A key pillar of the new Core Curriculum is an emphasis on active student engagement in the classroom. OT-36 learning outcomes emphasize a need for student skill development and not an “exclusive content focus” and the evidence is overwhelming that students learn more when they actively construct knowledge and apply course content. Thus, to best prepare our students for future coursework and for life after graduation, it is imperative their learning is an active learning.

But this can be challenging even under the best circumstances, and even more challenging in classes with large enrollments. To assist faculty, especially those teaching large enrollment classes, orient their courses in line with the Core Curriculum, we recommend consulting the resources below. We will also continue to develop additional resources and host workshops on this topic.

Some General Tips

• Encouraging Active Learning in Large Class Teaching – University of Oxford’s Centre for Teaching & Learning
• Tips for Teaching Large Classes – Dr. Lloyd-Strovas, Teaching, Learning, & Professional Development Center, Texas Tech University
• Active Learning in Large Classes: A Teaching Circle Report – Dr. Comer, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Teaching Large Enrollment Courses – Ohio State University’s Teaching & Learning Resource Center
  • This resource is quite detailed, and includes an entire section on designing assessments and how to streamline grading practices

Instructional Strategies Designed for Large Enrollment Courses

• Peer Instruction – A strategy originally created by Harvard physics professor Eric Mazur
• Team-Based Learning – A strategy originally created for large business courses, with effective use in many other educational contexts since
  • See also What is Team-Based Learning? from Carleton College

Assessment & Feedback Techniques

• Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently) – An exploration of the problematic history of grading practices and a look at how putting less emphasis on grading can enhance learning while reducing burdens on faculty.
• Specifications Grading – An approach to grading, which can be adopted partially or completely, which better promotes student learning while also saving faculty time in evaluating and providing feedback
  • Meaningful, Moral, and Manageable? The Grading Holy Grail – A reflection on specifications grading from Rice University’s Center for Teaching Excellence
  • How an alternative grading system is improving student learning – A discussion of specifications grading in chemistry and engineering

Using Inquiry Methods in Large Enrollment Courses

• Infusing Active Learning into the Large-enrollment Biology Class: Seven Strategies, from the Simple to Complex
• Creating a Community of Inquiry in Large-Enrollment Online Courses: An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Protocols within Online Discussions
• Web-based authentic inquiry experiences in large introductory classes consistently associated with significant learning gains for all students