While the basic principles of good teaching apply to both large and small classes, the sheer number of students in a large class can magnify some problems that might be much more manageable in a smaller class. Heppner (2007) described a large class as: “having a number of students greater than the number whose names you can reasonably learn by semester’s end [and] taught in a lecture hall with fixed seats.” This characterization highlights two key challenges associated with large classes:

  • Personalization: It is more difficult to make a personal connection with each student in large classes, which can affect student engagement and the overall classroom atmosphere. It is also more difficult to meet the needs of individual students.

  • Physical Environment: The classroom layout designed to accommodate more students can limit student-teacher interaction and make it more difficult to implement active learning strategies.

Large classes are not necessarily less effective than smaller ones, but they do require more deliberate effort and planning. Here are some recommendations:

 

Design and Prepare

  • Relate Course Content to Student Experiences: Conduct a pre-course survey to get to know the students and adjust the course (activities, assignments, even topics if possible) according to the student characteristics.

  • Establish clear expectations: Use the syllabus to communicate policies, learning outcomes, participation guidelines, and grading criteria explicitly. Address technology use, group work expectations, and participation etiquette early on. Have a protocol for common issues (e.g., late arrivals, off-topic chatter).

  • Keep materials organized and accessible with Canvas: Break the course into thematic units or weeks with consistent formats (e.g., readings, lectures materials, assignments) to map out the learning path for students.

In-Class:

  • Active Learning

    • Interactive lecture segments: Break the lecture every 10–15 minutes for activities like minute papers, small group discussions, or problem-solving tasks for better engagement as well as formative assessments. Take the physical space into consideration while designing activities. Some activities are easier to conduct in a large classroom (especially those with fixed seats):

      • Think-Pair-Share: Pose a question, give students time to think, discuss with a peer, then share with the class.

      • Polling tools (e.g., Poll Everywhere, Wooclap): Use live polls or quizzes to check understanding and encourage participation.

      • Peer Instruction: Pose a question, poll students, let them discuss with peers, poll again before revealing and explaining the answer.

  • Inclusive Teaching

    • Diversify examples and content: Ensure representation across cultures, genders, and experiences.

    • Monitor participation patterns: Ensure a range of students are participating and not just a vocal few. Take linguistic and cultural diversity into consideration while designing activities, for example, giving students time to prepare before engaging them in discussions.

    • Provide alternative participation options: Use both synchronous and asynchronous participation modes. Students can contribute to the class discussion through exit tickets or online discussion boards.

Out-of-Class

  • Communications

    • Set boundaries for email and communication: Define response times and preferred communication channels.

    • Use announcements effectively: Post regular summaries, clarifications, and weekly updates via Canvas.

    • FAQ sections or discussion boards: Encourage students to post questions and answer peers’ queries.

    • Get students feedback on how the class is progressing using anonymous surveys, SGIF, and casual conversations during office hours.

  • Guide and Support Asynchornous Learning

    • Set up formal or informal study groups

    • Release class materials early so students can self-study and prepare

    • Provide resources for asynchronous learning and instructions on how to use them effectively

    • Ensure multiple ways for students to get feedback and help when needed: AI tools, online discussion board, peers, TAs and tutors, etc.

  • Assessment and Feedback

    • Use auto-graded quizzes for formative feedback: Allow multiple attempts to encourage practice.

    • Assign group work and peer reviews: Enable students to learn by helping each other and reviewing each other’s work.

    • Provide rubrics and exemplars: Clarify grading expectations and streamline feedback for graded assignments.

  • Monitor Student Progress

    • Provide a list of tasks students should have completed by certain check points so they can self-monitor progress.

    • Use Canvas analytics or other tools to monitor student progress and reach out to students who are falling behind

References

Heppner, F. (2007). Teaching the large college class: A guidebook for instructors with multitudes (Vol. 116). John Wiley & Sons.

Teaching large classes at college and university level: challenges and opportunities: doi:10.1080/13562511003620001 (uwindsor.ca)

Cash, C. B., Letargo, J., Graether, S. P., & Jacobs, S. R. (2017). An analysis of the perceptions and resources of large university classes. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 16(2), ar33. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.16-01-0004

 

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