Simplify a topic (Tertiary Education)

A good lecturer breaks down the difficult topic into smaller and easier chunks for the students to digest effectively.

When the students can understand your work, you know that you have successfully simplified the topic. 

Here are a few ways you may adopt;

1) Use visualisation

Certain topics can't be explained using words; hence, before you deliver the lesson, it is good for you to find diagrams, videos, flowcharts, and other visuals to enhance your student's learning. 

A good rule of thumb is simplicity in the content

2) Give examples

When certain concepts are hard to explain using words and diagrams because they require experience, you can consider using the following to deliver the lesson;

i) Story

ii) Analogy

iii) Scenarios

iv) Experiment

v) Demonstration

3) Provide step-by-step guide

What we know does not mean that the students will, and we can't assume that. When teaching, we might sometimes skip steps unknowingly, and this potentially creates a gap. What could help you is to create materials to;

i) provide derivations step by step when working with equations 

ii) provide flowcharts for processes that have to be memorised

iii) provide instructions on how to operate or set up equipment

iv) provide instructions on how to install programs and use their functions

These will potentially save you time from repeatedly explaining to different students. 

Tips

Because you may be busy with more than one module and have limited time to create quality materials for teaching, you may ask colleagues for such materials.