Large Courses: List of Best Practices
Teaching large courses can come with some challenges, but it also offers many chances to help students connect with the material and with each other. This page shares simple and effective ideas to support learning in courses with 100 or more students. Whether you want to improve how students study, use technology in a helpful way, or try new grading strategies, these tips are here to help you and your students have a successful semester.
Encourage students to find personal meaning in your course by incorporating group work, clear guidelines, and inclusive discussion strategies. Tools like the Inclusive Online Teaching Toolkit can support this process. Consider integrating pop culture, real-life applications, or opportunities for students to share their own interests to help increase motivation and engagement.
Boost student interest and connection to the course by designing activities that go beyond traditional homework. In-class opportunities like extra credit, peer collaboration, and TA-led discussions can help students better understand and apply course material while also building relationships with peers and instructors. Visit our Enhancing the Learning Environment page for ideas.
Help students develop stronger study habits and learning strategies by encouraging metacognition. Incorporating short, reflective activities can increase students’ self-awareness and help them make meaningful adjustments throughout the semester. Feel free to share this Student Support Resource with your learners.
Students bring a wide range of experiences and commitments to the classroom. Providing flexible pathways such as self-paced or optional assignments and adaptive homework tools (e.g., Codon Learning) can support student autonomy and learning. Explore more ideas through the Large Course Community of Practice (LCCOP) or book a consultation with the CTL.
Alternative grading methods can promote more meaningful learning and increase equity in your course. Check out CTL’s assessment resources and events to explore strategies that work for large courses.
Rather than limiting reflection to midterms or finals, consider embedding short metacognitive check-ins throughout the term. These low-stakes activities can be simple, effective ways to help students assess their own learning. Visit the Learner Engagement section of our toolkit to explore more.
Offer flexible office hour times and formats to reach more students. You might experiment with virtual drop-ins, appointment-based options, or small incentives for attendance to create more approachable and helpful experiences.
Provide flexibility in attendance and submitting late assignments. For attendance that is being graded, use an exit question at the end of class that (1) engages learners to think about what they learned during that session, and (2) will automatically be entered into the gradebook for attendance. This question can be presented through Kahoot or Poll Everywhere or other platforms that work with Canvas LMS. Quickly scanning responses from learners can also help you understand what concepts learners may be struggling with and allow you to adjust your pacing of the material.
Keep up with the latest trends in educational technology and AI by visiting CTL’s Teaching with AI page or checking our events calendar for upcoming workshops and discussions.