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Resources for Teaching Large Classes

Jump down to: Effective Teaching Methods | Browse Large Class Activities and Course Descriptions

General Information About Teaching Large Classes

Go to /NAGTWorkshops/intro/large_classes.html

Teaching Introductory Geoscience: Teaching Large Classes - This collection of pages contains a variety of information on teaching large classes, including active learning pedagogies for large classrooms and a browse of examples of introductory courses with 150 students or more.

Go to /NAGTWorkshops/earlycareer/teaching/LargeClasses.html

Early Career - Teaching Large Classes - This page contains useful strategies and references about keeping students engaged, using technology and making it work for you, and getting groups to work well.

Teaching Urban Students - This collection of pages is part of the Cutting Edge and Pedagogy in Action projects and focuses on how to teach in urban environments, including how to handle large class sizes. The pages present information about how to effectively teach and engage students and example activities.

Go to /NAGTWorkshops/assess/lgclass.html

Assessment in Large Classes - Large classes pose a challenge for instructors who need to assess a large number of students in an efficient way. This page hosts a collection of SERC pages devoted to assessment strategies andexamples of how assessment is performed in the geosciences.

Effective Teaching Methods for Large Classes

Pedagogy in Action - Interactive Lectures - It can be difficult to engage students with the material in a large lecture class. This collection of pages on Interactive Lectures has strategies and specific examples of activitiesto involve students in large and small lecture-based classes.

Go to /introgeo/demonstrations/index.html

Teaching with Interactive Demonstrations - Interactive demonstrations can also be used in classes of all sizes, as projection systems can make demonstrations visible to students in the backs of large classrooms. In this module you can learn about how to illustrate conceptsand perhaps even entertain your class with simple demonstrations. There are several example demonstrations included.

Go to /NAGTWorkshops/teaching_methods/lecture_tutorials/index.html

Lecture Tutorials - Lecture Tutorials are short worksheets that students complete in class to make lecture more interactive and thus, they can be effective in teaching large classes. They are designed specifically to address misconceptions and other topics with which students have difficulties. This module provides basic information for what lecture tutorials are and hot they can be used in the classroom. References and examples are also provided.

Go to /sp/library/conceptests/index.html

ConcepTests - ConcepTests are conceptual multiple-choice questionsthat focus onone key concept of an instructor's learning goalsfor a lesson. When coupled with student interaction through clickers and peer instruction, ConcepTests represent a rapid method of formative assessment of student understanding and may be useful in assessing learning in large classrooms (especially when used with clickers). This module explains what ConcepTests are, how they are used, and provides references and examples of ConcepTests.

Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning - This page, part of Project Kaleidoscope, explains how and why process-oriented guided inquiry learning can be effective in large classrooms. Links to resources with more information are also provided.

Go to /NAGTWorkshops/metacognition/largeclasses.html

Teaching Metacognition in Large Classes - These pages, by Perry Samson, explain why and how he teaches metacognitive skills in his large introductory classes.

Browse Large Class Activities and Courses

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Learning About Marine Sediments Using Real Data part of Introductory Courses:Activities
This exercise set explores marine sediments using real core photos and composition data from the scientific ocean drilling programs DSDP, ODP, and IODP in an inquiry-based approach.

Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Sedimentary Geology:Techniques of Sedimentary Geology, Depositional environments:Deep Marine Environment, Geoscience:Geology:Sedimentary Geology:Sediment Transport and Deposition, Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks, Geoscience:Oceanography:Physical , Geoscience:Geology:Geophysics, Geoscience:Oceanography:Marine Geology and Geophysics
Resource Type: Activities, Lab Activity, Classroom Activity

Modeling Sea Level: Lateral and Vertical Facies Changes part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Participants will use a tube and bead (or ball) model to visualize and predict how changes in sea level can control the lateral and vertical facies distribution within and adjacent to a marine sedimentary basin. ...

Subject: Geoscience
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Lab Activity

Investigating slope failure and landscape evolution with red beans and rice! part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Students investigate the behavior of a slope profile over geological timescales using a very simple experimental apparatus. The lab allows students to understand concepts of equilibrium, controls on slope profile, ...

Subject: Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology
Resource Type: Activities:Lab Activity, Classroom Activity

Testing the Fixed-hotspot-moving-plate model part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Students examine hot spot tracks, magnetic inclination data, and coral data from the Hawaii-Emperor Seamount Chain to test the hypothesis that hotspots are fixed. Most students have learned somewhere that hotspots ...

Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Tectonics, Geophysics:Magnetism/Paleomag
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Activities

Rock and mineral laboratory exercises in large auditorium classes part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
These exercises provide an opportunity for students in large auditorium classes with "hands on" examination of typical rocks and minerals and their properties.

Subject: Education, Geoscience:Geology:Mineralogy, Geoscience:Geology
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Problem Set, Lab Activity

Geologic Puzzles: Morrison Formation part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Interactive Lectures:Examples
Images of faulted strata, tilted turbidites, and beach rocks bring the field into the classroom, giving students practice in doing what geoscientists do. These images are examples of geologic puzzles. -

Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Structural Geology:Folds/Faults/Ductile Shear Zones
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity:Short Activity:Think-Pair-Share

Being P-Waves and S-Waves part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Role Playing:Examples
Teach students about P-waves and S-waves by having them model them with their own bodies. -

Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Geophysics, Physics
Resource Type: Activities:Lab Activity, Activities, Classroom Activity, Project

Whose Fault Is It Anyway? part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Games:Examples
This game has students simulate the propagation of P and S waves after an earthquake and to use the lag between these to determine where in the simulation the earthquake occurred. -

Subject: Geoscience:Geology, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Earthquakes
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity:Short Activity, Short Activity:Demonstration

Earth Science part of Introductory Courses:Courses
This course uses an assessment-based approach for teaching earth science to non-majors in 160-student sections. Concepts are covered using short lectures (5-10 minutes) punctuated by formative group work throughout ...

Subject: Geoscience
Resource Type: Course Information:Goals/Syllabi

Subduction Zone Earthquakes part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Interactive Lecture Demonstrations:Examples
While working in groups to facilitate peer tutoring, students manipulate a hands-on, physical model to better comprehend several characteristics of subduction zone earthquakes. -

Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Geophysics:Seismology, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Earthquakes, Geoscience:Geology:Tectonics
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity:Short Activity:Demonstration