THE EVALUATION OF THREE TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR A LARGE UNDERGRADUATE COURSE IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES

ABSTRACT. Research suggests that effective teaching includes actively engaging students and connecting concepts and research to application. This is often difficult to do in large undergraduate courses of over 100 students. The present study evaluated three teaching strategies adapted for a large undergraduate course in a Human Development and Family Studies program. Using data collected over four years in an adolescence course, the study examined if popular film, live demonstration (e.g., “expert ” teens), and scenarios were significantly related to students ’ ratings of their interest and learning of the material. Descriptive statistics indicated that students rated popular film clips and “expert ” teen demonstrations most favorably, and correlations suggested that all three teaching strategies significantly predicted students ’ ratings of their interest and learning. Scenarios were most consistently and strongly related to interest, learning, and getting a good grade. Discussion focuses on the utility of using these teaching strategies in large undergraduate courses, and specific recommendations are made for successfully implementing these strategies. Current conceptualizations of teaching effectiveness often focus on actively engaging students in ways that are best suited for small classes. However, these strategies can b