A novice teacher’s reflections on lecturing as a teaching strategy: Covering the content or uncovering the meaning

SummaryThe lecture is the most widely used teaching strategy in adult education programmes. While it has advantages, it is criticised for its lack of student engagement and inability to stimulate higher-order thinking. The aim of this paper is to detail a novice teacher’s journey using the lecture as a teaching strategy. The use of an action research approach provided the teacher with a framework to research own learning. In addition, the collaborative process inherent in action research resulted in students being invited to evaluate the teaching. The journey takes the teacher from a teacher-centred approach to teaching and learning to a student-centred approach. The influence of the teacher’s own educational encounters is explored. In common with many novice teachers, the focus on content delivery and difficulty asking questions are two key issues. The gradual implementation of strategies to allow for more student engagement is discussed and advice is offered to the novice teacher.