Large Courses – Teaching Hub

Using Gradescope to Give Detailed Feedback on Assignments

December 2, 2020

by Nathan Loewen, Department of Religious Studies/eTech Did you notice the “Gradescope” option under the “Build Content” option in your Blackboard courses in Fall 2020? Perhaps you also noticed the Gradescope resources posted by the Center for Instructional Technology? Thanks to the support of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the Office of Information Technology, UA provided Gradescope for everyone using Blackboard on campus. And, thanks to the positive feedback of instructors, it is renewed […]

Transition Multiple-Choice Exams Online: A Large-Enrollment Solution

October 8, 2020

empty notebook with pencil and pencil sharpener

by Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry In 2020 the changes brought about by COVID-19 forced me to transition my normally face-to-face classes to an online format. This fall semester I teach two sections of a freshman Introductory Chemistry class (CH 104), each with about ~200 students, and an Organic Chemistry II (CH 232) sophomore class with ~130 students. One of the worries I had when transitioning online was how to give exams to this large student population. Ultimately, […]

Electronic Whiteboard Options for Online Lectures: iPad & Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

September 23, 2020

by Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Alabama. After the need for social distancing due to COVID-19, I had to transition my face to face classes to an online format. My teaching style relies crucially on the use of a whiteboard to provide handwritten notes. I believe the use of handwritten notes allows students time to process the information as the instructor is […]

Electronic Whiteboard Alternatives in Large Lecture Halls

March 18, 2019

by Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The Large Classroom Challenge Since chemistry is a visual subject, where structures must be drawn out, problems worked through, and equations presented, the use of handwritten notes is critical. During my time in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Alabama, I have taught in a range of classrooms: from a small, 80-seat room to a larger, 400-seat lecture hall. My teaching style relies on the use of a […]

Speed ∝ Quality ∝ Cost – Can Any Ed-Tech Idea Avoid the Iron Triangle?

June 11, 2018

by Nathan Loewen, Department of Religious Studies Learning might be the wicked problem in higher education. It’s inescapable. So when a headline like “Can Artificial Intelligence Make Grading Fairer and Faster?” is published in a leading ed-tech publication, people notice. The article was about a platform called Gradescope, whose tagline is “Grade Faster. Teach better.” Anyone teaching large-enrollment courses would want to know about this! The headline on page B8 from the April 13, 2018 issue of The Digital Campus […]

Scan and Deliver! Personalized Feedback in Large Classes

April 26, 2017

barcodes used to scan and return graded exams

by Marco Bonizzoni and Diana Leung, Department of Chemistry Organic chemistry is a surprisingly visual discipline. Molecules, the fundamental entities of chemistry, exist as 3D objects whose shapes often profoundly influence their properties, so students must learn the visual language of the discipline, which attempts to convey the nature of these three-dimensional objects through two-dimensional drawings. When it comes to testing, students answer open-ended questions in handwritten free form. We both encourage our students to learn from their mistakes, from the […]

This Professor Likes CATs (classroom assessment techniques)

January 25, 2016

by Nathan Loewen, Department of Religious Studies I am going to write about measuring teaching effectiveness. There is a lot of buzz about metrics in higher education media, but not until the mind-meld app is released for iOS will teachers know what their students are thinking. One of the challenges of teaching a large-enrollment course is to regularly determine the level of students’ learning. In a recent article on crafting introductory courses, Russell McCutcheon names this “the double-edged sword of engagement and assessment.“ Teachers […]

Students’ Opinions Instruction are In! Now What?

January 12, 2016

Computer, headphones, and coffee mug on a desk

by Nathan Loewen, Department of Religious Studies Sometimes there is a considerable difference between a professor’s evaluation of a course and those of the students. The divergence can work in either direction. Perhaps a “terrible” experience for the professor was “absolutely brilliant” for the students. Let’s be honest, however: the opposite situation is difficult news. What are the next steps when a professor thinks a course went “just fine” and the students clearly did not? The situation is not rare, based on […]

Visual Thinking in Organic Chemistry

December 2, 2015

Instructor: Marco Bonizzoni Course: Organic Chemistry (CH 231 & 232) Audience: Undergraduates Organic chemistry is the study of the properties and behavior of chemicals containing carbon as the key element. These compounds are both the basis of all life on earth (we are all made of organic compounds) and a large focus of the chemical industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals, plastics, advanced materials, fuels). This course aims to show the relevance of scientific and chemical knowledge in everyday life and to advocate […]

Something’s in the Way: Struggling Students in Large Courses

November 16, 2015

by Nathan Loewen, Department of Religious Studies Since it is almost Thanksgiving, many students will be leaving UA for home, where they will inevitably be asked, “So, how are things going?” Here is a short story about a student who dropped by my office this term: Last week, a distraught student stopped by my office to ask about withdrawing from my class because their grade seemed irreparable. When asked who suggested withdrawal, the student answered, “I looked at how I was […]

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Category: Large Courses