Resources - Learning Large Workshop
LEARNING LARGE: Strategies for Teachers of Large
Classes
On April 18, 2001, CTE sponsored a
panel discussion on Learning Large. This discussion was an outcome
of a Learning Circles 2001 grant awarded to convene a small group
of faculty who regularly teach large classes of one hundred or
more students. The purpose of the monthly meetings was to serve as
a support network and place for the exchange of ideas, and to
develop a workshop for other faculty who teach large classes.
The group met 8 times and was able
to identify issues they shared in common: managing the classroom;
the syllabus; testing/grading; use of technology; active learning;
and the role of the teaching assistant. The group, convened by
Professor Sandy Caron (Education & Human Development) also
includes Michele Alexander, Asst. Professor, Psychology; Seanna
Annis, Asst. Professor, Mycology; Ginny Gibson, Assoc. Professor,
Management; Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Assoc. Professor, Clinical
Nutrition; Eilean Moskey, Teaching Asst., Education & Human
Development; and Christa Schwintzer, Professor, Botany.
Sandy Caron notes: "What's
fascinating is how our perception of 'large class learning' has
changed. As we have moved to a greater discussion of 'quality
undergraduate education' it seems we have assumed that can only
happen in a small class (less than 50 students). While
historically the teaching of the large classes was reserved for
distinguished senior professors, today it is seen as less
prestigious. The good news: Research has shown that it is not, in
fact, the size of the class that leads to effective learning, but
the characteristics of the professor (Wuff, 1987):
1. Competency: Knowledge &
experience with the subject
2. Concern: Interest in assisting students and improving the
learning process, learning names, making them feel welcome,
valued, respected
3. Energy level: enthusiasm about the subject
4. Speaking ability: interesting, well-paced presentation of
course material
5. Organizational ability: large class presentations are like a
production."
Issues which were identified at the first meeting of the Learning
Circles group were:
Managing the Classroom: attendance issues, motivating
students to attend class (e.g., in-class quiz, bonus points for
attendance), students coming to class prepared (read assignment
beforehand), how to deal with the last 5 minutes of class (keeping
students until the end, dealing with shuffling/ packing), dealing
with disruptive behavior, setting ground rules). See
"Managing the Classroom" by Seanna Annis.
The Syllabus: what needs to be
on it when teaching a large class--lots of detail to avoid
hundreds of questions . . . your office hours, how to reach you,
academic dishonesty policy (and what will happen if a student is
caught cheating), clear statement of policies and procedures for
grading, attendance, late homework, missed tests. See
"Syllabus for Large Classes" by Christa
Schwintzer.
Testing/Grading Issues: use of
multiple choice, preventing academic dishonesty, minimizing
cheating (use of proctors, multiple versions of test), allowing
students to keep exam/returning exams, posting grades, various
ways to deal with make-up exams/conflicts, how much homework
and/or writing assignments are really manageable in a large class,
avoiding plagiarism, out-of- class assignments, group
projects. See
"Testing and Grading" by Dorothy
Klimis-Zacas.
Use of Technology: what to
use, how to use it effectively, having a back-up plan when the
technology is not working, integrating/handling email, what to
have in a FirstClass folder for a course (e.g., private Q&A box,
syllabus, discussion folder), handing out an outline of
lecture/PowerPoint (to help students take better notes/follow
along), using media (music, video clips to start class). See
"Technology for Large Classes" by Ginny
Gibson.
Teaching Issues (Active
Teaching/Learning): ideas for how to move beyond the podium and
"50 minute lecture" format, interacting with students, moving
around the room, encouraging class participation, in-class
exercises, how to design an effective class to highlight the most
important points. See
"Active Learning Techniques" by Michele
Alexander.
Use of TA's or Other
Resources: TA's role in the class. See
"The Role of the Teaching Assistant in a Large
Class" by Eilean Moskey.
Managing the Classroom
(by Seanna Annis)
Set Guidelines in the First Week
of Lecture and Enforce Them
--for example "Everything I learned in kindergarten,"
discuss priorities, respect fellow students, don't be noisy,
respect professor, use specific examples of arriving late, cell
phones, and leaving early by explaining effects on rest of class
--leaving early from class: state "if you come to class,
stay for the whole class"; bring a knapsack and books and
demonstrate how quickly a knapsack can be packed up; tell them "we
are not done yet"
--cell phones: no cells phones, pagers, or turn to vibrate
mode
--at end of first class and occasionally throughout the
semester, tell them how well behaved and how wonderful they are
and reinforce respect.
Ideas To Do in Class
--to start class: turn off music
you may have been playing, whistle, lead a class breathing
exercise, i.e., breathe from the abdomen
--to keep professor on time: set an alarm clock or an atomic
clock that counts down minutes; throw a squeaky toy into the
class; if the professor is still talking at the end of time, then
the student can squeak a toy.
Attendance Ideas
--use class lists, pass around a list and have
students sign next to name (possible flaw, some students may be
only coming to class to sign class list and may leave early or
disrupt class if very bored)
--every class, include a factor--10% for attendance at
lecture
--hand out index cards at beginning of class and have
students sign it and answer a simple question "what is their
major," "who is their advisor," etc.
--pop quizzes: extra credit quizzes in lecture, easy
questions or similar to what is on exams--can be used to keep
attendance.
Atmosphere of Class
--ask simple questions of students, know the names of
20 people (keep gender balance), pick around the room or randomly
pick name from roster. Ask question and pause and then name
someone since this gives time for the students to think about
question
--roam class, helps include class
--question/answer period and give them a bonus for
asking a question
--if someone does something in class give them
volunteer bonus points
--to get them to read text, make 15% of exam on text
Suggestions for Dealing with Disruptive
Students--(however need to be careful not to alienate rest of
class)
--too talkative students--"you all are
awesome, however, I want to hear from everyone." In extreme cases,
pull aside and talk to student
--deep sighs - mimic them
--people talking ideas: "do you have a question?" When you
stop talking and wait for them to stop talking, ask their names
--sleeping: don't do anything? or, talk to them personally
--leaving early: have TA talk to them, or try to memorize
face and talk to before next class.
Syllabus for Large Classes
(Christa Schwintzer)
The syllabus is essential for spelling out class
procedures for everyone. A carefully crafted syllabus can greatly
reduce the number of procedural questions that arise. In order to
be effective, the syllabus must be carefully read by the members
of the class. This can be encouraged by giving a quiz over the
syllabus during the second week.
Items to Include as Appropriate
- Instructor name, office address, office
phone, email address
- TA name(s), office address, office phone,
email address
- Office hours: a few fixed hours and "by
appointment"
- A short paragraph describing the goals and
content of the course
- A statement of the instructor's philosophy of
teaching
- Textbooks and other required readings
- Daily list of topics and readings
- Academic honesty policy: what is expected,
consequences of dishonesty
- Attendance policy
- Late homework policy
- Exam rules: bring picture ID to exam, no hats
during exam, etc.
- Method of posting exam results
- Grading policy
- Final exam policy
- Make-up exam policy
- Homework assignments
- Sources of help: tutoring services,
FirstClass course conference, etc.
- Description of FirstClass conference, Web
site, etc.
- Statement on services for students with
disabilities
- Laboratory schedule
Items not to include
- Home phone number
- Excessive detail
Testing/Grading Issues
(Dorothy Klimis-Zacas)
Exams and Grading
- Large classes use multiple choice exams
- Rearrange answers--keep questions same
- Use different colors of paper
- Use multiple versions of the same exam
- Scramble order of questions
- Do not give back original exams
- Give all exams back
- Give all prelims back except the final
- Put old exams of final on reserve
- Give sample questions back
- Diagnostic exams
- Extra credit quiz over syllabus
- Study questions on FirstClass
Posting of Grades
- Post grades outside classroom and office
- Use Social Security number (scramble order of
SS#--not as they appear on your class list (alphabetically these
could be linked to names)
- Use last 5 digits of Social Security number
- Make up a number for each student
Taking the Exam
- Show picture ID's coming in
- Put all book bags away
- Occupy every other seat
- Separate if you suspect cheating
- Proctors should move about and stand over
students suspected of cheating
- Turn hats to see eyes
- Turn document camera on during exam
- Station proctors at end of class to get exams
Make-Up Exams
- Set date to take make-up exam close to actual
exam date
- Essays
- Give make-up exams the last week of classes
Technology for Large
Classes (Ginny Gibson)
Technology to Support Large Classes
- Web
- WebCT
- FirstClass
- Blackboard
- Presentation software (PowerPoint)
- Email
Recommendations
- Syllabus should be online (Web or FirstClass)
- Instructor should be able to contact all
students electronically, email, or bulletin board
- Use technology to announce changes or
emergencies (snow days)
- Students need information on
"netiquette"--explanations of appropriate uses of email
- Be creative--play music as students enter,
show cartoon clips, etc.
Issues
Public/Private Access?
- Information posted on the Web is accessible
to all
- FirstClass can be public/private (if private,
how can the instructor easily give access rights (enter names of
students)?
Bulletin boards/folders - "read only" or
"read/write" for students?
- Recommendation is that students have
read-only access
- Students can send requests to instructor
- Instructor can post
Lectures online?
- How much information to put online? Balance
the need to come to class against how much is put online
- When should slides go online? Options
include: having outlines available for sale in the bookstore at
the beginning of the semester; putting slides online shortly
before class; putting slides online after class
- Need to cite sources when materials are
pulled off the Web into slides
Murphy's Law -- if anything can go wrong it
will go wrong
- If technology is used, classes need to be
choreographed
- Need backup materials and/or backup plan in
case of equipment failure
- Instructors and TAs need training and
practice
- Get to class early to set up -- arrange stage
and settings
How to post grades
- Use a part of the Social Security number or
allow students to select their own IDs (use bubble sheets)
Some technological facilities available, but
not well known
- WebCT provides a facility for posting grades
that allows the instructor to post grades and gives students
access to only their own grades using a logon and password
system
- Various plagiarism checkers exist that allow
instructors to check documents submitted electronically by
students against all documents available on the Web.
- Parking office will issue a semester-long
pass for parking in a loading zone during a class period
Wish list
- As easy way to get names automatically into
accounts for private access to FirstClass
- Electronic grade submission (eliminate the
bubble sheets for end-of-semester grades)
- A system similar to the plagiarism checkers
above that would allow instructors to check student papers
against each other -- and to check current papers against papers
submitted in prior semesters
- A remote mouse in all high-tech lecture halls
Active Learning Techniques
(Michele Alexander)
General Classroom Practices Professors Can
Use to Get Students Engaged
- Get to know several students by name in
various locations around the classroom
- Set a tone early in the semester that it's
okay to answer and ask questions
- Build an expectation into the syllabus that
participation is important
- Move out from behind the podium and roam
around the classroom frequently
Specific Strategies for Achieving Student
Participation
- On the first day of class, give students a
brief student interest survey
- Give students a puzzle to solve before class
begins
- Arrive early and stay late after class
- Ask students their names when you call on
them and try to remember them
- Let students get to know you
- Use real-word examples of course topics
frequently to engage students
- Ask students to contribute content-related
examples during lecture
- Have students take a few cleansing breaths
before class and exams
- Have students solve problems/participate in
small groups in class
- Frequently use in-class demonstrations that
involve all or a subset of students
- Use a problem solving rather than a pure
lecture model to present course content
- Have "think-breaks" during class
- Give pop quizzes -- this is also a convenient
way to take/assure attendance
- Give points for participation
- For large, on-line courses, make discussion a
large portion of the grade
- Have students take a 7th inning stretch or do
the wave during dull moments
- Use your sense of humor
- Let your students know what types of
activities are occurring on campus
Using Technology/Visual Aids to Increase
Participation
- Use several visual aids during lecture
- Use a cordless microphone and remote mouse to
let you roam
- Use a digital camera to take students'
pictures and post the pictures on your course Web site
Out of Class Strategies for Increasing
Participation
- Set up a FirstClass conference folder and/or
chat rooms
- Post questions on the course Web site before
class and give bonus points to those who answer correctly in
lecture
- Offer to go to lunch with students
Teaching to Non-Majors/Majors/Wide Range
of Academic Ability in Large Classes
- Teach to different levels, at different times
- Use outlines and overheads to allow weaker
students to get the basics
- Administer a "one minute" paper at the end of
class to assess students' thinking
- Use learning support services on campus
(Tutoring Program, Writing Center, etc.)
The Role of the Teaching
Assistant in a Large Class (Eilean
Moskey)
TA's should
- Be aware of student difficulties
- Find out how to answer questions regarding
students' grades
- Keep appropriate boundaries (friendships,
etc.)
- Attend all classes and TA meetings
- Be clear and fair with students about
requirements, grading, policies, and penalties
- Defer problems not equipped to handle to the
professor
- Be aware of campus resources for students who
are having difficulty (tutoring services, counseling center,
writing center, math lab, etc.)
- Be familiar with the syllabus, texts, rules,
and assignments
If TA's Are Leading a Lab/Small Group
Session
- Primary purpose may be to amplify and clarify
concepts covered in lectures, demonstrate concepts
- Make it clear your role is to supplement, not
replace the material presented in the main lectures
- Maintain a "learning partnership" based upon
mutual respect and encouragement
- Remember the obstacles they encountered when
taking the course when preparing to teach (if teaching a lab)
Faculty Should
- Make expectations clear: what questions
should TA's handle/not handle; how do you intend to work with
your TA's; what are the course objectives?
- Maintain close contact with TA's during
semester: conduct TA meetings, especially before big
projects/exams
- Facilitate feedback of TA's: if leading small
sections/labs, visit during semester
- Create opportunities for TA's to share ideas:
brown bag lunches
- Help TA's balance work and school: keeping
track of hours; learning to say no
- Model positive attitude toward students and
TA's in your interactions with them
- Have TA's help design test questions based on
lectures
- Have TA's sit in the classroom and monitor
sound/ability to hear instructor
Undergraduate TA's
- Receive pay or credit for the job they do
- Their familiarity with the institution and
proximity to peers allows them to play a unique role both in an
out of the classroom
- Benefit from learning more about the course
subject
- Can extend instructor's office hours
- Help monitor assignments, email, and Web
sites
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