Teaching large classes: Ideas from 18 3M teaching fellows

Friday, November 28, 2014
by Kathy Becker

A book titled Teaching Large Classes, 115 Ideas From 18 3M Teaching Fellows' Voices, Edited by Aline Germain-Rutherford, from the University of Ottawa's Centre for University Teaching
The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) has posted a series of short (two- to four-minute) videos on teaching large classes. Each video features a 3M Teaching Fellow discussing an idea or method for teaching success in large classes, but many of the tips and suggestions are applicable to teaching classes of any size.

Note: When I accessed the videos from my computer using Internet Explorer, they wouldn't play - they worked with Firefox.

Introduction: What is a large class?

  1. A large class is not a social group but an audience. How to transform an audience into social groups. - Alan Gillmor: Carleton university
  2. Is there a difference between teaching large classes and small seminars. - Don Westwood: Carleton University
  3. The challenge is to find the added value of a large class. What can students do in a large class that they cannot do on there own? - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  4. What is a large class for a language course? - Roger Moore: St. Thomas University
  5. A large class for me is when I cannot make good eye contact. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  6. Being approachable is the key in teaching a large class. - Michael Collins: Memorial University

Theme 1: The physical space

  1. The power of the room to "make" the class - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  2. Knowing well the layout of your classroom - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  3. How to transform the layout of your classroom - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  4. Walking the room - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia

Theme 2: Lecturing

  1. A well delivered lecture can be a powerful pedagogical tool to excite students and bring learning; the function of a lecture is not only the transfer of information, it is the catalyst for further activity. - Alan Gillmor: Carleton University
  2. Enthusiasm, clarity and interaction are three big factors in teachers' effectiveness. - Harry Murray: University of Western Ontario
  3. The challenge is to be very organized in order to teach a large class - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  4. Consistency, timing and pacing are three important factors in teaching a large class. - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  5. Starting off on the right foot. - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  6. The importance of pace in a lecture course. - Ronald Stoltz: University of Arizona
  7. Splitting a lecture into 3 mini-lectures. - Michael Collins: Memorial University
  8. Cutting my lecture into content chunks. - Arshad Ahmad: Concordia University
  9. Rituals to start a lecture. - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  10. How to start your lecture? - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  11. How to start your lecture in an engaging way? - John Young: Saint Mary's University
  12. The set, body and closure of a lecture with a focus on maintaining students' attention and engagement. - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia

Theme 3: Being a professor

  1. A good performance is being authentic - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  2. A good performance engages students' attention - Chris Knapper: Queen's University
  3. You have to find your qualities and work on these qualities - Roger Moore: St. Thomas University
  4. How to deal with stage fright before each class? - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  5. Anxiety saved by professionalism. - Marty Wall: University of Toronto

Theme 4: How to connect

  1. Students learn best when they feel a connection with their teacher. - Chris Knapper: Queen's University
  2. How to keep the students connected? - Chris Knapper: Queen's University
  3. How to involve all students in a large class? - Chris Knapper: Queen's University
  4. How to use the space to connect with students? - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  5. Sending a personal letter to keep students connected and motivated. - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  6. "Me," connecting with 150 students, and 150 students connecting with me. What can I do for the latter to happen? - Lee Gass: University of British Columbia
  7. Reading the class and looking for signs which show that the connection is made. - Arshad Ahmad: Concordia University
  8. Connecting before and after class time. - Arshad Ahmad: Concordia University
  9. Connecting with groups of students using office hours. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  10. Creating a sense of community from the first class. - John Young: Saint Mary's University
  11. Questions are essential for learning. - Roger Moore: St. Thomas University
  12. How to handle students who participate too much or those too shy to participate? - Peter taylor: Queen's University
  13. Listening to the students learning as an effective way to stay connected. - Don Westwood: Carleton University
  14. Creating intimacy by connecting the content to real life. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  15. Contextualization of the content to connect with students. - Ronald Stoltz: University of Arizona

Theme 5: Learning students' names even in a large class

  1. Using mnemonic tricks to learn students' names. - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  2. Knowing the names of your students. -Roger Moore: St. Thomas University
  3. Using group photos to learn the names of your students. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  4. How to remember 100 names in three weeks. - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia

Theme 6: Engagement

  1. The most important goal of the teacher is to foster engagement in the student's learning. - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  2. Engaging to reduce the number of individualities. - Lee Gass: University of British Columbia
  3. Engagement is visceral; the medium is conversation. - Lee Gass: University of British Columbia
  4. Asking questions that engage students and being authentic. - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  5. Bringing relevance, respect and fair evaluation keeps students engaged in their learning - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  6. Engaging strategies where students feel valued - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  7. The use of skits and enactments even in a super large class - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  8. I'm here to help you learn (part 1). - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  9. I'm here to help you learn (part 2). - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  10. Engagment through collaborative, active learning. - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  11. Engaging students by surprising them. - John Young: Saint Mary`s University
  12. The technique of Questcussion to engage debate on a topic. - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia
  13. Engaging the students by recognizing their different learning styles. - Michael Collins: Memorial University

Theme 7: Active learning strategies - a. The Buzz group technique

  1. The technique of the Buzz group to maximize student's engagement in a large class. - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  2. Using buzz groups for the first time. - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  3. How to choose the right questions for the Buzz group. - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  4. How to debrief at the end of a Buzz group activity - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  5. Being a member of a learning community. - Pete Taylor: Queen`s University
  6. Developing good problems for problem solving activities in a large class. - Pete Taylor: Queen`s University
  7. A concrete example of problem solving activity in a large class. - Pete Taylor: Queen`s University
  8. The difficulty to find good problems - Pete Taylor: Queen`s University
  9. Asking groups to report their work - Pete Taylor: Queen`s University
  10. Participatory techniques allowing quiet students to engage - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia
  11. Buzz group activities in a lab environment and in a large class - Michael Collins: Memorial University
  12. The technique of the learning circle. - Michael Collins: Memorial University

Theme 7: Active learning strategies - b. Think/Pair/Share Technique

  1. Step 1 of the technique. - Timothy A. Pychyl: Carleton University
  2. Step 2 of the technique. - Timothy A. Pychyl: Carleton University
  3. Step 3 of the technique. - Timothy A. Pychyl: Carleton University
  4. A "Sharing writing" activity to expand on the "Minute paper". - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia

Theme 7: Active learning strategies - c. Group/Team work

  1. Establishing a dynamic of group work in a large class setting. - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  2. What can students do to help them make meaning? They can learn from each other. - Ronald Stoltz: University of Arizona
  3. Group work in a 800 student Health Science course: (1) An overview of the technique. - Joan Loomis: University of Alberta
  4. Group work in a 800 student Health Science course: (2) The team. - Joan Loomis: University of Alberta
  5. Group work in a 800 student Health Science course: (3) The choice of the question and of the task. - Joan Loomis: University of Alberta
  6. Group work in a 800 student Health Science course: (4) The role of the facilitator. - Joan Loomis: University of Alberta
  7. The systematic approach to group work: (1) The rationale. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  8. The systematic approach to group work: (2) Setting up the groups. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  9. The systematic approach to group work: (3) The role of the teacher while the groups are working. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  10. The systematic approach to group work: (4) The tasks to perform during work. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  11. The systematic approach to group work: (5) Assessing the group work. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  12. The systematic approach to group work: (6) Ensuring that the group dynamic stays constructive. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  13. The systematic approach to group work: (7) How to deal with group dynamic problems. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  14. The systematic approach to group work: (8) What do students think about this group work technique. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  15. Group techniques to motivate students to do their reading assignments. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island

Theme 8: The use of technology in teaching large classes

  1. The death of learning with Power Point for delivery of content. - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  2. A tool to make the link between lectures and the collaborative work. - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  3. Using a variety of multimedia technologies to trigger discussion, not replace it. - Anna Lathrop: Brock University
  4. A careful use of technology, reinforced by good communication to the students. - Gosha Zywno: Ryerson University
  5. The added value of using technology. - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  6. What can online interaction bring? - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  7. Engaging students to contribute to the online forum. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  8. When the learning goes beyond the classroom. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  9. Using online resources to complement your course material. - Roger Moore: St. Thomas University

Theme 9: Diversity

  1. Using the diversity of prior knowledge to create teams. - Shannon Murray: University of Prince Edward Island
  2. Using the ethnic diversity of the class to enrich the learning experience. - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  3. Teaching in a large lab with students at different levels - John Young: Saint Mary's University
  4. Using well trained TAs to help deal with the diversity of levels. - John Young: Saint Mary's University
  5. The different aspects of diversity and how to draw from them. - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia
  6. "Diversity around knowledge: it's a dance" - Anna Lathrop: Brock University

Theme 10: Assessment

  1. The Shoe Box Technique as a Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT) - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  2. The one minute paper to assess informally the students' learning and to engage them in their learning - Clarissa Green: University of British Columbia
  3. "To reduce your workload increase the number of tests" - Michael Collins: Memorial University
  4. Pre-test review classes - Michael Collins: Memorial University
  5. The dilemma of being facilitator and judge at the same time - Roger Moore: St. Thomas University
  6. Using written assessment even in a very large class - Marty Wall: University of Toronto

Conclusion: A few lasting words...

  1. Willing to take risks in teaching - Marty Wall: University of Toronto
  2. The ultimate example of a learning experience for a drama class of one hundred students - Chris Knapper: Queen`s University
  3. How to use the "Teaching Behaviours Inventory" - Harry Murray: University of Western Ontario