title: A schematic approach to diagnosing and resolving lecturalgia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The lecture is a much used and much criticized teaching method. Lecturalgia (painful lecture) is a frequent cause of morbidity for both teachers and learners. The etiology of lecturalgia is multifactorial and multiple lecturing pathologies frequently coexist. The 'Clinical Presentation' curriculum at the University of Calgary encourages the use of 'schemes' that provide a scaffolding for learning and a starting point for approaching (clinical) problems. Thus far this approach has not been used to tackle teaching or learning problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim in this paper was to devise a schematic approach to diagnosing lecturing problems and to make evidence-based recommendations on how to resolve lecturing problems. We have suggested that causes of lecturalgia can be divided into three categories: poor judgement; poor organization; and poor delivery. Our proposed scheme is based upon these three categories that are then subcategorized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have reviewed the medical education literature in an attempt to provide evidence-based recommendations for the remediation of lecturing problems within each subcategory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Where trial evidence is lacking we have made recommendations that are consistent with cognitive theory or expert opinion. Finally, where expert opinion does not exist, we have taken the liberty (literary license) of providing nonexpert opinion!
authors.affiliation: University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. kevin.mclaughlin@crha-health.ab.ca
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mandin
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic