Whether one considers 50 or 500 students in one classroom large, there is a concern about how best to facilitate their learning. While lecture is an acceptable option (especially when you are communicating information that students are unfamiliar with), research has confirmed active engagement facilitate deeper learning and motivation (Weimer, 2012; Ryan & Deci, 2000).
Below are several resources we have compiled to help instructors of large classrooms.
List of Resources
Active Engagement in the Large Classroom: Here at UT and across the nation, many of our courses have large enrollments. Such structures offer their own set of opportunities for creating effective learning. In this document, you will find several tips for facilitating high quality, active student engagement in large classrooms.
Advice and Tips from Large Classroom Instructors at UT: Instruction in a large classroom can be different than it is in a small or medium size classroom. Faculty have to think more intentionally about how they engage their students in the learning process. While there are several resources on best practices in large classroom instruction, arguably, the best resource is advice from large classroom instructors. In this document, we share four tips offered by large classroom instructors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
5 Pillars of Collaborative Work in the Classroom Setting: This document outlines the five pillars that make collaboration work for student groups. Applying these principles are especially important in large classroom where peer engagement is a key component in fostering understanding and learning.
Flipped Classrooms: An overview of flipped classrooms and additional resources to assist you in this teaching and learning strategy.
Large Classroom Teaching: This webpage offers a number of recommendations to effectively engage students in the large classroom context.
Lecturing Effectively: This webpage provides ways of making your lectures more engaging with students.