Lecture is an oral presentation of information and idea by a person to a large group of students /people or mass and generally in a face to face situation at a particular place. It is prepared with the purpose of providing knowledge with an intention of adequate opportunity for interpersonal reaction between the speaker and the audience. This method is commonly known as Aristotle method of teaching, which is, based on traditional model of communication. Here student only listens to what teacher says (Pradhan,1997). Lecture is not effective for more than 15 minutes after that it needs other methods like group discussion method (Pradhan,1997).

For purpose of discussion, an enhanced lecture is defined as a series of short, mini-lectures punctuated by specific active learning events designed to meet class objectives. Using this model, the enhanced lecture could fall anywhere on the active learning continuum, depending on the complexity and frequency of the strategies used. A simple enhanced lecture could involve two to three pauses during the lecture to allow students to compare notes or ask questions. Those instructors who are familiar and comfortable with more complex strategies might choose to incorporate into the class period lengthy group activities focused on skill development, punctuated with brief mini-lectures that summarize a previous activity or create a transition for the next activity. Again, the extent to which these active learning strategies are incorporated into the lecture depends on the course objectives and the instructors' teaching style (Bonwell,1996).

The illustrated lecture is the most common method of classroom instruction. In an illustrated lecture, the content is derived largely from the knowledge and presented verbally by the clinical trainer. Its effectiveness as a training method is markedly enhanced through the use of questioning techniques and well-designed audiovisuals such as transparencies, slides and videotapes (Johns Hopkins University for International Education and Training in Reproductive Health -JHPIEGO,1995).

Mini-Lecture will never be more than fifteen to twenty minutes long (Bonwell,1996).

Advantages of lecture are as follows (Cashin,1985 quoted by Bonwell, 1996);

• Effective lecturers can communicate the intrinsic interest of a subject through their enthusiasm.
  
• Lectures:

• can present material not otherwise available to students.

• can be specially organized to meet the needs of particular audiences.

• can present large amount of information.

• can be presented to large audiences.

• can model how professionals work through disciplinary questions or problems

• allow the instructor maximum control of the learning experience.

• present little risk for students.

• appeal to those who learn by listening.

Similarly, lecture is in expensive (Pradhan,1997) and it gives feeling of security (Guilbert, 1977). Illustrated lecture is effective for mixed groups of fast and slow learners (JHPIEGO, 1995).

Techniques of effective Lecturing are as follows (Golden, 1989);

• Environment aids learning
• An introduction perks interest
• Stating Objectives helps audience to respond analytically
• Outlining a lecture helps clear thinking
• Non verbal behavior increases learning
• Use of voice shows interest and clarity
• Content ids understood if it fits objectives
• Organized lecture fits the time available
• Visual aids used should be clear and understandable
• A summary helps to retain what is learned
• Closure should be up beat and should restate objectives
• Questions should be answered succinctly.

The author considers the major advantage of lecture as the ability to teach pertinent up and to date information in an efficient manner.

Disadvantages of lecture are as follows (Cashin,1985 cited by Bonwell, 1996);

• Lectures fail to provide instructors with feedback about the extent of students learning. (Thinking in terms of how the students is learning as opposed to how much material has been presented is a fundamental and necessary shift in perspective.)

• Students are often passive because there is no mechanism to ensure that they are intellectually engaged with the material.

• Students' attention wanes quickly after fifteen to twenty-five minutes.

• Information tends to be forgotten quickly when students are passive.

• Lectures presume that all students learn at the same pace and are at the same level of understanding.

• Lectures are not suited for teaching higher orders of thinking such as application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation; for teaching moral skills; or for influencing attitudes or values.

• Lectures are not well suited for teaching complex, abstract material.

• Lectures require effective speakers.

• Lectures emphasize learning by listening, which is a disadvantage for students who have other learning styles.

• One of the disadvantage is the passivity of the method ( Golden, 1989) - the teacher speaking and the listener passively receiving the material with considerable opportunity to be bored.

• Illustrated lecture overloads too much information (JHPIEGO, 1995).

• Lecture has low receptivity (GUIBERT,1977) and it has one way communication (Pradhan,1997).

• The subject of the lecture should be related to the needs.

• The lecturer should get a thorough and up to date knowledge of the content.

• Lecture should be well organized and the facts ought to be presented in a sequential manner.

• The language should be correct, simple clear and understandable,

• Lecture should be in a moderate speed.

• There should be appropriate gestures.

• Need to clarify the points of presentation.

• Use of humor.

• Avoid unnatural body movement.

• Avoid monotony in voice, try to change the pitch of the voice appropriately and stress the in important points.

• Avoid long speech and it should not be longer than 20 minutes.

• Lecturer should be organized in an appropriate time and place.

• Lecturer should be sincere, pleasing and properly depressed up.

• There should be use of visual aids during the lecture for example over head projector, chalkboard and poster.

• Students should be give opportunity to ask questions between the lecture.

• Exhibit enthusiasm during the presentation.

• Provide positive feedback.

• Provide smooth transitions between topics.

• Conclude with an effective summary.

The group discussion is a training technique in which most of the ideas, thoughts, questions and answers are developed by the participants/students The teacher typically serves as the facilitator and guides participants as the discussion develops (JAPIEGO,1995).

Group discussion is defined as a method of teaching through the direct share of knowledge, ideas and experiences among small group of persons about a particular subject or problem within a limited period of time with a view to solves the problem (Pradhan,1997).

Any discussion should take only an hour or less to avoid boredom. An ideal group consists of 6-12 members depending upon the situation so that each person is able to communicate with all the others face to face to reach to a decision and achieve the common goal. Large group becomes unmanageable and unfruitful. Small group can be communicable, manageable and effective. It sparks off new ideas and useful thoughts, which help the group to yield good result. In smaller group there may not be enough variety of knowledge, skills and experiences (Pradhan, 1997).

George,1995) defined group as "a number of persons who communicate with one another often over a span of time, and who are few enough so that each person is able to communicate with all the others, not at second hand through other people, but face to face." Depending upon the nature of problem and situation group discussion is made in various forms among the individuals with similar backgrounds, among the people with different backgrounds but with common problem etc. Group discussion may be conducted among the members of formal or informal groups. For example, students are formal groups whereas mothers are informal groups.

Members of group discussion and their roles

In a group discussion normally there will be three categories of members each having their respective functions or roles (Pradhan, 1997). They are;

• Leader or chairperson: one student should be a group leader and teacher will be the over all leader.

• Recorder/ Secretary: She is chosen from among the group members to keep record of the points of discussion.

• General members: The rest of the members in the group will set as general members who actively participate in the discussion.

Following are the advantages of group discussion (Pradhan, 1997)

• Develops confidence, creativity and ability of judgement in the members or learners.

• Helps learners to come to a group decision and solve problems by learners.

• Helps members to become active learners.

• Provides adequate communication among all the members with exchange of ideas and experiences.

• Members are the sources of valuable knowledge, ideas and experiences. It helps to change attitude.

• Teacher can study of the members regarding their needs, interest, attitude, ability and other potentialities.

Similarly small groups permit a teacher/student dialogue ( Gulibert, 1977) and help stimulate thinking (JHPIEGO,1995).

Following are disadvantages of group discussion ( Pradhan, 1995)

• Some self-conscious members may not venture to bring their valid idea for fear of disapproval by other members.

• Sometimes discussion may be prolonged without fruitful result or it may take longer time to come to conclusion or decision.

• Somebody may not feel personally responsible for the result of discussion. So he or she may not participate well.

Similarly, small groups need high costs in personnel & time (Guilbert, 1977).

A poorly directed small group discussion may move off target and never reach the objectives (JHPIEGO, 1995).

A good group discussion method as used in this study is characterize by the following criteria;

• Teacher should have leadership.

• Group ought to be Mature (responsive, cooperative, etc).

• There should be clear understanding of the problem by all members.

• There should be effective communication with adequate exchange of ideas and experiences.

• There should not be interference and dominance.

• There should be availability of resources (teacher, physical facilities, etc).

The general strategy is to split the class into small groups, using a various rearrangements of seating if necessary (Gibbs et al. 1988; Newble & Cannon, 1994). The selection of the most appropriate grouping will largely depend on what you wish to achieve, Small group may be asked to discuss a limited topic for a few minutes. Lectures are the most common method of teaching in universities throughout the world (Bligh, 1980). Attention fluctuates throughout a one-hour lecture. After twenty minutes there is a marked decline in attention followed by a peak of attention just before the lecture ends. This decline in attention is less likely to occur if the lecture includes some short activities for students such as brief small group discussions or simple problems solving (Brown, & Atkins,1988).