When I taught in Germany during a recent study abroad trip, one of the German professors who co-teaches the program pulled me aside after my session and said, “Your lecture was like theater.” I laughed it off, but the students seemed to agree. They told me it felt different. It was fun, engaging, and easy to follow. One of the most touching moments was when two German students waited to tell me they were “big fans of mine” at the end of the week. Fans of mine? Really? Come on.

That comment stuck with me, though, as it was proof that my intentions of making learning engaging were paying off. Done right, a lecture is still one of the most powerful tools we have. But you’ve got to perform it. You’ve got to work for it. If you haven’t checked out David Malan’s CS 50 course on YouTube, it’s worth it. I watched an hour and didn’t even realize it. He has such a way of making his lecture feel like a production that you lose track of time.

I’ve heard countless students complain that their professors just stand behind the podium and read from PowerPoint. I’ve done it myself early in my career, thinking it was enough to show up and talk through a deck of slides. They were not that colorful or engaging. And often…I just walked around and read from the slides.

The truth is, many faculty forget the simple but essential element: have fun. Before class starts, and students are filing in, I make small talk. During class, I crack jokes about my kids. I poke fun at myself. I walk around the classroom. I try to remember their names. It takes a lot of work, but doing things like this makes learning much more fun for the student, and teaching becomes much more enjoyable for you.

Model Your Lecture Like a Stand-up Routine.

Think about your favorite comedian. What makes their set stick with you? It’s not just the jokes, it’s that they’re jokes/antidotes are relatable. They talk about our everyday life that we experience in hilarious ways. A great lecture works the same way.

Your goal as a professor isn’t just to deliver content…it’s to make that content connect. Even if you’re covering topics that seem dry on the surface, if you can anchor them in something real, something human, students will stay with you. Not every topic lends itself to laughs, but almost every topic can be made relevant.

Letting Tech Help, Not Take Over

One of the ways I’ve kept things fresh lately is by using AI tools like ChatGPT to help me brainstorm ways to keep students engaged. I hit a wall while prepping a lecture on moral hazard last semester. I needed better examples, something beyond the usual textbook. A few prompts into ChatGPT, and I had several new real-world angles I hadn’t considered. Suddenly, I wasn’t just explaining moral hazard—I was teaching it in a way that seemed to resonate with the students.

That’s what tech should do: make us better at what we already do well. It doesn’t replace our voice or presence, but it frees us up to enhance both.

Keep It Honest. Keep It Fun.

Here’s my best advice for any professor facing a lecture hall for the first time: be honest with your students. If you’re trying something new, say so. I’ve told classes, “We’re going to try something fun today. Let’s see how it goes.”

Also, this may sound a little childish, but don’t underestimate the power of prizes. Yes, even in college. I’ve brought in boxes of candy and homemade cookies. It lightens the mood. It makes discussion feel like something students want to do, not something they have to do. I’ve never seen participation spike faster than when I pull out the “prize bag” to encourage class discussion on a topic.

And more than anything, students (regardless of age) appreciate when you care enough to make learning enjoyable. They don’t expect perfection. But they remember effort, energy, and heart.

Image was generated using ChatGPT.