{"id":7800,"date":"2022-08-19T11:38:36","date_gmt":"2022-08-19T15:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/?page_id=7800"},"modified":"2022-09-13T14:01:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-13T18:01:37","slug":"active-learning-in-large-classes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/active-learning-in-large-classes\/","title":{"rendered":"Active Learning in Large Classes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>Even in large classes, instructors can create an active learning environment where human connections are made.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are some strategies for doing so:<\/p>\n<h2>Think-Pair-Share<\/h2>\n<p>Think-Pair-Share is especially well suited for large classes because groups of two are easy to manage.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ask students to think independently about a question you pose, and to write briefly or make some notes about it.<\/li>\n<li>Pair students together to discuss and expand on their initial thoughts and ideas.<\/li>\n<li>Ask several pairs to share with the whole class \u2013 do not try to get through the whole class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Peer Instruction<\/h2>\n<p>Eric Mazur, educational innovator and physicist, developed Peer Instruction (PI) to enable learning in large lecture classrooms. As he explains, \u201cPeer Instruction . . . involves students in their own learning during lecture and focuses their attention on underlying concepts. Lectures are interspersed with conceptual questions, called ConcepTests, designed to expose common difficulties in understanding the material. The students are given one to two minutes to think about the question and formulate their own answers; they then spend two to three minutes discussing their answers in groups of three to four, attempting to reach consensus on the correct answer. This process forces the students to think through the arguments being developed, and enables them (as well as the instructor) to assess their understanding of the concepts even before they leave the classroom.\u201d PI invites students to participate and invest in their learning.<\/p>\n<h2>Polling<\/h2>\n<p>Polling software (<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/montclair.padlet.org\/auth\/login\" target=\"_blank\">Padlet<\/a>, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.polleverywhere.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Polleverywhere<\/a>, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mentimeter.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mentimeter<\/a>, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sli.do\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sli.do<\/a>, and <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/kahoot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Kahoot!<\/a>) is easy to use and adaptable to phones, laptops, or tablets. These tools offer anonymity and instant feedback on what students know, believe, or think about a topic, and are great for active, engaged learning and prompting discussions.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mazur.harvard.edu\/about\" target=\"_blank\">Mazur<\/a> proposes this effective method of polling. Instructors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ask questions<\/li>\n<li>Have students think<\/li>\n<li>Poll students<\/li>\n<li>Have students discuss what they thought<\/li>\n<li>Repoll students<\/li>\n<li>Explain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Supplemental Instruction<\/h2>\n<p>Supplemental instruction (SI) is an academic support program using peer-led study sessions that targets traditionally difficult courses. The Center for Academic Success and Tutoring (CAST) has a fantastic and growing supplemental instruction program. Get in touch with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/center-for-academic-success-and-tutoring\/staff\/\">CAST leaders<\/a> to see what can be set up.<\/p>\n<h2>Team-Based Learning (TBL)<\/h2>\n<p>Team-based learning is a process for structuring large classes for engagement, active learning, and high degrees of student participation and satisfaction. It uses pre-structured small groups and highly organized content-activities and assessments to keep students active and engaged for learning.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/51713733\" target=\"_blank\">Team-Based Learning<\/a> from Faculty Innovation Center on Vimeo (examples of TBL in practice).<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/learntbl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TBL-handout_February_2014_lettersize.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Introduction to Team-Based Learning<\/a> [links to PDF] from the University of British Columbia.<\/p>\n<p>For information on how to implement TBL, use this <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/learntbl.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\">link to the step by step process<\/a> with examples and supplemental materials.<\/p>\n<h2>Full Class Discussion<\/h2>\n<p>Although this task may seem daunting, Jessica Henry, Professor of Justice Studies, provides advice for managing full-class discussion effectively.<div class=\"prpl-row\"><div class=\"prpl-column one-half\">\n<p><iframe title=\"Video: OFE Presents: Jessica Henry on Full Class Discussion\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/phEW3HyNGqQ?feature=oembed\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen style=\"width: 500px; height: 281px; border: 0px solid #000;\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"prpl-column one-half\">Jessica Henry on full-class discussion.<\/div><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Teaching Large Classes Online<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Combine consistency and variety by structuring class sessions similarly and employing varied activities during the session.\n<ul>\n<li>Segment class into blocks with different modes or activities.<\/li>\n<li>Include \u201cdoing\u201d activities in every class session:\n<ul>\n<li>discussing<\/li>\n<li>writing collaboratively<\/li>\n<li>writing individually.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Build in a stretch, snack, or bathroom break.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Break up large online classes by splitting off students to work either synchronously or asynchronously on exam prep, hold small group conferences and study groups, or invite Happy Half-Hour discussions where students can select topics (even non-course related) for discussion.<\/li>\n<li>Schedule any asynchronous blocks in the middle of class, not at the ends.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid putting everything as a Canvas assignment because this leads to overwhelmingly long lists and the perception that the course is overloaded.<\/li>\n<li>Seek student input on activities with a survey after the first week.<\/li>\n<li>Build in an asynchronous day to mitigate Zoom fatigue.<\/li>\n<li>Implement collaborative learning techniques for discussions, activities, and assignments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In this video, Katherine Herbert, Associate Professor, College of Science and Mathematics, offers strategies for managing effective online discussions:<div class=\"prpl-row\"><div class=\"prpl-column one-half\">\n<p><iframe title=\"Video: OFE Presents: Katherine Herbert on Effective Online Discussion\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8-k6FbUxRhU?feature=oembed\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen style=\"width: 500px; height: 281px; border: 0px solid #000;\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"prpl-column one-half\">Katherine Herbert on effective online discussion.<\/div><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/flipped-learning\/\">Flipped Learning<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-advancement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/195\/2020\/02\/Teaching-Strategies-for-Large-Classes-Reference-Sheet.pdf\">Teaching Strategies for Large Classes Reference Sheet<\/a> (quick reference guide; opens as PDF).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Resources and References<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<h3>Strategies for Large Classes<\/h3>\n<p>Tony Spanakos and Josh Galster \u201cTeaching Strategies for Large Classes: from Political Science to Earth and Environmental Science\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-advancement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/195\/2020\/03\/Large-classes4March2020.pptx\">Strategies for Large Classes<\/a> \u2013 PowerPoint Doc<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nactateachers.org\/images\/TeachingTips\/Lessons_Learned_from_Teaching_Large_Classes.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Lessons Learned from Teaching Large Classes<\/a> (tips sheet with discussion, opens as PDF)<\/p>\n<h3>Structuring Large Course<\/h3>\n<p>Eddy, S.L. &amp; Hogan, K.A. (2014) \u201cGetting Under the Hood: How and for Whom Does Increasing Course Structure Work?\u201d CBE\u2014Life Sciences Education, Vol. 13, No. 3. <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1187\/cbe.14-03-0050\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1187\/cbe.14-03-0050<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Assessment and Grading<\/h3>\n<p>Glazer, N. \u201cFormative Plus Summative Assessment in Large Undergraduate Courses: Why Both?\u201d International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 2014, Volume 26, Number 2, 276-286. <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isetl.org\/ijtlhe\/pdf\/IJTLHE1703.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.isetl.org\/ijtlhe\/pdf\/IJTLHE1703.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Small-Group Learning in Large Classes<\/h3>\n<p>Jenay R., Lewis, S.E., Oueini, R. and Mapugay, A. \u201cCoordinated Implementation and Evaluation of Flipped Classes and Peer-Led Team Learning in General Chemistry.\u201d Journal of Chemical Education, 2016 93 (12), 1993-1998. <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.jchemed.6b00395\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.jchemed.6b00395<\/a>.<br \/>\nSibley, J. &amp; Ostafichuk, P. (2014).<\/p>\n<p>Stone, M.E. &amp; Jacobs, G. (Summer 2006) Supplemental Instruction: New visions for empowering student learning. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.<\/p>\n<h3>Engagement and Discussion in Large Courses<\/h3>\n<p>Cohen, D. (Jan. 2017) Class size matters. Inside Higher Ed. <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/advice\/2017\/09\/19\/how-teach-large-classes-students-effectively-essay\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/advice\/2017\/09\/19\/how-teach-large-classes-students-effectively-essay<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Young, J.R. (Oct. 2017) When teaching large classes, professors shouldn\u2019t try to put on a show. EdSurge. <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.edsurge.com\/news\/2017-10-31-when-teaching-large-classes-professors-shouldn-t-try-to-put-on-a-show\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.edsurge.com\/news\/2017-10-31-when-teaching-large-classes-professors-shouldn-t-try-to-put-on-a-show<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p>For more information or help, please\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:faculty@montclair.edu\">email<\/a>\u00a0the Office for Faculty Excellence or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/montclair-faculty-excellence.libcal.com\/appointments\/\">make an appointment<\/a>\u00a0with a consultant.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"license\" href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/195\/2022\/08\/CC.png\" alt=\"Creative Commons License\" width=\"80\" height=\"15\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nTeaching Resources by\u00a0<a rel=\"cc:attributionURL\" href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/\">ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ University Office for Faculty Excellence<\/a>\u00a0is licensed under a\u00a0<a rel=\"license\" href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Third-party content is not covered under the Creative Commons license and may be subject to additional intellectual property notices, information, or restrictions. You are solely responsible for obtaining permission to use third party content or determining whether your use is fair use and for responding to any claims that may arise.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">Creative Commons CC BY-NC-4.0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Even in large classes, instructors can create an active learning environment where human connections are made. Here are some strategies for doing so: Think-Pair-Share Think-Pair-Share is especially well suited for large classes because groups of two are easy to manage. Ask students to think independently about a question you pose, and to write briefly or [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":327,"featured_media":7857,"parent":0,"menu_order":91,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7800","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/327"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7800"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8459,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7800\/revisions\/8459"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/faculty-excellence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}