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This is one of the most classical methods of teaching. The gurus and the analysis of olden days used this method to teach their disciples. In this methodology the teacher gives lecture on various aspects of the subject in which he wants the students to learn. It may be about the structure, form or content of a machine. He may also lecture about the uses, the merits and demerits of such uses etc. to the participants. The teacher as able to imbibe the conceptual knowledge. It is in a strict sense a method of telling about. The teacher or the faculty plays the active role and the students are the passive one.
Advantages:
Formal lecturing is the only way to build up basic theoretical knowledge which must be gained before practice of participative training sessions will be of any use. Thus it is generally useful in the acquisition of conceptual knowledge although it may be used to set the stage for learning of motor or verbal skills.
Moreover, there is some evidence in education and training pedagogy that factual, descriptive, or explanatory material may be learned by direct absorption by the learner whereas principles and concepts, such as those dealing with developing attitudes and human behaviour may be learned by participation of the learner during the instruction period.
Another advantage of the lecture method is that it is more direct. The learner learns the material directly from the instructor. Hence, there is less time consumed in search for the knowledge and also less distortion.
A major disadvantage of the lecture method is that a relatively large number of people can be instructed at one time. There is no other method that can be used to instruct 50, 100 or more trainees.
This advantage, however, may be illusory since mere exposure to information does not guarantee behaviour modifications. All the evidence available indicates that the nature of the lecture situation results in minimum behaviour modification.
Time factor is also a major consideration in favour of the lecture method. The lecture can deal with more facts, principles and concepts in shorter time that it would take to reach the same material by the conference, case study or other group method. If teaching resources are scarce, then the lecture method is the best. In short, if there are large numbers of people to be trained, scarce teaching resources, or few hours available for instruction, lecturing may be the only alternative.
Lecture is relatively more controlled by instructor than any other method. This may be also seen as a disadvantage. But such control ensures that the trainees receive the right type of knowledge and they do not go astray.
Disadvantages:
The most obvious advantage of the method is that there is minimum of active involvement on the part of students. This, consequently, leads to less motivation. Moreover, the monologue may be found as dull after some time. Therefore, since the lecture method does not demand the active involvement of the participants, it is largely unsuited to the teaching of skills, which require practice.
It is also of limited value in promoting behavioural or attitudinal changes. It is very difficult to convince anyone by merely talking to them, attitudes are changed best when people convince themselves. Participative methods are better for such purposes.
Apart from the fact those sixty minutes of unrelieved talking is not easily assimilated or remembered, the major disadvantage of the lecture comes from the fact that it is one-way communication. The listeners remain passive for the most part.
It allows from the above that unless the speaker is sensitive to this audience, he has no way of knowing whether they are talking in what he is saying. He has little opportunity to clarify meanings, to check on whether or not the students really understand what is being presented, or to handle the wide diversity of abilities and attitudes which they represent.
Another limitation involves proper provision for learning on the part of the trainees. Generally, individual differences of trainees are ignored. Also little opportunity is given for practice, refinement, knowledge of results, or over learning. Ideally, the lecture should contain motivational material which makes clear the relations between the material to be learned and desired goals. The material should be made meaningful to the learner. Whether motivation and meaningfulness of material actually occurs in most lectures is a root question.
Finally there is a limitation to the ability of learners who can profit from a lecture. It is of limited usefulness in teaching employees who cannot grasp verbal presentations in an effective way.
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Participants