At 01:51 PM 3/30/2006, Michael Sweet wrote:

Hey Everyone,

I am about to start co-piloting for an instructor who wants to implement TBL
in her class of 380.

The class is "Theater for Non-Majors" with no discussion sections, just
lecture.  So, you can imagine how seriously most students take the class.

I suggested TBL as a way to engage the students and decrease the anonymity
of their experience.

Beyond the wonderful info in the TBL book, has anyone implemented TBL
recently in a class that large?  If so, any suggestions or lessons-learned?

Michael,

I've taught a required undergrad research methods class with approximately 250 students a few times (not quite your size, but similar issues). It helped that I had been using TBL for 6 years when I took this on, because I made my early TBL mistakes in classes of 40 rather than 250.

My experience is (and I suspect Larry would agree) that the larger the class, the more difference TBL makes (relative to straight lecture in a class of the same size). By the standard of student learning, TBL is probably more scalable than the lecture format.

But here are some of the issues to consider in a very large TBL class:

Logistics.
You need a good web site, a good e-mail distribution list, clear instructions for all assignments, and most importantly, a clear chain of command for student questions/issues (I tell them: syllabus, website, teammates, and only then the TAs, followed by the professor).

Teaching Assistants.
How many TAs will you have? This is a crucial issue, because I rely on the TAs to get to know the teams and manage many issues. (A typical semester for my methods course would be 42 teams of 6 each. I started with 3 TAs and subsequently petitioned and got 4.)

Maintaining order in class.
TBL results in much higher attendance than with the lecture format in large lecture classes. And since teammates get to know each other, during non-team instructional segments students who feel bored or disengaged are tempted to talk rather than sleep or skip. My TAs roam the section of the room where their teams are located not only during team exercises, but when student attention is required as well.

Setting Grade Weights.
Surprisingly, I was able to make this work with 40-42 teams! It helped that I had experience managing the "setting grade weights" exercise in smaller classes first. (In large classes, I explicitly introduce the concept of "creating alignment" - deliberate compromise for the sake of the class).

Getting Started Early.
It's hard to get started early (week 2) with teams in non-required classes - lots of churn. Non-required classes tend to have more adds and especially drops right up until the last possible day. I usually form teams in week 2 but then have to deal with drop/adds for a while. Drops are worse than adds, but it pays to know the deadlines and plan for them.

"Getting to Know You."
I have added an early team assignment to all my TBL courses - one of the few done outside of class. Teams begin the semester with a social event (dinner, bowling, coffee). I believe that getting related early in the semester greatly accelerates the transition from group to team. They can select a team name, the team stance on grade weights, and discuss the peer eval procs and crits. (The written team deliverable for this exercise is simply a one page paper listing 3 things the team learned about each teammate.) An additional advantage - students love this assignment.

Other issues I have some thoughts about include logistics for:
 - forming teams
 - administering RATs
 - in-class team assignments
 - etc.

Hope this helps. I'd be happy to talk in more detail if you or the other prof would like.

Andy Finn

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.

- F. Scott Fitzgerald

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
T. Andrew Finn
Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Communication
2130 Skinner Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742

UMD (COMM 470) Web Site:  http://wam.umd.edu/~afinn
GMU Web Site:  http://mason.gmu.edu/~afinn
Radio Show Web Site:  http://andyfinn.us
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>