Abstract:

The study is set at a large research intensive university in South Africa. The particular student population is diverse in preparedness for tertiary mathematics and in culture, typical of the country. The teaching model in mathematics for entry level students is that of large group teaching, with up to five hundred students per group. Tutorial sessions are voluntary and also presented for large groups. The study focuses on both teacher and learner experiences of large group teaching and reports on the shortcomings and successes of the model. Major principles for the success of large group teaching in mathematics are identified by the teachers involved and by the students, respectively. The study shows, as expected, that organisational and administrative fluency are critical principles for both students and teachers. The importance of suitable and well–equipped venues as well as skilful use of technology is perceived as essential. What does emerge, and should be taken notice of, is the importance of “soft” skills stemming, noted by both lecturers and students. Such skills include knowledge of large group thinking, the ability to deploy strategies to build a group identity, also being able to devise activities to build coherence and for making the individual feel recognised. These skills stem from the fields of psychology and sociology. Teachers of mathematics are not normally equipped with such knowledge, yet the study shows the significance of these for large group teaching, more so than for smaller groups. The recommendation is for these skills to be developed for cultivating an environment within which large group learning is optimised. Examples of how these skills are deployed are presented as a case study.

Keywords:

Large groups, mathematics, teaching.