Dr Andrew Hall takes students out of the lecture theatre and into the lab, using practical demonstrations to make complex concepts memorable and engaging.
Struggling to make theoretical concepts stick?
Traditional lecture-based teaching can sometimes fail to fully engage students or make complex concepts memorable. In his acoustics course, Andrew Hall took students out of the lecture theatre and into the laboratory for a two-hour session, using practical demonstrations and physical experiences to reinforce theoretical learnings.
Try this!
Take your students to a hands-on environment such as a laboratory, studio, or field site. This approach can help them experience and understand theoretical concepts through practical demonstrations and physical experiences.
Addresses these teaching challenges:
- Making theoretical concepts memorable
- Enhancing student engagement
- Bridging the gap between theory and practice
Implementation
- Identify key theoretical concepts that can be demonstrated practically.
- Prepare the necessary equipment and materials for the demonstrations.
- Take students to the lab, demonstrate the concepts, and encourage questions and discussions.
Pro tips
- Allow students to participate in the demonstrations.
- Highlight how the concepts apply to real-world scenarios.
- Work with colleagues to design engaging and informative demonstrations.
- Demonstrate unusual phenomena to spark curiosity and critical thinking.
Benefits
- Improved understanding and retention of theoretical concepts
- Increased student engagement and motivation
- Enhanced practical skills and real-world application
Teacher’s voice
“It is very difficult to teach these concepts [like acoustics] through slide-based learning, and I think the demonstrations allowed students to experience them, and for us to have a two-way conversation with questions and comments whilst interacting with the experience; something that is becoming more challenging in the current lecturer theatre-based approach.”
“Overall there was a lot of positive feedback, lots of questions and comments, and from SET survey feedback it has had a lasting impression on the students.” – Andrew Hall
Accessibility considerations
Ensure all students can participate, including those with disabilities. Provide alternative ways to engage with the material if needed.
Try this variation
Incorporate virtual lab simulations for remote or hybrid learning environments.
Have a teaching tip to share? Add it to our jar today. Email: teachwell@auckland.ac.nz
Faculty: Engineering and Design
Suitable for
Shared by
Andrew Hall
Faculty of Engineering and Design