There are advantages and disadvantages to using different kinds of activities and methods to deliver, review, and help learners absorb information:

Lecture

Strengths

• Can reach many people at one time
• Can be planned or spontaneous
• Can present a lot of information in a small amount of time
• Presenter controls the information given to the group

Weaknesses

• Can be boring if the presenter is unprepared or not knowledgeable
• Can be ineffective if the speaker does not allow for questions
• Audience able to drift off easily

Ideas: Move around the group if you can, use the audience whenever possible, vary your pace, tone and pitch, ask your audience to imagine and visualize, use engaging visuals instead of flat charts or text

Small Group Activity

Strengths

• Allows more people to speak
• Participants get to know each other better
• Encourage sharing of information, beliefs, and experiences

Weaknesses

• Difficult to use in short sessions
• Needs very clear directions
• Can be dominated by one participant
• Requires additional processing time
• Presenter cannot participate in each group

Ideas: Design the activity and directions carefully, post the directions if necessary, say that all participants must share and leader-types should lead by engaging others, not taking charge, walk around to groups