The lecture component of the class usually provides the continuous
thread connecting all the other components. The textbook should
provide the depth to support the student in following the lectures.
Yet, the lectures as performance art should not simply read through
the text. Lectures provide a chance to show examples, to answer
questions and more. Due to the heavy time demands of the practical
component of the class (and rather large enrollments - in Fall
of 1996 I had 106 students in Geography 460), I have allocated
some part of the official meeting times to 'lab' sessions of various
descriptions (see course schedule). In addition, a good number
of the official meetings get absorbed in non-lecture kinds of
events (perhaps exams, project presentations and all the rest).
I try to coordinate the lectures and labs so that I give the lecture
introducing a concept just before the lab session on that topic.
This may be difficult with the normal complexities of holidays
and the interaction between different components (such as case
studies and practical exercises). My university always manages
to change the schedule just enough each year that I have to rejuggle
things just a bit.
The course schedule contains 27 distinct lectures, presented in
the order in which I use them, mostly following the sequence of
the text. With the other kinds of events, these fill out the sessions
in a three hour per week, ten week quarter). The other two hours
are allocated for labs. In a semester system, these lectures would
overfill two lecture slots a week for thirteen weeks, leaving
one session for lab purposes. These lectures have a suggested
outline, some description of examples to use, some resources for
the instructor and for the students. These resources might be
restructured into a one page handout/outline to give the student.
These started in that form of distribution, but I have now moved
over to the web for distribution. Of course the students usually
just print out a copy, but at least on the web I can have them
point outwards to other resources.
Generic lecture outline
Current version tailored to University
of Washington (not on Wiley site)