Small Classroom

Chris McNeill teaches an upper year health exercise science course in the Art 102 classroom. There are approximately 40 people in his class. Chris has been teaching at the university level since 2012.

Chris taught online through Covid and while he found it challenging, he saw great pedagogical value in breakout rooms. This activity created community and ensured interaction among students. When he returned to the classroom, he introduced breakout groups at the beginning of each class as a way of reviewing material from the previous class. Art 102 worked well for this – providing space for the groups to form and discuss the questions displayed on the screen.  

Chris likes to walk around and listen in on the group discussion, and the smaller space in Art 102 allows him to do this easily. Because his health exercise science lab is nearby, he often wheels in specialized equipment for students to see and interact with. 

Chris’s advice to other people that are teaching in a small classroom is to embrace the small size. Learner engagement is easier when the room is small, and teaching by walking around is possible. Both the teacher and the learner benefit.