Small Strategies, Large Classes
Large enrollment classes offer us an opportunity to welcome many students into our disciplines. We know that calibrating teaching strategies for these courses can be challenging, and that making changes can feel like a big risk. To help, the CTL is hosting a half-day of microsessions on small steps with a big impact on student success in large enrollment classes.
The morning features 30-minute sessions with reflective activities to support student motivation and mindset and actionable strategies to build classroom community. Over lunch, we will discuss the pedagogical and practical aspects of supporting attendance and engagement in large classes. We will close the half-day with a session facilitated by the Instructional Media Lab to explore different technology tools that can be used to implement these strategies.
Join for any and all sessions!
| 11:20 |
Reframing the Struggle: Growth Mindset Language for Learning Facilitator: Kirsten Helmer (CTL) Cultivating a growth mindset matters for student motivation, persistence and success. In this session, we will use quick reflective exercises to help you develop authentic growth mindset language you can use immediately. 30 minutes | ||
| 11:55 |
Deal Yourself Some Community Interaction Facilitator: Brian Baldi (CTL) In this session, we’ll discuss the three types of classroom interactions, shuffle a deck of cards full of strategies to build community, and share our own teaching tricks. Everyone leaves a winner! 30 minutes | ||
| 12:30 |
Practical Strategies for Attendance and Engagement Facilitators: Katie Ingraham Dixie and Colleen Kuusinen (CTL) Wondering how you can better engage students and encourage attendance in your large-enrollment courses? Join us for lunch to share useful strategies with your colleagues and “steal” some to use in your own course. 1 hour (includes lunch) | ||
| 1:40 |
Maximizing Canvas & Tech Tools for Large Classes Facilitators: Jia Zhuang (IML) and Tim Sheaffer (IML) Discover practical tips and best practices to efficiently manage large enrollment courses using Canvas and supported learning technologies at UMass. Learn how to streamline grading, communicate effectively, customize assignments by section, and incorporate pre-recorded lectures for enhanced teaching. 30 minutes |