CFE 100+ Initiative: Engaging Students in Large Classes

Because the number of large lecture classes that students are obliged to take appears likely to grow, this Academic Plan seeks to convert this challenge into an opportunity to re-engineer large classes, including advances in technology, to create increasingly student-centered and more intellectually stimulating learning.

Reach Carolina (p. 7)

 

The CFE 100+ initiative features a variety of services designed to support faculty members teaching large course sections. 100+ refers to sections with enrollments of one hundred or more students.

The Center for Faculty Excellence recognizes that instructors interested in improving their large class experiences will approach the challenge from different perspectives. For example, some may be teaching a large class for the first time, while others may be ready to undertake a complete redesign of a course they have been teaching for some time.

Descriptions and contact information for each of the services associated with the CFE 100+ initiative can be found below. We look forward to hearing from you!

Learning Community on Teaching Large Classes
The CFE is launching a formal learning community for instructors who are interested in meeting monthly with other Carolina faculty members to discuss their large course improvement efforts. Space is limited and applications must be submitted by January 3, 2012.
LEARN MORE (PDF)

Large Course Redesign Grants
This program is for faculty members/academic units who want to make significant changes to one or more large course sections. Grants will be awarded competitively; applications are due February 15, 2012.
LEARN MORE

Teaching Tips Exchange
Instructors can sign up to receive a weekly email tip on teaching large classes and then share their own experiences on the CFE 100+ blog, where the tips will be posted. The series begins in November 2011 and will run through the Spring 2012 semester. Sign up today!
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE TEACHING TIPS
VISIT CFE 100+ TEACHING TIPS BLOG

CFE Workshop Series on Large Classes
Beginning December 2011, the CFE will offer a special series of workshops devoted to different aspects of teaching large classes.
LEARN MORE

Classroom Response Systems
Classroom response systems are being used effectively by many Carolina instructors to break up lectures and to solicit the active participation of students during class. Some systems use third-party devices known as "clickers", while others, such as Poll Everywhere, allow students to use their cell phones or laptops. The Center is offering consultations on best practices for using class response systems and a limited number of free licenses for the Poll Everywhere product for use during the Spring 2012 semester.
To LEARN MORE, contact Suzanne Cadwell (scadwell@email.unc.edu).

Presentation Capture/Mini-Lecture Recording
Some faculty members are recording presentations or mini-lectures and making them available to students for review outside of class, freeing up classroom time to engage students in higher-level learning activities. Several no- to low-cost solutions for creating web-based mini-lectures are available to UNC faculty members.
To LEARN MORE, contact Suzanne Cadwell (scadwell@email.unc.edu).

Large Classes Resources Collection
The Center has put together an annotated list of resources related to teaching large classes.
LEARN MORE

Personal Consultations
CFE staff are available to meet individually with faculty members to help them determine what resources are most appropriate for their instructional goals.
LEARN MORE

‘Catch a Class’ Program
Several Carolina faculty members recognized for their skill at teaching large classes have volunteered to share their expertise by welcoming colleagues into their classroom as peer observers. Interested faculty will be able to sign up to observe a class session and will have access to a library of video clips featuring Carolina faculty discussing the various techniques they use in teaching large classes at UNC.
PROGRAM DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED EARLY 2012