Teaching large classes

There is no clear consensus on a precise number or the definition of a large class. The term is subjective and has more to do with what is perceived as ‘normal’ by any given individual. Nevertheless, classes in excess of 60 students begin to take any instructor into territory that offers unique challenges. These may include marking and recording mountains of tests and other assignments, dealing with distractions such as late arrivals and the chatty types in the back of the classroom, trying to learn names, trying to keep students accountable and recognizing the diverse backgrounds and levels of preparation among students.

In a university environment where students are already vulnerable to isolation and anonymity, large lecture halls full of strangers have the potential to contribute to students’ feelings of anonymity. It is worth pointing out that some students prefer larger classes for this feeling of anonymity; they don’t want to stand out or be seen or feel accountable. However, most student struggle in large classes, impacting their performance and general well-being. 

Large classes are often first-year classes, comprised mostly of first-year students. First-year students often undergo a great deal of adjustment to university life. Some grapple with the realization that university is very different from high school – and frequently different from what they had imagined it to be. Students may feel overwhelmed and may be dealing with significant changes in their personal life (i.e., social, financial, etc.) as a result of starting university. Often, many are afraid of appearing ‘stupid’ in front of peers and instructors (and even of appearing ‘too smart’). Most are still learning what it means to be a university student, and often large classes exacerbate these feelings of insecurity, anxiety and confusion. 

As a consequence, some students tend to shut down and not participate in large classes. The reasons for this include their perception of authority, their perception of the instructor, and their fears of peer judgment (Weaver & Jiang, 2005). Students feel alienated oftentimes from both their peers and their instructor and, therefore, may either be unengaged or disengage.  

Such fears and perceptions are important to keep in mind when you are trying to establish an engaging and comfortable tone and create a rapport with the large number of students in your lecture hall. The following section offers specific advice for common concerns and questions for the lecturer of a large class. For more on strategies to develop engaging lectures, see Dynamic lectures. 

How can I encourage attendance in my large classes? 

• Make the class informative, interesting, and relevant to students’ lives, thus helping them to see the value of coming to class. 
• Add variety to lectures (animations, slide shows, demos, video clips, music, guest speakers, etc.). 
• Put outlines up on UM Learn, so that students know what to expect and can use them as a guide for taking notes (and not as a substitute for attending class). 
• Use lots of supplemental illustrations/examples that students cannot get any other place other than in class. 
• Give students a topic to think about for the next class discussion or a puzzle to solve for fun or for credit. 
• Give regular announced quizzes that count towards the final grade. 
• Provide short in-class assignments (20-30 minutes to complete) that give students the chance to apply what they have learned.  
• Show students that success in the course depends on attendance and active participation in class. 

How can I reduce student feelings of anonymity? 

Try to learn the names of at least some of your students if not all. To help you do so, consider: 

• Provide students with tent cards on the first day of class and ask them to write their preferred name and pronouns. Have students bring the tent cards with them to every class and place them on their desk (or hanging off their desk if space is limited.) During tests or group work, look at the name cards to learn students’ names as you walk around the room. 
• When getting students to volunteer answers or ask questions, ask them to state their name before they share their thoughts.  
• Return exams personally to associate names with faces. 
• Ask students, at least for the first few weeks, to sit in the same seat, as much as possible. Every class, try to learn the names of a few students, perhaps by going row by row or working from the aisle seats inward. Then call on the students whose names you’ve learned during the class. 

Create a more welcoming and inviting classroom environment by letting students get to know you:  

• Share your interests, particularly as they relate to the course content. 
• Explain what first got you interested in your course subject/field.  
• Talk about any challenges you faced with certain concepts, either as a student yourself or when working in the field. 
• Remember to show and share your passion for the course content with students. Research indicates that students tend to be more engaged and motivated when their instructors demonstrate a genuine interest in and passion for the course subject. 

Find ways to connect with students on a personal level: 

• Arrive early and chat with students who are already in the classroom. Wander to the back of the room and chat with the students seated there. 
• Greet students as they come in. 
• Stay a few minutes after class to answer individual student questions. 
• From the first day of class, let students know how they can reach you – via email and office hours, for example – and encourage them to do so. Consider renaming ‘office hours’ to ‘student hours’ – and explain that this is time you’ve purposely set aside to help them. 
• As much as possible, try lecturing or leading discussion from different points of the classroom to give students the feeling of being in the midst of the presentation or discussion. 
• Provide many avenues for feedback from students to check for understanding: 
• At the end of a unit and/or before the midterm, ask students to write down the “muddiest” part of your lecture and then  clarify any areas of confusion with the material during the next class. 

How can I create a positive class climate? 

• Start on the first day of class, arrive at your classroom early with plenty of time to set up the room the way you want it. Have all the materials you need and a detailed lesson plan. 
• When preparing your course syllabus, be sure to include all your contact information.  Hand out the syllabus on the first day. Upload the syllabus in UM Learn in advance of the first classes so students who wish to can review it beforehand. Make sure to cover in the syllabus both student expectations and instructor expectations, and refer to these throughout the course as needed. 
• Make Day 1 content memorable so students see the value in coming to class. 
• Greet students, smile and start class on time.  
• Lecture in 10–15-minute chunks and then have students engage in active learning activities so that they are thinking about what they’ve just heard. For suggestions on active learning strategies, please see the Centre webpage, Active Learning. 
• Maintain a pulse on your class and change the pace as needed. 
• Use visual aids as and when appropriate. 
• Give feedback to students. Emphasize that making mistakes is a key part of learning. Share examples from your own experience when making mistakes helped you learn. 
• Address any disruptive and/or disrespectful student behaviour immediately. For strategies on how to do so, please visit the Centre webpage, Conflict Management. 

The following strategies address the need to create rapport with and among students and to create a welcoming, positive classroom community. These strategies are taken from the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence’s (n.d.). 

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Carbone, E. (1998). Teaching large classes: Tools and strategies. Sage Publications Inc. 

Center for Research on Learning & Theory. (n.d.). Teaching strategies: Large classes and lectures. University of Michigan.  

Kangas Dwyer, K., Bingham, S. G., Carlson, R. E., Prisbell, M., Cruz, A. M., & Fus, D. A. (2004). Communication and connectedness in the classroom: Development of the connected classroom climate inventory. Communication Research Reports, 21(3), 264-272. 

Baker, S. (2012). Classroom karaoke: A social and academic transition strategy to enhance the first-year experience of youth studies students. Youth Studies Australia, 31(1), 25-33. 

Centre for Teaching Excellence. (n.d.). Building community in large classes. University of Waterloo. CC BY-NC 4.0 

Weaver, R., & Jiang, Q. (2005). Classroom organization and participation: College students’ perceptions. The Journal of Higher Education, 76(5), 570-601.