eTLC: On-line Resources for Teaching Large Classes

TitleeTLC: On-line Resources for Teaching Large Classes
Faculty/College/UnitScience
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2005
Completion03/31/2006
Project Summary

In the first two years at UBC, large introductory science classes provide an important component of students' introduction to academic life. These experiences influence how students engage with science. Both faculty and students are often challenged by teaching and learning in these large classes due to a mismatch in expectations and skills. Faculty challenges range from being unaware of current science education research, the absence of a supportive teaching community, and a lack of resources to facilitate pedagogical change. Most students must develop new learning and academic skills to adjust to and excel in large class environments to avoid experiencing a loss of identity and subsequent social and intellectual withdrawal from their academic environment.

We propose to create an online resource called eTeaching Large Classes (eTLC) to facilitate the development of learning resources for large classes and create a community of practice focused on teaching large classes. eTLC will add value to the gathered information by providing specialized resources tailored to meet UBC's specific needs within the nine disciplines and various courses in Science. This resource will include six major components:

  1. A collection of discipline based conceptual questions for in-class and on-line student learning activities as well as a collection of teaching tips, digital video-tapes and oral recordings of best teaching practices using these questions in large classes.
  2. A collection of teaching strategies linked to their pedagogical bases on best practices in teaching large lectures.
  3. An annotated bibliography of educational technology tools and information on best practices for using the tools in teaching.
  4. An annotated collection of online instructional resources by discipline.
  5. An on-line forum for instructors teaching large classes.
  6. A student accessible section where conceptual questions and integrated conceptual explanations with the solutions will be available.
Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2005/2006
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorJoanne Nakonechny
Year 1: Funded Amount36,818
Year 1: Team Members

Joanne Nakonechny, Science Centre for Teaching and Learning (Skylight), Faculty of Science
Ian Cavers, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science
Paul Harrison, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science
Marina Milner-Bolotin, Lecturer, Physics, Faculty of Science / Skylight Associate
France Gagnon, Ph.D. Scholar, Faculty of Science / Skylight Associate
Gary Poole, Director, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth
Patricia Lau, President, Science Undergraduate Society