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Teaching large classes |
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Here's something you should consider when teaching in a very large lecture theatre - the size of the room will make you look small by comparison. Standing at the front of the theatre, you'll seem to your students to be reduced, to be diminished, just by the size of the room. Most lecturers compensate for that by acting a little bit larger than life. They project themselves using voice and body language. They act a little bit "out of their skin". Some people do it unconsciously, with others it's a deliberate strategy. Of course, the aim is not to appear larger than life, the aim is to appear normal size by compensating for the size of the room. An analogous situation would be when you're filmed for television and make-up is applied. Well the make-up isn't put there to make you seem more brightly coloured than usual, it's to make you appear normal; without it you'd appear pallid and unhealthy.
If you project yourself in the way I suggest during a lecture, you'll know you're doing it because afterwards you'll feel exhausted and you'll just want to shrink back into your normal self. Well that's something to consider when teaching a large class. |
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I teach two courses in mathematical statistics and one of the particular challenges of that is that most students that I teach are not actually very mathematically-inclined at all, they're interested in the applied side of statistics, not in the mathematical side, but they need to take the mathematical courses to progress with their real interests. My own background was very mathematical and the very first course that I taught was a very large stage one introductory statistics course. All of the materials were prepared for me by the introductory statistics team, so all I actually had to do was deliver them. And the first thing I noticed was that the students weren't in the least bit like me. I had this idea that good teaching was theorem, proof, theorem, proof, and suddenly these students didn't seem to respond to that style at all. After a few more weeks I realised that they didn't actually even want to be like me, they were quite happy being the way they were. So I realised that I had to bring the subject to the students, not bring the students to the subject and teaching is all about students, it's not about me. Students in the large part are not interested in what I know, they're interested in what I can do for them. So I have to adjust my teaching materials to the style of learners that is really quite different from my own.
Another thing that I find very important is to make sure that my materials are very engaging, intriguing and immediate to the students that I'm teaching. So for example I try to provide examples that relate to their own lives, especially humorous or charming examples. Here's an example - how many boyfriends or girlfriends do you have to go through before you find one you want to settle with? And students in the large part will never have thought of formulating that of a mathematical or statistical problem, but when you bring it to them and they discover that they can use the methods that you're teaching them to solve a problem like that in their lives, that goes then very well. |
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If you're new at teaching then the idea of lecturing to a large stage one class for the first time can be a pretty daunting experience. In order to help you to get through this process I'd like to give you some ideas of things you can do to try and overcome some of the fears that you might have.
One of the biggest fears that people often have is that of equipment failure. The simple solution to this problem is just to come prepared to a lecture, able to deliver the lecture without the need for any A.V. equipment at all. Another very common fear is that of freezing completely when you see the large class for the first time. This can be overcome by, in fact, just writing out the first five minutes of your lecture. If you've got time to memorise it then do that, otherwise just bring the first five minutes of notes with you to class so that you can actually make a good start to your lecture. Another common issue that people face is whether they've got enough material to be able to deliver the lecture in the required amount of time. I like to go to all of my lectures with one activity that I can deliver differently depending on the amount of time available. So for example, if I've got ten minutes of time, I can go through the problem solution fairly interactively with the class; if I've only got five minutes then I can go through the problem perhaps less interactively; if I've completely run out of time then I can just present that problem as a homework exercise for the students. So as you prepare for your first lecture, make sure you go well prepared to be able to make the delivery without the use of A.V equipment, make sure you've got the beginning of the lecture well organised so that you can start out well, and make sure you include a little bit of flexibility so that you're able to adjust the time to suit the lecture slot. |
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I believe that students learn most when they're active in the classroom. To promote more activity I use an exercise worksheet and this is an A4 sized worksheet containing a number of exercises that I prepare in advance. Every ten to fifteen minutes through the lecture, I'll stop students and ask them to work on one of these exercises from the worksheet. During this time I'll walk around through the classroom looking at what students are working on, providing them with an opportunity to ask me questions and then I'll see how effectively students are applying their knowledge to solving the problems asked in these worksheets. This helps students' [to] revitalise their concentration and it requires them to learn the material deeper and apply the knowledge that they've learned during the lectures to a practical situation.
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One aspect of teaching pre-service teachers to become teachers is the linking of theory to practice. They need to become quality teachers in the classroom but don't always make the links between research evidence and quality teaching practice in the classroom, so I try to make those links explicit by giving them examples from my time teaching. Of course the linking of theory to practice isn't specific to education, it applies to all disciplines across the university. Wherever there needs to be those links made it's important that teachers give specific practical examples because that can greatly enhance student understanding. So for example in my teaching I would use anecdotes from my time when I was a primary school teacher to make those links for students between theory and practice. For example, when I'm teaching about behaviour management I try to teach students about using a rational, calm approach where student dignity is respected and maintained, rather than becoming confrontational and using power over students to get the teacher's way.
One anecdote that I use is one of the little boy, who wasn't quite so little because he was bigger than me, but he had a major anger problem and up until he came into my classroom, dealt with his anger by thumping someone else in the classroom, student or teacher. I didn't want to get hit so after his first outburst in my classroom we sat down and negotiated what he might do when he became angry, rather than hitting somebody. What we decided is that he would go and sit outside the classroom until he'd calmed down and then once he'd calmed down he would come back into class. This worked fine until one day when he was really angry, with steam rising from his ears, when he went stomping off down the junior department. "Oh no!" I thought, because I had a class full of students, I couldn't leave, and he wasn't supposed to go off into other parts of the school. Anyhow, he went down into the Junior Department, up-ended every rubbish bin in their whole block. By the time he'd got to the end he'd obviously calmed down because he then proceeded to put every rubbish bin up the right way, fill it with rubbish that he'd emptied out and then came back to class a calm, much nicer boy. |
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Teaching tips
Andrew Luxton lists what works for him:
- Lay the foundations - I start to create rapport in the first lecture. Telling students a little about myself and how I became an academic. I try to talk to them rather than at them. I have no problems with talking in class which I attribute to the trust and respect developed from the first lecture.
- Outline the course and discuss learning.
- Enthusiasm - Sharing my own energy and passion for computer science helps create an atmosphere of contagious enthusiasm in the classroom.
- Motivating students - I find that students are motivated best when they have clear goals that they are working towards.
Andrew Luxton – Computer Science.
Ernie Barrington lists some of the biggest mistakes made in mass lectures:
- There's too much information and it's delivered too quickly.
- There are not enough pauses and no break half way through.
- The lecturer focuses too much on the material, rather than on the process.
- There's not enough eye contact with students.
- There is little or no variety of presentation and/or too much reliance on one mode such as PowerPoint.
- Not enough effort is spent grounding the lecture material in the 'real world'.
- The lecturer doesn't control the class (ie allows loud talking, and mobile phones to ring).
- Little effort is made to use interactive techniques with class.
Ernie Barrington, Centre for Professional Development.
and tips on:
Putting questions to students
- Make sure it is clear – write it down.
- Give students time to get their thoughts together.
- Allow students to work in groups.
- Don't make it threatening: handle incorrect answers sensitively.
Making room for students to ask questions
- Collect written questions.
- Allow groups to work on written questions.
Ernie Barrington, Centre for Professional Development.
Tom Barnes discusses keeping control - some tricks:
- Never lose it!
- Maintaining interest is the key.
- Involve the class – ask them questions, get help with SAFE demonstrations.
- Take micro-breaks.
- Accept corrections – thank them and keep a score sheet (with incentives).
- Use your imagination.
- Talking. Stop immediately – remember who it was. Involve them later.
- Darts. Clean up any that are there at the beginning. Don't tolerate.
- Remember – the vast majority want to learn.
Tom Barnes, UoA, "Smoke, mirrors, stagecraft and science" Teaching Large Stage One Classes.
Past lecturers make some comments:
- Never assume that you are smarter than the students.
- Respect the mana of the students.
- Know your stuff and like your stuff!
- Link theory to practice and inject some genuine humour.
- Structure well and have information that is relevant, and give references where information can be found.
- Check out interest level by getting feedback from students.
- Give yourself time – it takes a while to feel OK in front of 200 students!
- Don't try to cover too much in each lecture.
- Decide on 3-4 main points which are important and return to them a number of times.
Ella Henry, MER
Richard Hunt, Civil & Resource Engineering
Kerrie Nelson, Statistics
Kevin Parnell, Geography
