STUDENT AND TEACHER OPINIONS ON CLASS SIZES AND TYPES OF ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION LSP CLASSROOMS: A PILOT STUDY
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Abstract
Large classes are a reality and an ongoing issue in higher education in most countries. Theoretically, a large class is any class where teachers face challenges in teaching, assessing students’ performance and managing the class due to the number of students. The paper will focus on assessment in large classes, looking at some familiar methods, as well as researching the possibilities of innovative technologies as useful assessment tools, self-evaluation using new technologies, and collaborative learning. The selection of the right methods for assessment is essential for meeting students’ needs without compromising the very integrity of the entire process; hence, a questionnaire will be utilized to investigate the opinions of teachers and students on their assessment process. The results will offer some new assessment possibilities that may compensate for the lack of adequate student-teacher contact and interaction usually present in small classes, but not always in large classes.
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How to Cite
Bulatović, V. V., & Bogdanović, V. Ž. (2023). STUDENT AND TEACHER OPINIONS ON CLASS SIZES AND TYPES OF ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION LSP CLASSROOMS: A PILOT STUDY. Methodical Perspectives, 14(14-2), 161–181. https://doi.org/10.19090/mv.2023.14.161-181
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Section
НАСТАВА СТРАНИХ ЈЕЗИКА, КЊИЖЕВНОСТИ И КУЛТУРА
References
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Biggs, J., Tang, C. (20073). Teaching for quality learning at university: What the student does. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Blatchford, P. (2003). The Class Size Debate: Is Small Better?. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Bradley, V. M. (2021). Learning Management System (LMS) use with online instruction. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE) 4(1): 68–92.
Broadbent, J., Panadero, E., Boud, D. (2018). Implementing summative assessment with a formative flavour: A case study in a large class. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 43(2): 307–322.
Bulatović, V. (2022). Analiza žanra asinhronih diskusionih foruma u nastavi engleskog jezika struke (doktorska disertacija). Filozofski fakultet, Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Novi Sad.
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Cathcart, A., Neale, L. (2012). Using Technology to Facilitate Grading Consistency in Large Classes. Marketing Education Review 22(1): 11–14.
Cuseo, J. (2007). The empirical case against large class size: Adverse effects on the teaching, learning, and retention of first-year students. Journal of Faculty Development (21): 5–21.
Davies, W. M. (2009). Groupwork as a form of assessment: Common problems and recommended solutions. Higher education 58: 563–584.
Desta, M. A. (2019). An Investigation of Challenges Teachers Face in Teaching Speaking Skill in Large Classes Context: Secondary School EFL Teachers in Focus. International Journal of English Language Education 7: 66–81.
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Glass, G. V., Smith, M. L. (1979). Meta-analysis of research on the relationship of class-size and achievement. Evaluation and Policy Analysis 1: 2–16.
Harmer, J. (20013). The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Pearson Education Ltd.
Harfitt, G. J., Tsui, A. B. (2015). An examination of class size reduction on teaching and learning processes: A theoretical perspective. British Educational Research Journal 41(5): 845–865.
Hayes, D. (1997). Helping teachers to cope with large classes. ELT Journal 5: 106–116.
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Hornsby, D. J., Osman, R. (2014). Massification in higher education: Large classes and student learning. Higher education 67: 711–719.
Iipinge, S. M. (2018). Challenges of large class teaching at the university: implications for continuous staff development activities. The Namibia CPD Journal for Educators, 105–120.
Kennedy, C., Kennedy, J. (1996). Teacher Attitudes and Change Implementation. Elsevier Science Ltd 24: 351–360.
Kokkelenberg, E. C., Dillon, M., Christy, S. M. (2008). The effects of class size on student grades at a public university. Economics of Education Review 27: 221–233.
Laal, M., Ghodsi, S. M. (2012). Benefits of collaborative learning. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences 31: 486–490.
Lewis, G. L., Woodward, P., Bell, J. (1988). Teaching business communication skills in large classes. The Journal of Business Communication 25(1): 65–86.
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Locastro, V. (2001). Teaching English to large classes. TESOL Quarterly 35(3): 493–496.
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Mulryan-Kyne, C. (2010). Teaching large classes at college and university level: challenges and opportunities. Teaching in Higher Education 15(2): 175–185.
Prošić-Santovac, D. M., Bulatović, V. V., Kaurin, T. P. (2021). Istraživanje stavova studenata o primeni Microsoft Teams platforme u nastavi engleskog jezika. Inovacije u nastavi - časopis za savremenu nastavu 34(4): 81–93.
Rojabi, A. R. (2020). Exploring EFL Students’ Perception of Online Learning via Microsoft Teams: University Level in Indonesia. English Language Teaching Educational Journal 3(2): 163–173.
Rust, C. (2001). A briefing on assessment of large groups. York: LTSN.
Seifert, T., Feliks, O. (2019). Online self-assessment and peer-assessment as a tool to enhance student-teachers’ assessment skills. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 44(2): 169–185.
Shamim, F., Coleman, H. (2018). Large-Sized Classes, in Teaching English as an International Language; the TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, ed. J. I. Liontas (John Wiley & Sons): 1–15.
Taras, M. (2005). Assessment – summative and formative – some theoretical reflections. British Journal of Educational Studies 53(4): 466–478.
Todd, R. W. (2006). Why investigate large classes? KMUTT Journal of Language Education 9: 1–12. Retrieved August 1, 2019. URL:.
Toth, L. S., Montagna, L. G. (2002). Class size and achievement in higher education, a summary of current research. College Student Journal 36(2): 253–261.
Ur, P. (2000). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Urazova, M. R. (2020). Innovative technologies in teaching and studying English. Austrian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 5–6: 28–37.
Winestone, N., Millard, L. (2012). Reframing perceptions of the lecture from challenges to opportunities: Embedding active learning and formative assessment into the teaching of large classes. Psychology Teaching Review 18(2): 31–41.
Wright, M. C., Bergom, I., Bartholomew, T. (2019). Decreased class size, increased active learning? Intended and enacted teaching strategies in smaller classes. Active Learning in Higher Education 20(1): 51–62.
Yunus, M. M. (2018). Innovation in education and language learning in 21st century. Journal of Sustainable Development Education and Research 2(1): 33–34.
Ames, C. (1992). Classrooms: Goals, structures, and student motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology 84: 261–271.
Arico, F. R., Lancaster, S. J. (2018). Facilitating active learning and enhancing student self-assessment skills. International Review of Economics Education 29: 6–13.
Ballantyne, R., Hughes, K., Mylonas, A. (2002). Developing procedures for implementing peer assessment in large classes using an action research process. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 27(5): 427–441.
Bates, A. W. (20223). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. Tony Bates Associates Ltd. Retrieved August 20, 2019. URL:
Baker, J., Westrup, H. (2000). The English language teacher's handbook: How to teach large classes with few resources. London: Continuum.
Biggs, J., Tang, C. (20073). Teaching for quality learning at university: What the student does. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Blatchford, P. (2003). The Class Size Debate: Is Small Better?. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Bradley, V. M. (2021). Learning Management System (LMS) use with online instruction. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE) 4(1): 68–92.
Broadbent, J., Panadero, E., Boud, D. (2018). Implementing summative assessment with a formative flavour: A case study in a large class. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 43(2): 307–322.
Bulatović, V. (2022). Analiza žanra asinhronih diskusionih foruma u nastavi engleskog jezika struke (doktorska disertacija). Filozofski fakultet, Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Novi Sad.
Gibbs, G., Jenkins, A. (1992). Teaching Large Classes in Higher Education: How to Maintain quality with Reduced Resources. London: Kogan Page
Cathcart, A., Neale, L. (2012). Using Technology to Facilitate Grading Consistency in Large Classes. Marketing Education Review 22(1): 11–14.
Cuseo, J. (2007). The empirical case against large class size: Adverse effects on the teaching, learning, and retention of first-year students. Journal of Faculty Development (21): 5–21.
Davies, W. M. (2009). Groupwork as a form of assessment: Common problems and recommended solutions. Higher education 58: 563–584.
Desta, M. A. (2019). An Investigation of Challenges Teachers Face in Teaching Speaking Skill in Large Classes Context: Secondary School EFL Teachers in Focus. International Journal of English Language Education 7: 66–81.
Gibbs, G. (2006). Why assessment is changing, in Innovative assessment in higher education, ed. C. Bryan & K. Klegg (Abingdon: Routledge): 31–42.
Gibbs, G. (2009). The assessment of group work: lessons from the literature. Assessment Standards Knowledge Exchange 1–17. Retrieved October 2020. URL:
Glass, G. V., Smith, M. L. (1979). Meta-analysis of research on the relationship of class-size and achievement. Evaluation and Policy Analysis 1: 2–16.
Harmer, J. (20013). The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Pearson Education Ltd.
Harfitt, G. J., Tsui, A. B. (2015). An examination of class size reduction on teaching and learning processes: A theoretical perspective. British Educational Research Journal 41(5): 845–865.
Hayes, D. (1997). Helping teachers to cope with large classes. ELT Journal 5: 106–116.
Hess, N. (2001). Teaching Large Multilevel Classes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hornsby, D. J., Osman, R. (2014). Massification in higher education: Large classes and student learning. Higher education 67: 711–719.
Iipinge, S. M. (2018). Challenges of large class teaching at the university: implications for continuous staff development activities. The Namibia CPD Journal for Educators, 105–120.
Kennedy, C., Kennedy, J. (1996). Teacher Attitudes and Change Implementation. Elsevier Science Ltd 24: 351–360.
Kokkelenberg, E. C., Dillon, M., Christy, S. M. (2008). The effects of class size on student grades at a public university. Economics of Education Review 27: 221–233.
Laal, M., Ghodsi, S. M. (2012). Benefits of collaborative learning. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences 31: 486–490.
Lewis, G. L., Woodward, P., Bell, J. (1988). Teaching business communication skills in large classes. The Journal of Business Communication 25(1): 65–86.
Ličen, B., Bogdanović V. (2017). Teaching assessment to develop ESP students’ speaking skills. Facta Universitatis: Linguistics and Literature 15(2): 263–271.
Locastro, V. (2001). Teaching English to large classes. TESOL Quarterly 35(3): 493–496.
Mackenzie, W. (2002). Media Selection: Mapping Technologies to Intelligences. The VSTE Journal 17(1): 6–13. Retrieved August 4, 2019. URL:
McDonald, B., Boud, D. (2003). The impact on self-assessment on achievement: the effects of self-assessment training on performance in external examinations. Assessment in Education 10(2): 209–220.
Mulryan-Kyne, C. (2010). Teaching large classes at college and university level: challenges and opportunities. Teaching in Higher Education 15(2): 175–185.
Prošić-Santovac, D. M., Bulatović, V. V., Kaurin, T. P. (2021). Istraživanje stavova studenata o primeni Microsoft Teams platforme u nastavi engleskog jezika. Inovacije u nastavi - časopis za savremenu nastavu 34(4): 81–93.
Rojabi, A. R. (2020). Exploring EFL Students’ Perception of Online Learning via Microsoft Teams: University Level in Indonesia. English Language Teaching Educational Journal 3(2): 163–173.
Rust, C. (2001). A briefing on assessment of large groups. York: LTSN.
Seifert, T., Feliks, O. (2019). Online self-assessment and peer-assessment as a tool to enhance student-teachers’ assessment skills. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 44(2): 169–185.
Shamim, F., Coleman, H. (2018). Large-Sized Classes, in Teaching English as an International Language; the TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, ed. J. I. Liontas (John Wiley & Sons): 1–15.
Taras, M. (2005). Assessment – summative and formative – some theoretical reflections. British Journal of Educational Studies 53(4): 466–478.
Todd, R. W. (2006). Why investigate large classes? KMUTT Journal of Language Education 9: 1–12. Retrieved August 1, 2019. URL:
Toth, L. S., Montagna, L. G. (2002). Class size and achievement in higher education, a summary of current research. College Student Journal 36(2): 253–261.
Ur, P. (2000). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Urazova, M. R. (2020). Innovative technologies in teaching and studying English. Austrian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 5–6: 28–37.
Winestone, N., Millard, L. (2012). Reframing perceptions of the lecture from challenges to opportunities: Embedding active learning and formative assessment into the teaching of large classes. Psychology Teaching Review 18(2): 31–41.
Wright, M. C., Bergom, I., Bartholomew, T. (2019). Decreased class size, increased active learning? Intended and enacted teaching strategies in smaller classes. Active Learning in Higher Education 20(1): 51–62.
Yunus, M. M. (2018). Innovation in education and language learning in 21st century. Journal of Sustainable Development Education and Research 2(1): 33–34.