Teaching and Learning in Large Classes
Description
**NEW SERIES**
Teaching large classes presents unique challenges but also significant opportunities to create impactful learning experiences at scale. This series is designed for instructors who teach large-enrolment courses and are looking to enhance student engagement, streamline course design, and implement sustainable teaching practices.
Through a combination of evidence-informed approaches, practical strategies, and available tools, participants will explore how to design and facilitate effective learning experiences in large classes. The series will address key considerations for instruction, assessment, student engagement, and collaboration, while highlighting approaches that are scalable, meaningful, and responsive to diverse learner needs.
What to Expect
Workshops will typically be scheduled for 60 to 120 minutes, allowing time for presentation, reflection, discussion, and hands-on application of key concepts. Every workshop is designed to allow flexibility in participation.
Upcoming Workshops
This faculty panel discussion will bring together instructors of large classes from across disciplines at Western. Focused on areas including instruction, assessment and Generative Artificial Intelligence, panelists will talk about their own successes, strategies and challenges in teaching large courses. Whether you are currently teaching, or looking to teach a class of 50, 500 or more, this panel will offer practical insights for your classroom and practice
Session Outcomes:
-differentiate between the meaning of large classes in different contexts
-explore opportunities and challenges in various large class contexts
-explain colleagues strategies for navigating the complexities of large class teaching
-integrate strategies to support student teaching in large classes
This workshop explores how to engage students in large classes. Participants will be introduced to the rationale behind engaging students, as well as strategies for short, interactive activities which can supplement the traditional lectures which large classes often rely on.
Session Outcomes:
-identify the benefits to incorporating engagement into traditional lectures
-define and apply strategies and tools for effective learner engagement in large classes
-select and apply one strategy for engagement in their own instruction of large classes
This workshop explores how to overcome commone hurdles to assessment and feedback in large classes. Participants will walk through examples of various assessment types that function well in large classes, tools and strategies to support scaling assessments in their classes and will begin to develop their own assessment ecosystem to ensure students are given opportunities to practice and receive feedback while limiting marking burnout that can occur in large classes
Session Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop participants should be able should be able to:
-distinguish between types of assessments
-decide on assessment tradeoffs using a backwards design framework as relevant for large classes
-differentiate the applications of feedback and feedforward
-integrate technology to support feedback and assessment in large classes
-select and adapt assessment/feedback types which are applicable to their large classes
Series Information
Upcoming Sessions
Scaling Up Learning: Faculty Panel Insights on Teaching Large Courses: August 25, 2026, 1:00-2:30 p.m. (online) Register here
Student Engagement in Large Courses: October 6, 2026, 10:00-13:30 a.m. (in-person) Register here
Assessment and Feedback in Large Courses: October 26, 2026, 1:00-2:30 p.m. (online) Register here
Audience
Western instructors, librarians, archivists, post doctoral scholars, and staff involved in teaching activities, course design, or supporting learners at Western.
Registration
Registration Instructions
- Login to Western Connect using your Western username and password.
- Go to the Event Calendars section and select the Centre for Teaching and Learning calendar, then select the program you wish to register in. Details and a description of the program will appear.
- Select the Register for this Event button. If the event has reached capacity, you may have the option to register on the waitlist.
- You will receive an automated confirmation email to your Western email account.
