Recapturing the magic of live lectures: Opinion

While the accessibility and flexibility of online lectures is preferred by many postsecondary students, these virtual lessons do not capture the same magic as a live lecture, argues Michael Merrifield. In an op-ed for Times Higher Education, Merrifield writes that the live lecture begets clear irreplicable benefits, including creating a shared learning community and sense of comradery among students. Lecturers benefit from being better able to adapt their demonstrations to suit the varying levels of engagement when they have a live audience, asserts Merrifield. The author concludes that though in-person learning is not necessarily the best or only way to educate, the shared, lived experience of the live lecture should be recaptured in ongoing education efforts.