While we have entered the current year with universities closed because of the pandemic, it is still useful to know how to get the most of your studies, even if your lectures and seminars take place online.

What Is the Difference between Lectures and Seminars

At the lecture, students are introduced to the main topics of the course. The lecturer does not interact too much directly with students.

A lecture is typically based around a slideshow presentation and is given to a big group of students in a theatre setting.

It is obligatory to attend lectures. Usually, you can upload presentation-led lectures online afterward.

However, it is much more beneficial to participate in the class and have it explained by the professor.

Seminars are the interactive complements to lectures. Students are stimulated to use their knowledge of the lecture and additional materials to get their group work done, take part in discussions and ask their tutor questions.

Seminars are held in smaller groups in a classroom setting. For each module, students must attend a one-hour seminar each week to strengthen and assess the information they learned during the lecture.

How to Get Prepared

To get the most of your sessions, you need to get prepared. It will encourage you to contribute.

First, you need to know exactly when and where your lectures will take place. Make sure to check your university email account regularly, as lecturers use email to notify students of any room changes, rescheduling, and cancellations.

While most lecturers require students to complete some preliminary reading, you should not do too thorough research beforehand.

In this case, you might find out something other than what your lecturer is going to tell you, and this can complicate your comprehension.

However, by gaining a general idea of the topic before your lecture, you will feel more confident.

The first thing you should do to get prepared for your seminars is attending lectures. If you do not, it will be too complicated for you to take part in seminars.

You should also read your lecture notes carefully and write down questions to ask during the seminar while the information is still fresh in your head.

Your professor will also require you to do additional reading and complete tasks before the seminar. These, along with your existing notes, will count towards your seminar preparation.

All the extra materials present different perspectives on the topic and are designed to improve your critical thinking skills.

How to Act During Lectures and Seminars

Even if you are tempted to write everything that is said in your lectures, do not do so. While writing something insignificant, you may miss out on useful information.

Usually, lecturers provide handouts or presentation slides after the lecture, so we recommend listening to your professor carefully and jotting down only the key phrases.

At the lecture, the professor introduces the topic and provides new information. Do not be shy to ask questions or clarify something if you need to. Sometimes, lecturers…
 
Continue reading the article and learn more about lectures and seminars on Daisy Linden’s blog.