The Unintentional Lecture: The place of large-class teaching in contemporary Higher Education

This thesis uses a critical realist theoretical framework to explore the complex
interplay between curriculum theory, policy, and teaching practice in the context of
large-class lectures in higher education. The study is anchored in an analysis of the
coherence between universities espoused educational values and their observable
teaching practice.

A substantial proportion of face-to-face teaching in higher education is in the form
of transmissive lectures in tiered, fixed-seat, auditoria. Yet, previous research has
suggested that transmissive lectures are less effective than the constructivist,
student-centred approaches advocated by educational theorists, academic
developers, and quality assurance policies; therefore, the research interest is why
lectures persist, and what perceived value they have for institutions, lecturers, and
students.

The four articles which comprise this thesis emanate from three research projects; a
critical reflection on how constructive alignment, a key concept in curriculum
design, translates into practice; a case study of large-class teaching; and interviews
with senior educational leaders representing sixteen higher education institutions.
The analysis of constructive alignment highlights a tension between its theoretical
ideals and its implementation in practice, which is often compromised in large
lecture settings.

The case study examines perceptions of large-class lectures among staff and
students. The findings reveal that both groups view lectures as an inexorable aspect
of higher education, and are often used out of habit and institutional inertia, rather
than as a deliberate pedagogical choice.

Interviews with senior educational leaders explored the rationales behind the
continued investment in large, fixed-seat lecture theatres, despite the growing
emphasis on student-centred learning. Educational commitments appeared to be
dominated by financial and logistical considerations, when confronted with the
practical realities of large-class teaching.

The findings of this thesis have significant implications for higher education policy
and practice. It argues that the large-class lecture is a deeply entrenched, yet often
unintentional, feature of higher education. Its status as 'traditional' contributes to a
normalisation process that renders it invisible and unquestioned as a pedagogical
method.