Collaboration, not oration: Tips for engaging students and promoting active learning in large classrooms

Abstract

Students state that traditional lectures are boring, and studies show that traditional lectures are ineffective and result in higher student failure rates than in active classroom settings. Unfortunately, large class sizes at many institutions prohibit some of the active learning strategies that are feasible in small classrooms. Moreover, increased time constraints of faculty members further limit one’s ability to assess individual learning in the classroom. Here, I demonstrate multiple techniques to incorporate into traditional lecture formats that increase student engagement, provide immediate assessment of lecture material, deepen critical thinking, and motivate student learning—all without increasing the time demands of the instructor.