A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present
information or teach people about a particular subject, for
example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to
convey critical information, history, background, theories and
equations. A politician's speech, a minister's sermon, or even a
businessman's sales presentation may be similar in form to a
lecture. Usually the lecturer will stand at the front of the
room and recite information relevant to the lecture's content.
Though lectures are much criticised as a teaching method,
universities have not yet found practical alternative teaching
methods for the large majority of their courses. Critics point
out that lecturing is mainly a one-way method of communication
that does not involve significant audience participation.
Therefore, lecturing is often contrasted to active learning.
Lectures delivered by talented speakers can be highly
stimulating; at the very least, lectures have survived in
academia as a quick, cheap and efficient way of introd