Assessing large classes

If you are teaching large classes, it is quite likely that you have experienced a number of issues associated with assessment in that context. For example, you may find that the diversity of the student cohort requires more complex assessment design. You may have high marking loads which make it difficult to return work promptly to ensure the feedback is optimised. Moreover, the quality of student work may be compromised in ways that reflect lower rather than higher order thinking. There may also be issues to do with assessment across discussion and tutorial groups, and ensuring moderation and comparability of results. The need to manage large numbers of assessment pieces, and deal with occurrences of plagiarism and cheating, can also create particular problems. Although all of these issues can occur in any teaching and learning situation, they are generally magnified when dealing with large classes.

The following activities are designed to help you:

• clarify and think about the issues associated with assessing large classes
• reflect on what research tells us about the subject
• consider some practical techniques for in-class assessment

1. For a more detailed discussion of the 5 main assessment challenges created by large classes, go to the CSHE website on Assessing large classes. This was one of the 5 practical guides developed by James, McKinnis and Devlin (2002) as part of the AUTC project on assessment. To what extent do the challenges discussed resonate with your experience? What other issues, if any, have arisen in your teaching context? Choose one or two of the challenges that are most pertinent to you, and develop a plan to implement some of the suggestions in your classes.
2. Another AUTC funded project, Teaching Large Classes, was conducted by the Teaching and Education Development Institute (TEDI) at the University of Queensland. It commenced in 2001 and produced a final report in 2003. As part of the project, insights were provided into What research tells us about teaching and assessing large classes (104 KB) and also made available links to other assessment resources relating to large class teaching. Take particular note of research findings on this subject, and compare them with your existing practices. Reflect on the alignments and non-alignments between research and your practice. What insights emerge from your reflections?
3. One approach to assessing large classes is to implement more in-class assessment techniques, and less individual assignment work. This notion has been explored by Margaret Buckeridge from Griffith University. Go to Assessing Large Classes and read her presentation. As you do so, consider the advantages and practicalities of implementing the approach she suggests. How might this approach be used in an online classroom?

If you would like to pursue the idea of implementing classroom techniques in more depth, go to the website Using classroom assessment techniques to measure learning in the large class. Alternatively, see the very useful book published by Angelo and Cross (1993) entitled Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. There are several copies of this book available in the Deakin library, call number: 378.125 Ang/Cat 1993.

References

Angelo, T.A and Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers, Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Buckeridge, M. (2004). Assessing large classes. Presentation to the Celebrating Teaching Seminar. Griffith University. http://www.gu.edu.au/landt/pdf/celebratingteaching2004b.pdf (accessed 22nd May 2006)

James, R., McInnis, C., and Devlin, M. (2002). Assessing Learning in Australian Universities' CSHE, University of Melbourne.

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