It seems that the larger classes get, the more distant our students can seem. On today’s episode, Dr. Chrissy Spencer helps us discover how to make large classes interactive.

Even if you teach classes of 20, the resources she uses in her classes as large as 200+ will be of benefit.

Podcast notes

Guest: Dr. Chrissy Spencer, teaches at Georgia Tech

Ph.D., Genetics, University of Georgia

Active learning video: Turning students into chili peppers

The interactive classroom

Learning Catalytics
Prepared in advance a few slides that help clarify commonly misunderstood concepts
Allowing students to fail or struggle with an answer

Interrupted case studies

Traditionally a set of materials where there are specific stopping points built in
Powerful, because students need to have their progress monitored and milestones achieved
Bonni’s case studies rubric
Forming groups
Catme team maker

Team-based, low stakes assessments

Georgia Tech Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning workshop on team based learning
Don’t try team based learning half way
Start small

Switching from clickers to Learning Catalytics

Pearson’s Learning Catalytics
Strength in the types of questions that can be asked
Bonni uses PollEverywhere

Flipped classroom

Khan Academy
Reinforce that reading ahead and reading in a particular way is important to making the class time in interesting ways
Process called team based learning
Lesson learned/ ignored: “start small and do things in a small and measured way”
Evernote
TopHat audience response system

Service learning

The way that students could apply learning from a content area in the real world and also give back to the community in some way (Chrissy)

Recommendations

The Dip (Bonni)
Find something that you love and bring it in to the classroom (Chrissy)

Closing Credits

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Make large classes interactive

Teaching in Higher Ed