Tertiary teaching in New Zealand/Educational culture in New Zealand/Where have we come from?
Topic Two: What does "traditional" tertiary education look like?
We all have a mental picture of education. It is usually based on our experience - and for many of us, it looks like a lecture. An elderly gentleman (no, not a lady!) with glasses and grey hair giving words of wisdom at the front of a large hall, and many quiet, obedient young people taking notes. Or perhaps today's students are not so quiet, like yesterday's students in the cartoon.
We will start our overview of tertiary educational culture in NZ by looking at its origins. And what could be a better way of teaching than a lecture?
An experienced, skilful lecturer can keep students engaged with a topic that he or she knows very well.
However, does a lecture approach suit all topics? And will it suit all learners?