jobs.ac.uk - Great jobs for bright people
  • Find a Job
  • Find PhDs
  • Career Advice
  • Jobs by Email
  • Advertise a Job
  • Recruiters
  • Your Account

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

career-advice.jobs.ac.uk

Secondary Sidebar

jobs.ac.uk Career Advice

  • CV and Cover Letter Advice
    • CV Tips
    • Free CV Templates
    • Cover Letters with Examples
    • Personal Profiles
    • CV Resources
  • Jobseeking and Interview Tips
    • Jobseeking Tips
    • Academic Interviews
    • Professional Interviews
    • Jobseeking and Interview Resources
  • Career Development
    • Academic Careers
    • Research Careers
    • Career Progression Stories
    • Professional Careers
    • Working in Industry
    • Career Development Resources
    • Global Careers
    • Working From Home
  • Women in Higher Education
  • FE Career Advice
    • FE CV & Interview Tips
    • Working in FE
    • Managing your Career in FE
    • FE Jobs Profiles
  • Resources
    • Academic Case Studies
    • Professional Case Studies
    • Job Profiles
      • Biological Science Jobs
      • Health and Medical Jobs
      • Engineering and Technology Jobs
      • Computer Science Jobs
      • Physical and Environmental Science Jobs
      • Professional Service Jobs
        • Business Development Manager Jobs Profile
        • Chef Jobs Profile
        • Civil Service Jobs Profile
        • Email Marketing Jobs Profile
        • SEO Jobs Profile
        • Office Admin Jobs
    • Vlogs
  • Webinars
  • Country Profiles
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Ghana
      • Kenya
      • Nigeria
      • South Africa
    • Americas
      • Canada
      • United States of America
    • Asia
      • Bahrain
      • Brunei
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Malaysia
      • Qatar
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Dubai
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Turkey
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Work in Vietnam – Country Profile
      • Work in Uzbekistan – Country Profile
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Denmark
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
  • PhD and Studentship Advice
    • PhD
    • Studentship Resources
    • Vlogs
  • Need help advertising a job?
  • About jobs.ac.uk
  • Ask A Professional
  • Academic Spotlight Interviews
  • Menu
    • CV and Cover Letter Advice
      • CV Tips
      • Free CV Templates
      • Cover Letters with Examples
      • Personal Profiles
      • CV Resources
    • Jobseeking and Interview Tips
      • Jobseeking Tips
      • Academic Interviews
      • Professional Interviews
      • Jobseeking and Interview Resources
    • Career Development
      • Academic Careers
      • Career Progression Stories
      • Research Careers
      • Professional Careers
      • Working in Industry
      • Career Development Resources
      • Global Careers
      • Working From Home
    • Women in Higher Education
    • FE Career Advice
      • FE CV & Interview Tips
      • Working in FE
      • Managing your Career in FE
      • FE Jobs Profiles
    • Resources
      • Academic Case Studies
      • Professional Case Studies
      • Interview questions tool
      • Vlogs
      • Job Profiles
        • Biological Science Jobs
        • Health and Medical Jobs
        • Engineering and Technology Jobs
        • Computer Science Jobs
        • Physical and Environmental Science Jobs
        • Professional Service Jobs
        • Civil Service jobs
    • Webinars
    • Country Profiles
      • Africa
        • Work in Egypt – Country Profile
        • Work in Ghana – Country Profile
        • Work in Kenya – Country Profile
        • Work in Nigeria – Country Profile
        • Work in South Africa – Country Profile
      • Americas
        • Work in Canada – Country Profile
        • Work in the United States of America – Country Profile
      • Asia
        • Work in Bahrain – Country Profile
        • Work in Brunei – Country Profile
        • Work in China – Country Profile
        • Work in Hong Kong – Country Profile
        • Work in India – Country Profile
        • Work in Japan – Country Profile
        • Work in Kazakhstan – Country Profile
        • Work in Malaysia – Country Profile
        • Work in Qatar – Country Profile
        • Work in Saudi Arabia – Country Profile
        • Work in Singapore – Country Profile
        • Work in South Korea – Country Profile
        • Work in Turkey – Country Profile
        • Work in United Arab Emirates – Country Profile
      • Dubai
      • Europe
        • Belgium Country Profile
        • Work in Denmark – Country Profile
        • Work in Finland – Country Profile
        • France Country Profile
        • Work in Germany – Country Profile
        • Work in Ireland – Country Profile
        • Work in Italy – Country Profile
        • Work in the Netherlands – Country Profile
        • Work in Norway – Country Profile
        • Work in Russia – Country Profile
        • Work in Spain – Country Profile
        • Work in Sweden – Country Profile
        • Work in Switzerland – Country Profile
        • Work in the United Kingdom – Country Profile
      • Oceania
        • Work in Australia – Country profile
        • Work in New Zealand – Country Profile
    • Studentship Advice
      • PhD
      • Studentship Resources
      • Vlogs
    • Need help advertising a job?
    • About jobs.ac.uk

Teaching From the Podium

teaching from the podium

Communication comes in many different formats. In modern society, the physical contact of communication appears to be diminishing. We are often hidden behind screens. Sending messages. Providing feedback. Giving instructions. Completing forms. This virtual world of communication lacks warmth, authenticity, integrity, and emotion. I miss the times of sitting with a lecturer over coffee, deliberating over my scripted assignments and exploring methods of enhancing my knowledge and skill set.

Students in higher education consistently gain knowledge by attending lectures and seminars. Student life is alive with knowledge sharing, skill enhancement, questioning, interrogating, and discovery. It is a never-ending world of adventurous learning filled with the excitement of knowledge enlightenment and enhancement. Lectures, seminars, symposiums, and tutorials are among the hugely varied teaching delivery methods. The involvement of third-party resources (e.g., book publishers) and technology (e.g., interactive SMART Board) have created further positive influences within higher education and have advanced the learning experience to the next level. These factors have inspired numerous innovative teaching proposals to improve the learning experience and to actively engage students in class more effectively (Alkhatib, O.J., 2018). However, each individual academic, responsible for course and content delivery, is unique. Differing personalities, attitudes, belief systems, knowledge, competence, experience and background determine how a lecturer delivers. Energetically, enthusiastically, authentically, passionately, jovially, seriously, sternly, anxiously, vacantly, or dismissively.

Teaching from the podium is an area of some neglect. It is, for some, a place of terror, fear, and prolonged anxiety. It can also be a place of passive listening, unconsolidated knowledge, and chaotic transfer of ideas, forward thinking and expertise. In my many years at both sides of the podium, as a student, and a lecturer, I have become frustrated with the didactic teaching techniques, dull presentations, anxious deliveries, limited resources, delivery methods, and somewhat fragmented and chaotic content sharing. I recognise that there are very many highly skilled lecturers who teach from the podium with great energetic execution. Inspiring their student audiences with their entire being, body, mind and soul. However, I am also aware that much teaching from the podium instigates boredom, lack of enjoyment, limited comprehension and, in fact, dulls a student’s enthusiasm. Beautifully planned visuals, meticulously carved handouts, and a welcome smile all add to the excitement of the anticipated shared knowledge. However, static body movement, lack of eye contact and storytelling, questioning, and not knowing your audience’s perspective will only lead to disinterest, disengagement, and a poor opinion of you, the professional. Yet, this teaching and learning method continues to be utilised widely across the globe in higher education institutions. Many lecturers would argue that it is not in their remit to ‘perform’ and actively engage with their student audience. I beg to differ. As lecturers, I believe that it is essential to ‘perform’ to your audience, and with your audience. Authentically perform. Emotionally perform. Academically perform. Connection, trust, honesty, and rapport is firstly key. This in turn leads to an interest in you, the lecturer. An enthusiasm for what you have to, or need to, share. A motivation to hang on every word, phrase, finding, story, example, and body movement.

Research suggests that the traditional teacher-centered lecture is still a viable and widely used method in higher education (Nilson, 2018). Research further indicates that active learning is generally more effective than traditional lecturing methods (reviewed by Prince, 2004). However, a growing number of universities and academics have embraced active learning methods as part of their teaching philosophy and method repertoire (Karabulut-Ilgu, et al., 2018).

We are all too aware that we need to engage creatively and effectively with our audience in order for learning to occur. Real, digested learning. Learning that ignites one’s soul to go deeper in to the knowledge base and discover more. Learning that causes an excitement so great, that hard work, experiential explorations and intensive collaboration become part of the daily trend to build on acquired knowledge. However, have we not yet realised that in order to effectively transfer knowledge, passion, and intriguing findings, that we need to offer a compelling delivery? An energetically varied and executed lesson…taught from the podium!

TOP FIVE TIPS

1) Position– if you are behind the podium, stand back a step or two. This will keep you from clutching or leaning on it. It will encourage you to use your hands naturally which will in turn enhance your authentic voice.

2) Inform– tell the audience what they are going to learn.

3) Overload– do not overload the audience with too much information. People are capable of holding only a few pieces of information in their short term memory at a time. Our job is to make the message clear, memorable and entertaining.

4) Visual images– use effective imagery that displays the message. This will get the audience’s attention.

5) Handouts– Create a hand out to accompany your presentation. However, do not give these out beforehand. The audience will read them and have no reason to listen to you. These should be well written comprehensive reports, containing detailed information. This is much more effective than the audience taking away their scribbled notes on your printed slides.

See also: Teaching From the Podium – Part 2

What did you think of our article? - please rate

5 / 5. 1


Share this article

Dr Denise White FRSA

Dr Denise White FRSA is a multi-award-winning intellectual disability and music expert. Having over 25 years’ experience in the field of early years, primary, post-primary, special educational needs, further and higher education, Denise is known for her innovative and creative teaching methods that transforms lives. She is an advocate for inclusive and community-based ethical learning and teaching models.

She is a passionate education advocate with the talent to develop inspiring hands-on lessons that will capture a student’s imagination and breed success.

Known as ‘The Music Doctor’, Denise is an Author at Bookhub Publishing. Her Music Doctor Series will launch in March 2019. Denise is also a Speaker, Trainer, Consultant, Mentor and Researcher.

Web: www.themusicdoctor.co.uk

Twitter: @_TheMusicDoctor

Reader Interactions

You may also like:

  • Audience at the conference hall.

    Writing Abstracts for Conferences

  • Supporting Individual Researchers in a Publish-or-Perish Culture

    Supporting Individual Researchers in a Publish-or-Perish Culture

  • Online education training and e learning webinar on internet

    Basic skills in Moodle management

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

11 + two =

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Follow us

Searching for a job in the United Kingdom

Latest Jobs

  • Senior Scientific Associate, Pre-clinical Genome Editing Facility (12 months Fixed Term)

    Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge

    Location: Cambridge

    Salary: £35,116 - £45,413 per annum


  • Senior Research Fellow

    College of Social Sciences - School of Social Policy and Society, University of Birmingham

    Location: Birmingham

    Salary: £57,422 - £66,537 Grade: 9


  • Housekeeping Assistant

    Trinity Hall , University of Cambridge

    Location: Cambridge

    Salary: £12.77 per hour, plus pension and benefits


  • Energy Manager

    CUEL, Coventry University Group (CUG)

    Location: Coventry

    Salary: £43,030 - £63,947


  • Clinical Innovation Fellow (2 posts available)

    College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences - MVLS College Services, University of Glasgow

    Location: Glasgow

    Salary: £48,288 - £91,753 depending on experience


  • Research Fellow - GPS

    Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (ICN), UCL

    Location: London

    Salary: £44,480 - £51,860


Footer

jobs.ac.uk - Great jobs for bright people
  • Find a Job
  • Find PhDs
  • Career Advice
  • Jobs by Email
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Statement

Copyright © jobs.ac.uk 1998 - 2025

  • Find a Job
  • Find PhDs
  • Careers Advice
  • Jobs by Email
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
jobs.ac.uk - Great jobs for bright people

Copyright © jobs.ac.uk 1998 - 2025