Title: Lecture-Free Classroom Sessions
Authors: Peter Balan, OAM, PhD
Affiliations: University of South Australia, Australia
Resources available with this module: Module User Manual, Excel spreadsheet for compiling evaluations of this teaching method, Implementing Class Tests PowerPoint Slides, Implementing Class Tests Slides (PDF Version)
Context: Entrepreneurship, creativity and commercialisation, but it can be applied in any discipline
This manual describes the way

that you can conduct classroom sessions that follow the classroom iRAT and tRAT tests. In other words, this approach is used in the classroom time that is normally used for “mini-lectures” and application exercises. This approach replaces the “mini-lecture” in a way that is based on the TBL principles and allows the whole classroom period to be conducted in a way that is faithful to these principles. 

Objectives
For the educator, this method provides:

• A simple and flexible method for implementing a consistent TBL approach in the classroom in sessions for which students cannot reasonably pre-learn course content;
• A delivery method that to a large extent removes time constraints. It allows the educator to spend time on sessions that require more attention, while being able to condense sessions where it is clear that students have come to grips with the content and its application.

For the student, this method provides:

• A student-based learning approach that helps students to learn course content in a collaborative learning environment
• Team activities that support and reinforce the development of good teamwork practice
  experience in speaking to a large group, where each student in a team contributes at the classroom level by reporting the deliberations of the team

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