Challenging, Exciting, Impersonal, Nervous: Academic experiences of large class teaching
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14297/jpaap.v8i1.405Keywords:
teaching at scale, academic development, large classes, massification, higher education teachingAbstract
Massification of Higher Education has resulted in a rapid increase in undergraduate populations, without an increase in the number of teaching staff. One consequence is that students are typically taught in larger classes. While the impact of class size on student satisfaction and attainment is debated, there has been little attention paid to the academic experience of large class teaching. We present results of a questionnaire completed by 80 academics, primarily based in the UK. Academics perceived classes of 100 or more as large, and most had taught classes of several hundred students. Academic perceptions of large class teaching varied considerably. We find no evidence that institution type or contract type affects perceptions of large class teaching. We also find a lack of training that specifically addresses the demands of large class teaching. We call on academic developers to support academics teaching large cohorts to ensure effective education at scale.
References
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Williams, D. D., Cook, P. F., Quinn, B., & Jensen, R. P. (1985). University class size: Is smaller better? Research in Higher Education, 23(3), 307–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00973793
Wood, K., Linsky, A. S., & Straus, M. A. (1974). Class Size and Student Evaluations of Faculty. The Journal of Higher Education, 45(7), 524–534. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.1974.11776994
Wood, W. B. (2009). Innovations in teaching undergraduate biology and why we need them. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, 25, 93–112. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.cellbio.24.110707.175306
Allais, S. (2014). A critical perspective on large class teaching: the political economy of massification and the sociology of knowledge. Higher Education, 67(6), 721–734. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9672-2
Arvanitakis, J. (2014). Massification and the large lecture theatre: from panic to excitement. Higher Education, 67(6), 735–745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9676-y
Benton, S. L., & Cashin, W. E. (2012). Student Ratings of Teaching: A Summary of Research and Literature. Retrieved from The IDEA Center website: https://www.ideaedu.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/IDEA%20Papers/IDEA%20Papers/PaperIDEA_50.pdf
Bolton, P. (2018). Higher education student numbers: Briefing Paper (No. 7857). Retrieved from House of Commons Library website: researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7857/CBP-7857.pdf
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bryer, J., & Speerschneider, K. (2016). likert: Analysis and Visualization Likert Items. Retrieved from https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=likert
Carbone, E. (1998). Teaching Large Classes: Tools and Strategies. Survival Skills for Scholars, Volume 19. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED428614
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). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.16-01-0004
Chowrira, S. G., Smith, K. M., Dubois, P. J., & Roll, I. (2019). DIY productive failure: boosting performance in a large undergraduate biology course. NPJ Science of Learning, 4, 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-019-0040-6
Crittenden, K. S., Norr, J. L., & Lebailly, R. K. (1975). SIZE OF UNIVERSITY CLASSES AND STUDENT EVALUATIONS OF TEACHING. The Journal of Higher Education, 46(4), 461–470. https://doi.org/10.2307/1980673
Cuseo, J. (2007). The Empirical Case Against Large Class Size: Adverse Effects on the Teaching, Learning, and Retention of First-Year Students. The Journal of Faculty Development, 21(1), 5–21. Retrieved from https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nfp/jfd/2007/00000021/00000001/art00001
Eichler, J. F., & Peeples, J. (2016). Flipped classroom modules for large enrollment general chemistry courses: a low barrier approach to increase active learning and improve student grades. Chemical Education Research and Practice, 17(1), 197–208. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5RP00159E
Giannakis, M., & Bullivant, N. (2016). The massification of higher education in the UK: Aspects of service quality. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 40(5), 630–648. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2014.1000280
Hornsby, D. J., & Osman, R. (2014). Massification in Higher Education: Large Classes and Student Learning. Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education and Educational Planning, 67(6), 711–719. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9733-1
Hornsby, D. J., Osman, R., & De Matos-Ala, J. (2013). Large-class Pedagogy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives for Quality Higher Education. Retrieved from https://market.android.com/details?id=book-6-RengEACAAJ
Jin, G., & Bierma, T. (2013). STEM for non-STEM majors: Enhancing science literacy in large classes. Journal of College Science Teaching, 42(6), 20–26. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/43632151?casa_token=UsW2lj1UFzoAAAAA:6Pj7OXVb4RdsB8sv6AETPS4eVauiryjTAMJUmDWGqVV97zBhjhKU-KVcS4PSDRP6Pjo4AHB-7tYCJ14RlH8-wM-9xFRNeZyrJMLGScKtTle2Nm3GDw
Kokkelenberg, E. C., Dillon, M., & Christy, S. M. (2008). The effects of class size on student grades at a public university. Economics of Education Review, 27(2), 221–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2006.09.011
Krathwohl, D. R., Bloom, B. S., & Masia, B. B. (1964). Taxonomy of educational objectives, Book II. Affective domain. New York, NY. : David McKay Company, Inc.
Maringe, F., & Sing, N. (2014). Teaching large classes in an increasingly internationalising higher education environment: pedagogical, quality and equity issues. Higher Education, 67(6), 761–782. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9710-0
Marsh, H. W., Overall, J. U., & Kesler, S. P. (1979). Class Size, Students’ Evaluations, and Instructional Effectiveness. American Educational Research Journal, 16(1), 57–70. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312016001057
McKeachie, W. J. (1980). Class size, large classes, and multiple sections. Academe. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/40249328?casa_token=sxz1RwSIn_4AAAAA:oJwamW2t8VbU0BMUUT87Hhp0rrwY5tj8wmWGrRj_568nIQH2GVJ4mVy_gZQlFx_U5E2vqi65PzdJxLRnQeKufG6WRJzp6CY_QZPAk2bAzTNw_3jV2g
McKeachie, W. J., Lin, Y.-G., Moffett, M. M., & Daugherty, M. (1978). Effective Teaching: Facilitative vs. Directive Style. Teaching of Psychology , 5(4), 193–194. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328023top0504_6
Mulryan-Kyne, C. (2010). Teaching large classes at college and university level: challenges and opportunities. Teaching in Higher Education, 15(2), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562511003620001
Prosser, M., & Trigwell, K. (2014). Qualitative variation in approaches to university teaching and learning in large first-year classes. Higher Education, 67(6), 783–795. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9690-0
R Core Team. (2018). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Retrieved from https://www.R-project.org/
Sharma, M. D., Millar, R., & Seth, S. (1999). Workshop tutorials: accommodating student-centred learning in large first year university physics courses. International Journal of Science Education, 21(8), 839–853. https://doi.org/10.1080/095006999290327
Smith, M. L., & Glass, G. V. (1980). Meta-analysis of Research on Class Size and Its Relationship to Attitudes and Instruction. American Educational Research Journal, 17(4), 419–433. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312017004419
Stains, M., Harshman, J., Barker, M. K., Chasteen, S. V., Cole, R., DeChenne-Peters, S. E., … Young, A. M. (2018). Anatomy of STEM teaching in North American universities. Science, 359(6383), 1468–1470. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap8892
Strawson, H. (Ed.). (2013). 53 Ways to Deal with Large Classes (Professional and Higher Education). Retrieved from https://www.amazon.co.uk/Large-Classes-Professional-Higher-Education/dp/1907076565
Strohfeldt, K., & Pye, R. (2017). LARGE CLASS EDUCATION TOOLKIT. Retrieved from University of Reading website: https://www.reading.ac.uk/web/files/cqsd/V4_Interactive_Education_Toolkit.pdf
Williams, D. D., Cook, P. F., Quinn, B., & Jensen, R. P. (1985). University class size: Is smaller better? Research in Higher Education, 23(3), 307–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00973793
Wood, K., Linsky, A. S., & Straus, M. A. (1974). Class Size and Student Evaluations of Faculty. The Journal of Higher Education, 45(7), 524–534. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.1974.11776994
Wood, W. B. (2009). Innovations in teaching undergraduate biology and why we need them. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, 25, 93–112. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.cellbio.24.110707.175306
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