Lecture [TC]

A carefully prepared one-way presentation by an individual resource person. It is a means to communicate ideas to large numbers of people, who then process the ideas on their own or in groups, and who then may have the chance to respond to the speaker or to the whole conference.

The lecture is a chance for a coherent set of ideas and concepts to be presented in a carefully structured form. It allows for the formation of a common context on which can be based the future interaction of the members of the audience. The value of the lecture method can be greatly enhanced by active listening techniques that increase the involvement of the audience. These include audience reaction teams, observation teams, and various forms of the participant interaction messaging process. The use of visual displays, variation in style and format, increase the percentage of information actually retained by the audience, and the use of metaphor and images that relate key concepts to the experience of the participants are known to retain their power for years.

The lecture process tends to emphasize the consumer role of the audience. Participants do not want to merely consume what the speakers produce. Members of the conference can exert little control over the content of the presentation which may be interesting but unrelated to the specified goals of the group. The lecture can be used to present distorted information or to make emotional appeals. It is an over-used technique. Its familiarity reduces its effectiveness and alternative ways to achieve the same objective should be considered. Unless a group definitely wishes to learn, it will react poorly to being lectured.