Students learn better without lectures

A university in the US conducted a pilot project in a biology course for non-science majors which tested how well students could learn biology without lectures.  The pilot course was taught without a single lecture. Students instead were given guided learning activities along with training in study skills and independent learning. 

It was no surprise to me to learn that students in the experimental course had higher grades,  higher class averages, and higher satisfaction than the students who were taught with a traditional lecture format.  We already know that talking does not always guarantee communication, so why should we expect lectures to always result in learning?

The project is described in the article, Abandoning the Lecture in Biology, by Robert C. Evans of Rutgers University. The article was published in the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching and is available here.