Teaching a large enrolment, introductory geography course by television

Abstract

This paper describes and evaluates televised lectures that were added to a large introductory geography course primarily to accommodate classroom overflow. Lectures to a live class were recorded on videotape and broadcast on the Ottawa region's television cable system. The perceived benefits and limitations of televised lectures were assessed by comparing the academic performances of lecture goers and television viewers, and by gathering student opinion by questionnaire. There was no substantial difference in the academic performance of the two groups. On balance, television and classroom students alike considered television in the classroom to be beneficial.

Keywords:

• Distance education
• televised lectures
• student performance
• attrition rates
• student opinion