Teaching Large Classes
Large classes present teachers with several obstacles. TAs may offer professors
some relief, but using TAs effectively - so that they get something out of
the experience - is also difficult. Beyond that, teachers who want to incorporate
writing assignments often report trouble responding to them all. The links
below offer suggestions on how to use TAs effectively in large classes, how
to handle various kinds of writing activities, and how to lead discussions
in large classes. There are also tips on preparing effective PowerPoint presentations
and links to case studies that have been conducted on large classes, learning,
and teaching.
Teaching Large Classes
- Assessment
that Promotes Learning (John Lowe)
- Lowe offers various forms of classroom assessment techniques that will
be useful for large classes, including student exam self-analyses.
- Teaching Large Classes:
AUTC Project (Australia)
- This site contains several pages of resources that discuss how large
classes differ from smaller classes, as well as several case studies of
large classes.
- Teaching Large
Classes Guide (Maryland)
- This site includes links to several papers by faculty on how to "personalize" large
classes, manage the paper load, and involve TAs productively.
- Teaching Large Classes Web site (U
of Western Ontario)
- A full Web site of ideas about teaching large sections, including links
to "Best Practices" and tips on designing PowerPoint presentations
that should prove particularly useful.
Other Resources
- Assorted Links
on Teaching Larger Classes (University of Arkansas)
- Bibliography
on Teaching Large Classes (Penn State, PDF)
- Books on Teaching Large Classes (available
through CTLT)
- Collecting
Feedback in Large Class Sections (Penn State, PDF)
- FAQ on Teaching
Large Classes (Indiana)
- Links
on Teaching Large Classes (Sonoma)
- Teaching
Large Classes (Cal Poly)
- Teaching
Large Classes Well (Penn State, PDF)
