about how students are taught.

Tim Horn: We are giant guinea pigs in this huge experiment.

Coming up: "Don't Lecture Me: Rethinking the Way College Students Learn" from American RadioWorks. First, this news.
Part 1

Lee Friedman: Alright, so let's go ahead and start for today...

Stephen Smith: It's just before 11 o'clock on a Tue...
Read the full transcript

Timing and Cues

00:00 - 01:00 (0:59 + :01 silence) Billboard outcue = "first, this news."
01:00 - 06:00 (5:00) NPR News hole, Music Bed.
06:00 - 33:46 (27:46) Part 1; outcue = "American Public Media."
33:46 - 34:46 (0:59 + :01 silence) Music Bed.
34:46 - 59:00 (24:14) Part 2; outcue = "American Public Media."
59:00 - 60:00 (1:00) silence [no silence segment on PRX]

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Are today’s college students learning what they need to know for the 21st century? Many experts say no, and one way to fix the problem is to change the way college professors teach. Here is “Don’t Lecture Me: Rethinking the Way College Students Learn” – a new documentary from American RadioWorks

OUTRO:

Musical Works

Title Artist Album Label Year Length
The Keyboarder Session Victim Left the Building. Delusions of Grandeur 2010 01:00

Additional Credits

Producer: Emily Hanford
Editor: Catherine Winter
Executive Editor and Host: Stephen Smith
Assistant Producer: Suzanne Pekow
Coordinating Producer: Ellen Guettler
Audio Mixing: Craig Thorson

Related Website

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/tomorrows-college/lectures/

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