There are many ways by which we can make our Lecture session interesting. We often use various ways and methods to make our session interesting and a Fun Filled activity. There are many forums and websites which discuss the same. However over the years, I have found that there cannot be a common formula which will work for one and all. You need to evolve certain methods which are of yours and will work for you. There are many factors which plays an important role in making a lecture session an interesting one. These factors are an Individual personality, thought process, nature. I have personally found it very difficult many times to crack jokes and create light atmosphere which is very important, however lot of people do it very easily and effectively. My forte is to generate energy in the session through passionate talk or inspiring words which I do it and compensates on the humor part. So my point is, please check what you are good at and play on your strength.
I have used certain tricks and strategies during my career as corporate trainer and as a Lecturer with Management Colleges. They have worked for me and I am sure with certain deliberations and customization will work for you as well.
We need to advertise our session. The best way is to break the syllabus into module and plan out as if we are selling each module as a professional training program with ticket price tag on it. We can check and refer Training advertisement of professional speakers like Shiv Khera and Robin Sharma. I often print posters and put it on notice board for my sessions. The posters can be designed and printed taking help of various websites available on net.
Another way is to; promote your next session with interesting facts, the takeaways for audiences and how it is beneficial to them while you are concluding your current session.
It's a Universal rule that nobody will listen to you, unless they find something which is useful to them or is beneficial to them. Therefore before starting of the session we need to ensure that Audience understands the importance and usefulness of the session. The takeaways of the session should be clear. I sold Consultative Selling sessions to students saying that this is what you can show it on your resume as an addition skill set. Further it will also give you a decisive advantage when you will start marketing/Selling in real job environment.
Another method I have employed many times is to exchange role with student. Here students have to become faculty and ask Questions to Faculty who is student now. It works well when someone has to take last lecture of the day and the students are already dead tired. The Role exchange takes out pressure from Student mind that they have to be attentive and makes them participate by asking Question which is nothing but another way of getting them involved.
This is a sort of Game where you have a war between Professor and Students. You give Chance to students to attack Professor with volley of Questions. They can ask Questions so long as they have something to ask. Once they are done, its Professors turn. You can give Gift to Winner.
Chocolate / Toffees as an Incentive for perfect answer or something which is commendable and needed to be appreciated, goes down well with the students.
There are many websites from where we can get ideas about designing Management Games related to our subject and Topics. Even if there is no scope of playing a game, we can always create an activity to discuss the topic. One of the simplest ways is to break class into 4 groups and once the professor has discussed the topic, give four different aspect of the same topic to each group. Give them time to discuss among themselves and then have an open discussion asking each Group to prove that their perspective and reasoning is the best.
We can take Test in form of Crosswords. There are many website which will help you generate Crosswords where you have to Type Questions and Answers and by press of a button; it generates Crossword, apt for your subject and Topic.
8. Use of Seminar Hall/Garden/Terrace for Sessions.
I have used Seminar Halls, Gardens, and Terrace for conducting sessions. A change in Venue works; moreover you can plan and organize Mock Calls, Group Discussion comfortably in the Hall and bigger places.
I hope the methods which have discussed here would add value to your session and will help in making it more interesting.