Effective lecture delivery is central to successful university learning. Note-taking during lectures is an important skill required by students to facilitate comprehension and develop knowledge of course content. The online student experience of lectures often contrasts with that of the on-campus student. Pre-recorded course content lectures offer students the convenience of watching, re-watching and pausing the content at their convenience. However, a lack of lecturer immediacy, and the absence of interaction with the lecturer act as potential barriers to student engagement with the lecture material (Jacobi, 2016). While live online lectures provide more opportunities for interaction, such as the opportunity to asking questions or use polling tools; the lecture experience is often one of PowerPoint slides presented with a voice-over. Selwyn (2016) points out that students may feel demotivated if lecturers are perceived to be reading off the slides at the expense of interacting with the audience. Selwyn (2016) also notes that many online lectures have the hurried feel of a broadcast that excludes opportunity to question and reflect. In some cases, the PowerPoint slides themselves may present a barrier to content comprehension, as instead of ameliorating the learning experience, the slides often distract students from the content delivered orally (Driessnack, 2005; Savoy, Proctor & Salvendy, 2009).
The use of guided notes; however, has been shown to improve student ability to focus on content from traditional live lectures by increasing engagement with the lecture while simultaneously reducing student cognitive load (Blom, 2017; Williams, Weil & Porter, 2012). This presentation explores the use of the guided notes online to improve student engagement with material and reduce some of the perceived negative impressions of online lectures. Practical examples of how such guided notes may be introduced will be offered before discussion and questions around the concepts of student note-taking in an online environment are invited with a particular focus on the international student experience in SCU College units.
Blom, R. (2017). Guided note taking and student achievement in a media law course. Journalism and Communication Educator, 72(4), 384 396. doi:10.1177/1077695816653857
Driessnack, M. (2005). A closer look at PowerPoint. The Journal of Nursing Education, 44(8), 347 347. Retrieved from https://www.healio.com/journals
Jacobi, L. (2016). The trifecta approach and more: Student perspectives on strategies for successful online lectures, i.e.: Inquiry in Education, 8(2), 1 15. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol8/iss2/3/
Savoy, A., Proctor, R. W., & Salvendy, G. (2009). Information retention from PowerPoint and traditional lectures. Computers & Education, 52(4), 858 867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2008.12.005
Selwyn, N. (2016). Digital downsides: Exploring university students negative engagements with digital technology. Teaching in Higher Education, 21(8), 1006 1021. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1213229Williams, W. L., Weil, T. M., & Porter, J. C. K. (2012). The relative effects of traditional lectures and guided notes lectures on university student test scores. The Behavior Analyst Today, 13(1), 17. Retrieved from http://baojournal.com/