Colin Loughlin
The Unintentional Lecture. The place of large-class teaching in contemporary Higher Education
Lund Studies in Educational Sciences 22
2025 | 190 p. | English

ISSN: 2002-6323
ISBN: 9789189874787, 9789189874794

The Unintentional Lecture explores the enduring dominance of transmissive large-class lectures in higher education, despite decades of advocacy for student-centred, constructivist learning. This thesis offers a critical examination of the disconnect between universities espoused educational values and their observable teaching practices. Through a complex interplay of curriculum theory, institutional policy, and teaching practice, it interrogates why transmissive lectures persist and what value they hold for institutions, lecturers, and students.
Spanning three interconnected research projects - a critique of constructive
alignment, a case study on large-class teaching, and an interview study with
senior educational leaders - this thesis reveals the generative mechanisms
shaping the continued use of large, fixed-seat lecture theatres. The findings
highlight the tension between theoretical ideals and practical constraints,
demonstrating how tradition, habit, and institutional inertia reinforce the
lecture’s place as a cornerstone of higher education.
By shedding light on the decision-making processes behind the construction
of lecture spaces and the normalisation of transmissive teaching methods, this
thesis challenges the status quo and calls for a more reflective, intentional
approach to pedagogy. The Unintentional Lecture is aimed at policymakers,
educators, and scholars seeking to bridge the gap between educational
aspirations and the lived realities of university teaching.

COLIN LOUGHLIN is Head of Digital Education at Brunel University of London. His work involves promoting the effective use of digital technologies in learning and teaching within the institution.