Didactics and pedagogics

Giving a lecture often involves challenges, such as holding the attention of your students and effectively conveying knowledge. How should you prepare a lecture? How do you present yourself in the classroom? How do you deal with difficult questions? There isn’t a fixed formula, but there are a few principles that can offer some support.

Giving an engaging lecture

Good preparation is essential for giving a structured and engaging lecture. Some basic principles:

1. Relevance is key: Try to focus on more than just including as much information as possible. Emphasise the most important learning objectives and make sure your lecture conveys what the students really need to know. They can be overwhelmed by too many details, so concentrate on the core points.
2. Use imaginative examples: This makes the course material more distinctive and helps students retain the information better. Examples will activate the thought processes and bring the theory to life.
3. Visual support: Minimise the amount of text and use images to increase the impact of your narrative. Image material, combined with your explanation, enhances the students’ engagement.

Structure of your lecture

A lecture without a clear structure is difficult to follow, while a well-constructed one gives students support. Always maintain a fixed structure, with the following elements:

1. Introduction: Attract the students’ attention with an amusing anecdote or a question. Explain clearly why the topic is relevant to the study programme or a future career. You should never omit the introduction, even if you don’t have much time; together with the conclusion, this is often the part that students remember most.
2. Main core: Cover the key points but don’t give an overwhelming amount of information. Introduce variety with active learning formats and give students the chance to actively contribute their ideas. You could also consider using videos that students can watch at home before the lecture.
3. Conclusion: End with a summary and emphasise the most important insights. Answer any questions and look ahead briefly to the next session. Tools like Wooclap can help to test what the students have learned.

Presentation skills

All teachers have their own style, and it’s important to discover and utilise your own strengths. A few tips:

• Engaged attitude: An open and self-confident attitude helps to create good interaction with your students. Make eye contact, use humour or personal anecdotes, and encourage a relaxed atmosphere.
• Dynamic presentation: Keep students’ attention focused by varying your voice, using movement and maintaining contact with the room.

A clear structure, careful preparation and focusing on your presentation skills will maximise the impact of your lectures and intensify your students’ engagement.

Additional links:

• Supporting students with a disability
• Diversity and inclusion

Become familiar with the lecture room

To help your lectures run smoothly, it’s always a good idea to familiarise yourself with the lecture room at the start of the semester. Check that it contains everything you need, such as whiteboard markers and erasers, and practise using the technical equipment.

You should also make sure you know the escape routes and emergency procedures in case of a calamity. Watch this safety video [link filmpje] for more information about your role as a teacher in an emergency.

Room reservations

The education coordinator makes the standard room reservations for your teaching. You will receive the necessary information in plenty of time before the start of the academic year or the teaching period.

All lecture rooms are equipped as standard with a whiteboard, beamer, projection screen and telephone, and can generally be accessed without a key. More information about room management is given here.

If you need an additional or different room, you can request it via the Education Administration Office. Always state the date, time, number of students and activity.

Active Learning Classrooms [internal link] are equipped with more facilities for interactive teaching, and these must also be reserved separately.

Attendance

Compulsory attendance applies to some study components. Students are expected to prepare thoroughly for classes and to play an active part in tutorials and lectures.

Checking attendance

It’s advisable to inquire about the specific attendance requirements within your study programme by asking the programme director, who will explain how to check students’ attendance and your role in this.

Absence or insufficient preparation

If a student fails to prepare properly or is absent several times without giving reasons, you can speak to the student about this. If no improvement takes place in their approach, you should contact the study adviser, who can invite the student to a study progress interview.

Attendance lists

You can obtain the attendance lists for your lectures or tutorials via Brightspace. Students who enrol via MyStudymap are automatically added to the right Brightspace module. You should always check that this was performed correctly. If there are any problems, please refer students to the Education Administration Office.

Respectful conduct and cooperation

The faculty has a code of conduct that specifies how students and teachers should behave respectfully towards one another within the university. This code fosters a safe and stimulating work and study environment, where mutual respect, acceptance and trust are important values. The code of conduct is available as standard in every Brightspace module, so that teachers and students can easily bring it to each other’s attention.

There are also specific codes of conduct for the use of ICT in education, such as the Leiden University Regulations on ICT and Internet Use.

Conflicts with students

As a teacher, if a conflict arises with a student, you should always contact the study adviser of the study programme for advice on the next steps to be taken.