Survivor Strategies: Teaching Large Enrollment Classes

When class sizes grow, faculty often encounter challenges in creating an effective and engaging learning environment. ASSETT decided to ask the best of the best what strategies have worked for them. We interviewed 6 faculty and a teaching assistant who have had success in teaching in large introductory level courses. Here are their responses to some common challenges faced by instructors of 100+ enrollment courses.

Tips on Managing Distraction in Large Lecture Courses 

David Allen, PhD, focuses on how he teaches Psychology 2012, Biological Psychology 1. Allen discusses the challenges of bringing students up to speed with the rest of the class when teaching a large introductory class. He says that he asks students to get out of their seats and actually act out biological processes.
David Bearce, PhD, teaches International Affairs 1000: Global Issues and International Affairs to 300 to 400 students. Bearce delegates the responsibility of finding reading materials for students for recitation sessions to his Teaching Assistants (TAs). Bearce’s TAs also administer and grade assessments in recitations.
David Bortz, PhD, teaches Applied Mathematics 2360, Introduction to Differential Equations with Linear Algebra to about 150 students. Bortz and his course team undertake an in-depth and rigorous process to create fair exams in time for the hundreds of students to take the test.
Beth Dusinberre, PhD, teaches Classics 1509 Trash and Treasure to 300 to 400 students. Even during her large lecture, Dusinberre asks students to get out of their seats for participatory activities. She also acknowledges her struggles with stage fright and tackles it head on with skills that she learned in acting classes.
Alyssa Friedman shares how she and the other TAs are invested in their students’ success. Further, we asked Dr. Dusinberre’s students what worked well for them in such a large course. They responded that their professor learns their names and asks them to share their thoughts in the large lecture. Students also talked about the interactive activities that their instructor prepares for them.
Pieter Johnson, PhD, teaches Introduction to General Biology. Johnson allots time during his large lectures for students to work in small groups to figure out problems. His Introduction to General Biology course team implements online homework assignments.
Myles Osborne, PhD, teaches History 1228, Sub Saharan Africa, to 100 students. Osborne strives to demonstrate to his students his commitment to his students’ learning. He also makes a point to connect with students during class time. Osborne makes eye contact with students while lecturing and walks around the room to reach different groups of students.


*Some links to research articles below require use of  if viewing from off campus.

Classroom Culture Student Centered Learning Giving Students a Voice Student Engagement Managing Communication Administering Assessments Encouraging Participation Maximizing TAs' Strengths A TA's Perspective
Classroom Culture

How Can I Create an Enjoyable Classroom Culture?

Creating a space where students are comfortable with inquiry in your 100+ class can be a tough thing to accomplish. Start with some basics to create an open, inviting space in which to learn.

  • Tips:
    • Let your passion for your discipline show.
    • Students appreciate humor. It’s ok to let students see your human side.
    • Make content relevant to students’ lives. 
    • Come early, stay late.
    • Play music before and after class.
  • Tools:
    • For streaming music, try   or , but you will get commercials in the free versions after 10 or 15 minutes.
  • Resources:
    • Finck, J. E. (2011).  Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), 9(1), 27–32.
    • Gleason, M. (1986).  College Teaching, 34(1), 20–24.
    • Sass, E. J. (1989).  Teaching of Psychology, 16(2), 86.
    • Waite, W. M., Jackson, M. H., & Diwan, A. (2003). ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 35(1), 127-131.

How Can I Create a Student Centered Learning Environment?

Student centered learning is about student discovery and construction of knowledge rather than passive transfer of knowledge from instructor to the student. Help students feel comfortable and encouraged to take part in that process of discovery and creation.

  • Tips:
    • Learn as many students’ names as possible.
    • Find ways to show you care about students’ success in the course
    • Create rapport in your classroom
    • Become familiar with . Start with something small like minute papers.
  • Tools:
    • Utilize the Print Friendly Photo Rosters in myCUInfo by bringing them to class to learn student names.
    • Ask students to use tent name cards for the first 2 weeks of class.
  • Example:
  • Resources:
    • How to get started

How Can I Minimize Anonymity and Give Students a Voice?

Undoubtedly, a large course can be intimidating for students. Use both small group activities and technology to create inviting opportunities for students to share their thoughts in and out of class, with you and other students.

  • Tips:
    • Have recitations sit together in sections in the lecture hall so they get to know each other.
    • Improve your discussion management skills for a large classes.
    • Use  to extend opportunities to contribute
      • Remember to set specific parameters for participations
      • Utilize small group features in D2L’s discussion boards
      • Commit to using discussion boards on a regular, consistent basis
      • Give evidence that you have read students’ posts
      • Teach students
    • Try using a backchannel so students can post questions or responses in real time during class.
  • Tools:
    • For online discussion try  or .
    • For a backchannel,  or 
  • Example:
  • Resources:
    • Glessmer, M. S., Pick, M.-A., & Göttsch, P. (2014). Enabling backchannel communication between a lecturer and a large group. Retrieved from

How Can I Increase Student Engagement?

One of the best ways to get students engaged in your classroom is student centered and active learning. Find ways that students can influence and participate in the content, activities, materials and pace of their learning.

  • Tips:
    • Use  and . Start small with think pair share, sentence summaries, and polling exercises. Later you can try peer review, debate teams or the jigsaw method.
    • Use as a way to jump start discussions.
    • Get comfortable with group work and incorporate .
  • Tools:
  • Example:
    • Georgetown University, Biology Course
  • Resources:
    • A review of the literature
    • Yazedjian, A., & Kolkhorst, B. B. (2007).  College Teaching, 55(4), 164–169. 

How Can I Better Manage Communication?

Think beyond email. Be creative in seeking ways to be available and communicate with your students. Students can still feel connected in a course and to the instructor when you use one to many online communication methods.

  • Tips:
    • Set aside specific hours to be available to students online (email, chat, or video call).
    • Answer frequently asked questions using the D2L news or discussion tool.
    • Consider creating short videos or screencasts (computer screen recordings with audio narration) to explain concepts students typically have trouble understanding.
  • Tools:
    • For online office hours try
      • Video chat services like , 
      •  for online chatting
    • For short videos try , , or 
    • For screencasts try  or 
  • Example:
  • Resources:

How Can I Administer Assessments Effectively and Efficiently?

Creating meaningful assessments for 100+ students doesn’t have to mean endless hours of grading on your part. Incorporate real world scenarios and let technology help with the grading.

  • Tips:
    • Use technologies like clickers and automatically graded quizzes for immediate feedback opportunities
    • Sharpen your  if you are concerned about automatically graded tests.
    • Use real world scenarios in test questions to make content relevant
    • Design meaningful rubrics for grading papers and projects
  • Tools:
  • Resources:

How Can I Encourage Attendance and Participation?

An age old dilemma in large lecture courses is attendance and participation, for both students and teachers. Create unique in class experiences and opportunities for students to provide feedback on how the course is going. Let students know when you’ve made adjustments based on their feedback, too.

  • Tips:
    • Make the in class experience something they can’t get anywhere else
    • Don’t be predictable. Use a variety of class activities.
    • Help students feel noticed, so that they want to participate.
    • Solicit regular feedback from students, and even consider giving some credit it. Then be explicit about the adjustments made based on the feedback students’ provided.
  • Tools:
    • for collecting regular feedback.
  • Resources:
    • Snell, L. S. (1999).  Medical Teacher, 21(1), 37–42.

How Can I Maximize TAs’ Strengths?

TAs are an invaluable resource for large classes and have most likely been an undergraduate in their recent past. Draw on their understanding of the student experience while at the same time giving them guidance to be successful leaders in the classroom.

  • Tips:
    • Ways to prepare TAs in advance
      • Refer them to the and the Fall Intensive Workshops
    • Provide TAs with your own set of guidelines and expectations.
    • Listen to TAs; pick their brains. They have great ideas and undergrads may be more open and honest with TAs.
  • Tools:
    • For communication and organization, try and 
    • For managing multiple tasks, try 
  • Example:
  • Resources:
    • Ross, Catherine and Jane Dunphy. Strategies for Teaching Assistant and International Teaching Assistant Development. Bolton: Anker, 2007.

How Can I Maximize TAs’ Strengths?

Hear a TA’s point of view to better understand ways to support them.

  • Resources:
    • Dudley, M. (2009). Eastern Educ J, 38, 1–10.