Assessment in Large Enrollment Classes

Assessment Strategies for Large Classes

Teaching large classes comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to effective learning assessments. The best learner-centered approaches can feel daunting in a 200-person class—can you imagine grading 200 five-page essays? That’s 1,000 pages for just one assignment! Yet, there are creative ways to make assessments manageable, engaging, and meaningful for both instructors and students.

In-Class Formative Assessments

Students benefit from frequent, low-stakes opportunities to practice what they’re learning and get immediate feedback. Here are some ideas:

• Classroom Assessment Techniques: Quick checks like one-minute papers or concept mapping give you a snapshot of student understanding without requiring heavy grading.
• Think-Pair-Share: A tried-and-true technique to get students talking and generate questions. It’s a great way to identify areas for clarification or dive deeper into key topics.

Multiple-Choice Exams Done Right

We admit, multiple-choice exams aren’t our favorite assessment strategy. They take effort to design, and they can be intimidating for students. But if this is your primary tool, don’t despair—multiple-choice exams can do more than assess recall.

• Write questions that engage students in higher-order thinking, like analysis, application, or evaluation skills.
• Try open-book exams to encourage critical thinking through applied problems or case studies.
• Tired of hearing, “Will this be on the exam?” Why not get students to write some of the exam questions! This strategy helps them focus on key concepts and makes them active participants in their learning.

Short Writing Assignments

Long essays might not be feasible in large classes, but short writing assignments can still be impactful:

• Assign 200–300 word responses to prompts, or include a few open-ended questions on exams. These assignments ask students to apply concepts, solve problems, or explain their reasoning.
• Use rubrics to clearly communicate expectations and streamline grading. Graders or teaching assistants can be trained to use your rubrics to provide consistent feedback.
• Train graders or teaching assistants to provide focused feedback using your rubrics.

Leverage Technology

Even if you’re a tech minimalist, simple tools can save time and enhance assessments:

• Clickers (also see these CU Clicker FCQs): Use for quick quizzes or in-class problem-solving, with results synced to Canvas Gradebook.
• Canvas Quizzes: Automate grading for quick feedback.
• SpeedGrader: A helpful tool to speed up the grading of text-based assignments.

Student Self-Assessment

When students assess their own learning, they engage in metacognition, a higher-order thinking activity that helps them identify their strengths and areas for growth.

• Add reflective questions to assignments to encourage students to think about their learning process. For example, ask them how they arrived at an answer or where they feel they need improvement. Metacognitive activities help students identify their own strengths and where they need to improve.
• Facilitate peer and self-assessment for projects to complement your own grading.
• Consider incorporating activities like exam preparation exercises or reflective writing to promote self-awareness and deeper understanding.

If you’re feeling ambitious or have support from graders, you could even try collaborative grading, combining student self-assessments with peer or instructor evaluations.

Pro Tip: Not Everything Needs a Grade

Here’s a reminder: you don’t need to grade everything! Assessment activities can provide valuable feedback and promote learning even when they’re not graded. Focus on activities that engage students in practice, reflection, and improvement—they’re still learning, even without a score attached.

By blending these strategies, large-class assessments can be both efficient and impactful, creating meaningful learning opportunities without overwhelming you as the instructor.