Authors Kevin McCaughey and Rick Rosenberg demonstrate techniques for using board games to stimulate student-centered language practice that is flexible, productive, engaging, and fun. The article includes tips for efficient game play and for using games with a variety of levels and class sizes. The authors show that playing board games for…

Today's teachers face more challenges than ever before in managing student behavior in the classroom. New teachers often find themselves underprepared for the realities of hard-to-engage students and increased class size. Rich Korb brings extensive teaching and administrative experience to his collection of strategies designed to keep you and your…

Though this exercise was originally designed for a first year course in women's studies that emphasizes representations of girls and women, it is also entirely appropriate to students considering matters of gender and sexuality in the fields of media studies, communications, sociology, political science, and cultural studies. This teaching…

This report describes a molecular biotechnology-based laboratory curriculum developed to accompany an undergraduate genetics course. During the course of a semester, students researched the pathogen, developed a research question, designed experiments, and performed transcriptional analysis of a set of genes that confer virulence to the food-borne…

Discusses increasing class size due to increased pressure on school budgets. Reviews class size in other countries. Presents the disadvantages of crowded and small classes and the difficulties of supervision in large science classes. (ASK)

Offers tips on how to improve instructional techniques for classes with greater than 200 students. (ZWH)

Shares some surprising results from a business communication program's recent experiment in using a large lecture format to teach an upper-division business communication course: approximately 90-95% of the students liked the large lecture format, and the quality of their communication deliverables was as good as that produced by students who took…

Cites the literature comparing the effectiveness of large-class vs. small-class instruction and offers suggestions for handling large enrollment classes. (AEA)

Based on the importance of "tasks" in teaching/learning, this article focuses on problem-solving tasks in a language classroom. Steps include focusing on a learning goal and topic; deciding on the problem and outcome; specifying the context of the problem; and splitting the information and assigning roles. (Contains eight references.) (LB)

Describes a process for circumventing concerns that a large college lecture class would be impersonal, intimidating, and counterproductive by linking together two related courses on human relationships and sexuality and designing assignments that stimulate a high level of student achievement. Course has been evaluated positively by students.…

Some of the special challenges associated with evaluation and grading in the large class are discussed. Suggestions for evaluation methods include seeking clarity, reducing the stress of test administration, giving feedback, guarding against errors in record keeping, and returning exams efficiently and with respect. (MLW)

Discusses the passive role that students often take in large classes and argues for teaching methods such as cooperative learning that place students in a more active learning environment. Examines the advantages and potential drawbacks of cooperative learning for large classes and provides suggestions on preparing for group work. (DDR)

Four newsletter issues on college instruction cover large class instruction, working with teaching assistants (TAs), preparing a course syllabus, and practical approaches to dealing with cheating on exams. Specific topics include: deciding on content for large class lectures, selecting texts and readings, physical characteristics of the lecture…

Six keys to successful instruction in large classes are identified: don't be intimidated, prepare carefully, be natural, be personal, prevent students from feeling insignificant and anonymous, and stay in touch with teaching assistants. (MLW)

Surveys 218 education majors concerning their preferences for specific classroom grouping configurations. Finds that students (1) prefer small classes and homogeneous grouping arrangements; (2) are most concerned about class size; and (3) express limited confidence in the areas of computer use and school policy formation, and in their ability to…