Is lecture discriminatory?

Lecture is, perhaps, the most time-honored method of college instruction out there. It would seem to create the perfectly level playing field: every student hears the same lecture and every student has the same opportunity to pay attention and learn. But perhaps not? A Gray Matter column in the Times (“Are College Lectures Unfair?“, 12 Sept 2015) presents findings that suggest that lecture-style courses, when compared to active learning courses, put “female, minority, low-income and first-generation” students at a disadvantage.