REPORT OF THE JOINT EPC-APC
TASK FORCE
ON LARGE ENROLLMENT CLASSES
Executive Summary
The Task
Force was formed by a joint resolution of APC and EPC to develop recommendations
for the implementation very large classes following practices consistent
with the mission of Sonoma State University as a liberal arts and sciences
university and with its reputation for small classes.It
is recommended that “very largeclasses”
be defined as classes with an enrollment of 75 or larger.
The
report consists of the following parts:
1.The
Value Of and Need For Very Large Classes
We
suggest that large classes serving a broad range of undergraduates from
different majors and with diverse interests should satisfy the following
criteria consistent with providing as engaging and relevant a learning
experience for our students as possible.
4.
Guidelines for Pedagogy
Teaching
large classes can be a productive experience for professors and students,
a fact to which a growing body of research, anecdotal evidence and practical
suggestions can attest.Some general
principles and best practices which have proven successful in large classes
are outlined, and a reference bibliography is included.It
is not expected that every class will incorporate all or any of these practices.
5.
Guidelines for Assessment
6.Guidelines
for Compensation
The Task
Force recommends:
9/18/03
REPORT OF THE JOINT EPC-APC TASK FORCE
ON LARGE ENROLLMENT CLASSES
The
Task Force on Large Enrollment Classes was established by a joint resolution
of the Educational Policies Committee and the Academic Planning Committee.The
charge was: “to make policy recommendations regarding the implementation
of very large classes, and to maintain to the greatest extent possible
the integrity of Sonoma State's distinctive liberal arts and sciences mission,”as
well as its reputation for small classes.(The
full resolution is contained in Appendix A.)
This
report is made available to the convening committees and the campus for
discussion.In view of the fact that
our recommendation is that the offering of very large classes be concentrated
in the general education curriculum, exclusive of the curriculum for entering
freshmen, the report is also directed to the G.E. Subcommittee for first
consideration as university policy.
The
report consists of the following parts:
1.The
Value Of and Need For Very Large Classes
2.Constraints
and Resources
3.Guidelines
for Academic Content
4.Guidelines
for Pedagogy
5.Guidelines
for Assessment
6.Guidelines
for Compensation
We
have formulated our recommendations as guidelines for the use of very large
classes.We leave it to the educational
policy process of faculty governance to determine which of these recommendations
should be elevated to the status of university policy.
In
discussing class size in relation to pedagogy, it would be useful to have
a more precise taxonomy of class sizes than has been the case in the past.The
CSU has established the following definitions of class size:
Small
Class (Seminar):Lower Division<13
Upper
Divison <10
Graduate
< 5
Medium-Sized
Class:5/10/13 to46
Large
Class:47+
We
propose the following additional category: Very Large Class (“Megaclass”):75
and above
1.
The Value Of and Need For Very Large Classes
1.1At
this time of shrinking resources and high student demand it is important
to consider the use of very large classes as a method of providing a quality
education. The value of such pedagogy can also be found in providing a
large number of students a common intellectual experience. By choosing
which courses will be considered VERY LARGE the GE subcommittee and the
school curriculum committees can determine which courses are best suited
to such a teaching method and ensure that students learn the same concepts,
theories and intellectual ways of seeing. This ensures that when students
graduate, they understand how their courses have tied together and what
is important for future citizens of the world to need to know. Providing
common intellectual experiences are now a core approach in many universities
across the countries, with some universities mandating that all incoming
students read the same book. Others are mandating that certain courses
be required of all students so that a core foundation of knowledge is being
conveyed. To this end the very large classes can assist in providing such
an experience.
1.2.Because
of the decreasing fiscal support for classes at SSU the need for very large
classes has become more of a necessity than ever before. Where once SSU
prided itself on having ALL small classrooms, the reality of the situation
is that the university can no longer afford such a luxury. By having a
few larger classes the university will be financially able to support smaller
classes in the majors and in some of the general education courses. These
larger classes will assist in preserving the liberal arts values of seminars
and individual mentoring. With cuts of over $1.2 million dollars for the
academic year 2003-04 out of the Academic Affairs budget, and more promised
for the next year or two, it is no longer fiscally prudent to maintain
all small classes. The reality is that fiscal demands are now driving the
pedagogy. Rather than allowing such a situation to continue, it is imperative
that planning takes place, so that majors and smaller GE classes can be
maintained. To that end the committee recommends that a small number of
very large classes be allowed to exist, to save the integrity of the others.
2.Constraints
& Resources
The
use of very large classes should be part of a well thought out strategy
to uphold Sonoma State’s mission as a liberal arts and sciences university.That
this is possible is suggested by the fact that almost everyone has a story
about a large lecture class that was a high point of their undergraduate
career.It is also essential that
this strategy preserve the university’s reputation for small classes to
the greatest extent possible.This
should include preserving the predominance of seminars and small classes
in our majors, and the development of a rich, coherent, and learner-centered
core curriculum for the freshman year.The
Task Force therefore recommends that very large classes be offered in a
pattern that would require the average student to take no more than three
such classes in the course of their general education (normally in the
second, third, and fourth semesters).
The
scheduling of very large classes is further constrained by the need to
schedule such classes at times when large numbers of students will be willing
to enroll and by the availability of rooms:
Darwin 108:136
Stevenson 1002: 128
Warren Auditorium :200
The Cooperage -
Theater Style:400/200
Tables & chairs:250/150
The Commons: 200
Person Theater: 475
The
resources available for staffing very large classes under SFR budgeting
can be ascertained by analyzing the SFR budget allocated to SSU as a whole
in terms of the following assumptions:
The
SFR required to maintain the integrity of our upper division majors.
The
SFR required to establish an exemplary freshman year experience.
The
average class size desired for G.E. classes other than very large classes.
Appendix
B contains a model calculation applying possible values for these assumptions
to the data currently available for 2002-2003.
3.Guidelines
for Academic Content
We
suggest that large classes serving a broad range of undergraduates from
different majors and with diverse interests should satisfy the following
criteria consistent with providing as engaging and relevant a learning
experience for our students as possible.
3.1.Large
classes should provide a broadly relevant content; i.e., course material
should introduce students to current issues of social or scientific relevance
and allow them the opportunity to critically assess these topics. We suggest
that, whenever possible, course coverage should incorporate topics students
are likely to encounter on a frequent basis. Appropriate coverage might
include discussions of current issues in geopolitics, socio-economics,
science and technology, etc., providing students with the information necessary
to evaluate relevant issues in an applicable context.
3.2.Ideally,
large classes should incorporate and build upon an interdisciplinary approach
to the topic/s being covered. Approaches to instruction that cross over
and involve different fields of knowledge would likely engage a larger
percentage of students than a narrow focus on any single discipline. We
suggest therefore that aspects of multidisciplinary content integration
should be built into course structure as a primary principle.
3.3.Linkage
to community interests: whenever possible, large classes should provide
linkage to community resources associated with the arts, politics, human
services, science, and industry. Incorporating community outreach into
large classes is likely to stimulate broad interest. Community-based involvement
can provide a mutually beneficial relationship between the university and
local population, especially if some of the large course offerings can
be disseminated via distance-learning format (e.g., web- or television-based
curricula).
3.4.Course
content should involve and utilize available technology in presentation
of information: presently, a number of “smart” classrooms are equipped
with multimedia capability (i.e., computers with internet access, data
projectors, and audio capability) that permit lecturers to incorporate
a variety of instructional tools into their presentations. Effective use
of Web-based and other media resources is an effective way to capture and
boost student interest in instruction in large classes.
4.
Guidelines for Pedagogy
Teaching
large classes can be a productive experience for professors and students,
a fact to which a growing body of research, anecdotal evidence and practical
suggestions can attest.Some general
principles and best practices which have proven successful in large classes
are outlined below, with specific illustrations.It
is not expected that every class will incorporate all or any of these practices.For
more thorough discussion of these and other ideas, consult the bibliography.
* Instructors
should not feel the need to be an entertainer; nevertheless, content and
delivery need to be carefully planned in advance.It
is important to find ways to capture students’ attention and engage them
immediately.A short “focus activity”
to begin class (an initial problem, a teaser question, an “identify the
error” task) can serve this purpose.
* Avoid
long periods of time devoted only to lecture.Twenty
minutes is the recommended maximum, at which point another form of activity
should be introduced.Cycles of activity/reflection
allow students time to process information and serve to combat the lethargy
and lack of engagement which can plague large classes.
Examples:
-
Pair discussion (think-pair-share) activities
-Paraphrase
break: students are asked to briefly write down paraphrases of
key
points or concepts, which they then share with neighboring students for
discussion
-
Short ungraded quizzes, which are then discussed and debriefed
* Build
in frequent feedback opportunities. Mechanisms for formative evaluation
(i.e. ongoing, informal evaluation of learning) can serve to guide instruction.
Examples:
-
Visit different parts of the room on a rotating basis
-Meet
in a regular basis with a small “focus group”
-
Conclude classes with a short guided reflection (“One minute reviews”)
asking
students
to briefly summarize the important concepts they’ve understood, or state
the one thing they’re uncertain of, the burning question they have…)
* Seek
out ways to encourage questions, as it can be intimidating to ask questions
in large groups.
Examples:
-
Establish a “question row” or set of students for each class
-
Set up a question box at the exits
*Use
class time to engage students in the course content and facilitate interaction;
time should not be used to repeat material that is readily available in
the text.
* Create
smaller learning communities within the large group
Examples:
-
Use problem-based learning, in which students work collaboratively to solve
problems
in a real world context.Students
must identify, locate and evaluate
resources
as a team and present solutions.
-
Have students debrief exams in teams
-
Use smaller on-line discussion groups to focus on individual cases or topics
-
Establish cooperative base groups for the entire semester for the purpose
of
breaking
the ice, providing support, managing paperwork and evaluating content
mastery
-
Use jigsaw strategies to help students summarize and synthesize material
in
a
cooperative context
*Expect
a period of adjustment; active participation and collaboration, especially
in large classes, are not the norm.“Students
are accustomed to sitting through lectures without extending themselves
much to work problems or engage in complex-thinking tasks “(MacGregor,
et al: 17).
A study
done at the University of Maryland (Carbone & Greenberg, 1998) indicated
that the primary complaints that students had about large classes were
the following aspects:
-
Lack of interaction with faculty (both in and out of class)
-
Lack of structure in lectures
-
Lack of or poor discussion sections
-
Inadequacy of classroom facilities and environment
-
Lack of frequent testing or graded assignments
A thoughtful
pedagogical approach can address these concerns and provide an optimal
learning environment for students.
NOTE: Appendix C contains the California State University, Long Beach “Policy Issues Concerning Academic Technology and the Mode of Instruction,” which contains some ideas that may be worth considering.
Reference Bibliography On Pedagogy
Boud,
D. & Feletti, G.E.1997.The
Challenge of Problem-Based Learning.London:Kogan
Page.
Bruffee,
Kenneth A.Collaborative Learning:Higher
Education, Interdependence and the Authority of Knowledge.1993.Baltimore:Johns
Hopkins University Press.
Carbone,
E. and Greenberg, J.“Teaching Large
Classes:Unpacking the Problem and
Responding Creatively.”In M. Kaplan,
To
Improve the Academy,
Vol. 17.Stillwater, Okla:New
Forums Press.
Carbone,
E.Teaching Large Classes:Tools
and Strategies.1998.Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Press.
MacGregor,
Jean, Cooper, James L., Smith, Karl A. & Robinson, Pamela (eds).2000.Strategies
for Energizing Large Classes:From
Small Groups to Learning Communities.San
Francisco:Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Stanley,
Christine & Porter, M. Erin (eds.)2002.Engaging
Large Classes:Strategies and Techniques
for College Faculty.Bolton,
Massachusetts:Anker Publishing
Company, Inc.
Weimer,
M.G. (ed).1987.Teaching
Large Classes Well.New Directions
for Teaching and Learning, no. 32.San
Francisco:Jossey-Bass Publishers.
5.
Guidelines for Assessment
5.1
It is recommended that two types of assessment be conducted:
measurement
of student learning, and evaluation of course delivery and content.
Measurement
of student learning would be through the use of instruments deemed most
appropriate for the material: student portfolios, small group projects,
online participation, student self-assessment, individual assignments,
and/or exams (multiple choice or short answer).(For
example, a portfolio could include course notes, short written responses,
a journal, research papers, and projects.)
Evaluation
of course delivery and content could be conducted through feedback by both
students and faculty peers.(An example
would be small group feedback or a questionnaire after the first exam.)
5.2The
Task Force recommends that course delivery objectives and student learning
objectives and how these objectives will be evaluated be specifically described
and then pre-approved by the appropriate departmental curriculum committee.
5.2.1The
Task Force recommends that scoring rubrics for each type of assessment
be included in the course syllabus.
5.2.2.WebCT
or some other online system to record grades would allow students to have
easy access in order to monitor their progress in the course.
5.2.3.Whatever
the outcomes assessments to be used, it is critical that the faculty member
be very specific about what is required and how each assignment will be
graded.This is for the benefit of
the students and the TAs who will be trying to help the students with their
assignments.Actual examples of
excellent student assignments that were completed in the past are very
helpful as guidelines and could be posted on the web.
5.3.The
G.E. Subcommittee should establish procedures to assure that the menu of
very large classes offered in the general education curriculum comply with
the STATEMENT OFTHE
MISSION, GOALS & 0BJECTIVES OF GENERAL EDUCATIONAT SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
and the policies adopted on the basis of the recommendations in this report.
6.Guidelines
for Compensation
6.1The
Task Force believes that one course release would be adequate compensation
for the development of such a course, to be offered in the next semester
after the course is prepared.
6.2The
Task Force recommends the following compensation for very large enrollment
classes of 200 or greater:
6
WTU for a 3 unit class
8
WTU for a 4 unitclass
6.3TAs
and technical support:
6.3.1.Teaching
Assistants.Should the professor
who is teaching such a very large class so desire TAs will assist the professor
in the examination, scoring and grading procedure. Such students will be
compensated with units toward graduation, with 4 units offered for a 3-unit
course in which the TA meets with the class, and meets alone with a lab
or discussion section. If reader monies are available in each of the schools,
the professor and dean shall determine how such funds will be distributed.
The
selection of teaching assistants should be determined by the professor
who is proposing the class, and the process of such selection should be
left to that person. The criterion should also be defined by the professor
and there should be an assessment component, to determine the effectiveness
of using TA’s.
6.3.2.
Technical Support .Appropriate technology
and other forms of technical assistance should be made available to support
the development and delivery of highly effective very large classes.
Respectfully
submitted by the Task Force on Large Enrollment Classes:
Nicholas
Geist, Assistant Professor of Biology
Elaine
Leeder, Dean Of Social Sciences
Linda
Nowak, Acting Chair, Business Administration
Greta
Vollmer, Assistant Professor of English
Art
Warmoth, Chair, Psychology
September
18, 2003
Appendix
A. Resolution on Large Enrollment Classes
Appendix
B.Megaclass
Allocation Model