Teaching large classes at college and university level: challenges and opportunities

Academic engagement of hospitality students

“…Overall, student reported positive experiences with faculty members, 66.6% of students giving high ratings for these experiences. Though educator challenges were not measured in this study, research findings indicate many faculty are challenged by the new generation of students (Elam et al, 2007;McFarlane, 2010;Mulryan-Kyne, 2010). These favorable student responses illustrate that positive relationships between students and faculty members are being achieved despite educator challenges.…”

“…"Many students come to college not only poorly prepared by prior schooling for highly demanding academic tasks that ideally lie in front of them, but more troubling still they enter Running head: ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT 3 college with attitudes, norms, values, and behaviors that are often at odds with academic commitment" (Arum & Roska, 2011, p.3). The challenges facing academic institutions today cannot be blamed solely on student behaviors; the nature of the modern collegiate classroom may also be increasing these challenges; for example, the trend toward larger class sizes can create challenges in learning and communication between students and faculty (Mulryan-Kyne, 2010). Arum and Roksa (2011) examined undergraduate student academic engagement in a nationwide study focused on developing skills in critical thinking, complex reasoning, and writing.…”

A reflexive evaluation of technology-enhanced learning

“…When contemplating the potentially problematic nature of engaging large groups of students (see Mulryan-Kyne 2010), it is important to consider with more clarity the nature of student cohorts in relation to their identities as higher education students and their preferred ways of learning. There is a tendency at times to assume adult age automatically equates to 'adult' learning preferences.…”

From Inky Pinky Ponky to Improving Student Understanding in Assessment: Exploring the Value of Supplemental Instruction in a Large First-Year Class

“…This is often associated with lower student performance (Hornsby & Osman, 2014). However, student learning is not necessarily determined by the class size, but rather by the skills and expertise of the lecturer as well as by the use of the appropriate teaching approaches and active participation of students (Mulryan-Kyne, 2010). It is therefore important that large classes are not given to the most junior lecturer with the least experience, but rather that senior, experienced academics take this responsibility and mentor junior staff in the process (Jawitz, 2013).…”

“…One of the challenges is the assessment process, including the provision of meaningful feedback and implementing strategies to support struggling students (Mulryan-Kyne, 2010). Due to large student numbers, multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are often used in tests.…”