


































Global Research in Higher Education 
ISSN 2576-196X (Print) ISSN 2576-1951 (Online) 

Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe 

25 
 

Original Paper 

Developing a Shared Understanding of a Sense of Community 

in Large Classes 

Tryon Francis
1*

, Shannon Kennedy-Clark
1
, Katrina Eddles-Hirsch

1
 & Cynthia a’Beckett

1
 

1
 School of Education, University of Notre Dame, Sydney, Australia 

*
 Tryon Francis, School of Education, University of Notre Dame, Sydney, Australia  

 

Received: January 7, 2020     Accepted: January 16, 2020    Online Published: February 17, 2020 

doi:10.22158/grhe.v3n1p25             URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/grhe.v3n1p25 

 

Abstract 

Over the past ten years, universities and other tertiary level institutions have seen a considerable 

increase in student enrolment. This has led to larger class sizes both in the lecture hall and tutorial 

classroom. Research has indicated that larger classes at the tertiary level have not only burdened 

teaching staff, but have also led to student disengagement in the lecture hall. Students, new to 

university life, have been found to be particularly unprepared for this type of learning environment. 

This project explores the shared understanding of how to create a sense of community in large class 

sizes within a School of Education. Three academics formed a partnership in an effort to share 

techniques that actively created a sense of community in lecture halls of over 200 students. This 

research is relevant not only in highlighting this problem, but in the sharing of recommendations and 

suggestions for large group teaching.  

Keywords 

community, large class sizes, tertiary level institutions 

 

1. Introduction 

This paper responds to key research in the Australian higher education context in arguing that in spite 

of the challenges of large classes, it was possible to create a sense of community in teaching three 

different teaching areas. Class sizes at Australian higher education institutions have increased in the 

past decade to deal with the increasing demand of higher education (Bradley Review of Australian 

Higher Education, 2008). Currently, research about class size focuses on the whole university rather 

than individual units or subjects. Most of the research tends to focus on student performance rather than 

student engagement with the empirical link between class size and student performance being debated 

for decades (Towner, 2016). The premise seems logical: As class size decreases, academic achievement 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

26 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

increases. The research, however, is rather mixed and inconclusive. The aim of this paper is to provide 

the shared understanding of three academics lived experiences in teaching large cohorts in a Bachelor 

of Education degree. The three lecturers involved in the study aimed to create a sense of community 

and belongingness in their units by actively engaging pre-service teachers in a range of strategies and 

then collaboratively reflecting upon their findings in order to build this shared understanding. The 

results are presented as a narrative. This collaborative approach has the potential to assist in student 

retention and encourage students to undertake further study beyond the bachelor level degree. 

1.1 Background 

A large class is considered to consist of 80 or more students (Teaching Large Classes Brief Guide: 

Faculty of Economics and Business, Sydney University, 2011); however, the definition of a large class 

varies across universities and faculties (Burnett & Krause, n.d.). In some disciplines, such as the 

sciences, an instructor-to-student ratio may be as little as 1:12 to be considered a large class. In this 

study, a large class is considered to consist of 200 or more students as this is the maximum number of 

students that can be hosted in a given lecture hall within the institution where the study was conducted. 

There is no auditorium/lecture hall that can host more than 200 students compared with other 

institutions in Australia that can lecture to some 1000 students in a single sitting. This smaller lecture 

theatre, however, has the added pressures of repeat lectures to facilitate all 700 enrolled students in a 

single unit. While 200 students are much smaller than larger universities, an individual student can feel 

confronted by the large number of students. Such large classes can make individual students feel 

isolated even alienated from others and this can impact negatively on the university experience 

(Bradley Review of Higher Education, 2008; Scott, 2008).  

The Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education (2008) states that “the teacher-to-student ratio has 

changed from 12.9 students per instructor in 1990 to 20.5 students per instructor in 2006” (p. 71). This 

large increase of student numbers in classes makes it difficult to develop community (Bradley Review 

of Australian Higher Education, 2008; James, Krause, & Jennings, 2010). Moltzen (2011) comments 

that it is only through time that the institution will respond to the individual, often in the students’ final 

years. In a recent study conducted by James, Krause and Jennings (2010), 50% of the students surveyed 

identified that feeling a sense of belonging to the university community was an important factor in their 

university experience. Previous studies have found that students who attend classes four to five days 

per week are more likely to be engaged in the university and learning community (James, Krause & 

Jennings, 2010). At the university where this study was set, there is an emphasis on face-to-face 

teaching and attendance so the ability to engage students in the sense of community is increased, and 

the university is being proactive in developing the sense early on in the bachelor degree. James, Krause 

and Jennings (2010) comment that “universities should make the most of every opportunity to ensure 

that they are proactive in developing among students a sense of belonging and community from early in 

the first year” (p. 41). Previous research has suggested the need for developing a sense of community in 

large classes early on in the degree and the community that is developed may be between lecturer and 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

27 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

student; tutor and student; lecturer and tutor; lecturer and lecturer; and tutor and tutor (Moltzen, 2011). 

The Bradley Review of Higher Education report (2008) reflects this perception by reporting that “a 

very significant number [of students] reported negatively on aspects of the student experience, 

including many who complained that in their university class sizes were too large” (p. 71). Some of the 

factors identified in the only Australian study to investigate a sense of community at the undergraduate 

level include but are not limited to “the social climate established on campus, the academic, social and 

financial support provided by the institution, student in-class and out-of class involvement with campus 

life, and frequent feedback provided to students and staff about their performance” (Scott, 2008, p. 32). 

However, research also suggests that performance may also be dependent on discipline with research in 

fields such as political demonstrating no adverse effects on student performance (Towner, 2016). 

 

2. Method and Results 

In this qualitative design study, three aims were explored for educators: (1) to describe our shared 

experiences since the implementation of large cohorts; (2) to describe perception of their students’ 

experiences; and (3) to examine the effect that the large cohort model has on the delivery of effective 

education within a university setting. We adopted a shared lived experience approach. This approach of 

examining shared experiences is more commonly seen in health care, see, for example, the studies of 

de Vries, LeBlanc, Frost, Alston-Stepnitz, Stephenson and Woodyatt (2017) and Ott and Ross (2014). 

The results of our semester long live experience is presented as a narrative inquiry. Narrative, as a 

research method, has had a rich intellectual tradition. Under the broader term of narrative inquiry, 

researchers can use myriad types of data collection, including: storytelling, journaling, and various 

types of interviews (Winsor, 2014). Winsor (2014) further adds that writing memos can be a valuable 

technique to use in narrative inquiry by contributing to analysis and interpretation. The use of 

procedural and analytic memos were relevant to our study as they provided the researchers with a 

means to record experiences in a timely and efficient manner. 

Narrative inquiry methodology is appropriate for understanding the meanings of participants’ 

experiences within a specified context or culture. A number of disciplines believe that human 

experience is actually a phenomenon that is best understood through narrative. These disciplines 

include: anthropology, linguistics, literary theory, theology, philosophy, psychology, organizational 

theory, psychotherapy, geography, history, law, women’s studies and medicine (Garvis, 2015). 

Narrative inquiry will here refer to a method of investigation into a problem, following pragmatism, 

inspired by John Dewey (1938). Following this tradition, narrative inquiry will also mean a way of 

knowing by telling and reflecting. Narrative inquiry is a way of understanding our shared experience. It 

is collaboration between researchers and participants, over time in a place or series of places, and in a 

social context (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). The primary research outputs of a narrative inquiry are 

constructed or co-constructed accounts that describe people’s personal and professional experiences 

(Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). These accounts offer others an opportunity to develop insights or an 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

28 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

understanding of the ways in which particular individuals have been affected by the events that occur in 

their lives (Trzebiński, 2005). Winsor (2014) explains that narrative inquiry is well suited to assisting 

researchers to understand the experiences of vulnerable populations, such as undergraduate; however, it 

is noted that the researchers need to become engaged collaboratively with the data analysis in order for 

a collective understanding of the experience to be developed. Here, we offer a narrative of our 

experiences trying to build a community within a large lecture group.  

2.1 The Narrative Inquiry 

2.1.1 Forming a Professional Community 

The School of Education provides information on each academic teaching load including student 

numbers. Three academics one new to academia, one mid-career and one senior identified the possible 

issues that all three may face as they taught nearly two-thirds (700 students of 1,100 students) of the 

students in the Bachelor of Education program. The initial reaction to these large classes for all three 

lecturers was “how are we going to manage with all of the other requirements for research and 

professional contributions to their research areas”. The lecturers identified the need to streamline the 

administrative processes such as the assessment submission procedure and from those initial 

discussions, a series of informal meetings occurred in how best to approach such a unit. Bell (2005) 

identifies that peer partnerships can enhance teaching and administration by critically reviewing 

existing knowledge and materials to formulate new knowledge and processes. Jungic, Kent, and Menz 

(2006) comment that careful time management is essential when managing large classes and from this 

research, weekly discussions and informal hallway discussions between the lecturers reduced the sense 

of feeling isolated. Many topics were discussed such as management, administration issues, preparation 

and marking load. The academics valued the sense of community greatly and wanted to instill this into 

their large lectures to ensure student attrition and positive student engagement (Matthews, Andrews, & 

Adams, 2011).  

Collaborative peer engagements transpired between the three lecturers. No one lecturer had all of the 

answers, so the three worked together to offer opinions, thought processes, development of new 

strategies and solve problems together (Barnard, Croft, Irons, & Cuffe, 2011). The Higher Education 

Research and Development Society of Australia (HERDSA) has identified that “support for academics 

in local teaching communities should include peer support amongst other initiatives” (p. 2). There is a 

real potential to empower academics through the peer relationship process such as the enhancement of 

innovation, management, engagement, teaching, learning and scholarship (Bell, 2001; Ferren, 2001; 

Keig & Waggoner, 1995).  

Each academic went about the management of their own unit in a very different way, but the ideas 

from one lecturer to the other were shared without reservation. The students were enrolled in first and 

second year teaching courses in: Human Development and Learning, Science Education and Creative 

Arts. Whilst all three lectures were from different areas within the School of Education, students often 

undertook two of the three units. Hence, there was an opportunity for the academics to reflect upon the 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

29 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

differing experiences of teaching the large cohorts. At this university, the university places value on 

working in collaboration thereby enhancing the relationship. The lecturers developed a sense of 

confidence in their own community through the inter-lecturer links. The success and failures 

experienced in managing such a large student cohort and a large number of tutors were shared in a 

supportive way. The lectures debriefed on almost a daily basis on how they were undertaking the 

management of the courses this was done on the basis of memeos that were recorded after the lectures. 

The community developed between the three lecturers, was that “we are all in this together and we will 

come out of it together at the end”. According to Brennan and Shah (2000), peers offer a “moral 

authority” that allows for a self-check in a supportive non-hierarchical environment to the way in 

which the lecturer is managing his or her unit. Harris, Farrell, Bell, Devlin and James (2008); Bell 

(2001), Mackinnon (2001) and Magin (1998) support the view that peer review in higher education is 

an effective strategy when undertaking academic development such as unit coordination, teaching and 

learning. All three lecturers related to this form of “moral authority” as they were able to run ideas past 

the other academics and make a decision. The lecturers referred to this “moral authority” through: 

identifying assigned readings, development of lecture content, communicating with tutors, recruitment 

of tutors, replying to student emails and the general administration of the units. The inter-lecturer 

support encouraged each coordinator to develop effective tutor teams, considered an important factor in 

the successful management of these three large cohorts. The development of community between the 

three lecturers was developed with the tutor teams and subsequently passed on to students in the 

face-to-face teaching.  

2.1.2 Creating a Sense of Community in Large Classes 

McMillan and Chavis (1986) define community as “a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling 

that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members matter to one 

another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment 

to be together” (p. 9). The essential elements of community are outlined by Rovai (2002) as being: 

mutual inter-dependence amongst students, a sense of belonging, connectedness, spirit, trust, 

interactivity, common expectations, shared values and goals, and overlapping histories among members. 

These key aspects of community are mirrored in the Objects of the university, which are: 

The provision of an excellent standard of: 

i. teaching, scholarship and research; 

ii. training for the professions, and 

iii. pastoral care for its students.  

The issue of pastoral care for students when we have 700 students undertaking our units presents 

challenges. The lecturers’ were concerned as to how they could continue to engage students so that 

students avoid the feeling of being a nameless and faceless individual. It has been previously 

established by Kerr (2011) that “a student’s sense of belonging and ability to connect with teaching 

staff and other students played an important part in fostering student engagement and better learning 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

30 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

outcomes” (p. 15). So how does one ensure that there is a sense of belonging and community in such 

large classes with so many students? One way to provide a sense of belonging is the ability of the 

lecturers to strategically move throughout the lecture theater as no more than 200 students were present. 

This is in contrast to other higher education institutions in which there is often a fixed lectern at the 

front of the lecture hall, focusing attention to the lecturer (Carter, Barrett, & Park, 2011). By moving 

throughout the lecture theatre, the lecturer was presented with the opportunity to have close proximity 

to all students regardless of where they sat. As a result of having the ability to navigate the lecture 

theatre, the ability for student to be active participants is encouraged rather than being passive 

recipients of information. 

Current research defines personalization as the connection between the individual and the collective. 

According to Leadbeater (2004) this is done by “allowing users a more direct, informed and creative 

say in rewriting the script by which the service they use is designed, planned, delivered and evaluated” 

(p. 59). How, however, can it possibly be achieved when teaching some 700 students in first-year who 

come to university with a large diversity of knowledge and skills? Whilst Leadbeater’s (2004) approach 

is respected, it is more appropriate for courses in final-years with fewer students who can work with the 

instructor to guide and design their course of learning. It simply would not work with a lecture of 200 

students and a cohort of 700 students where students are seen as such a heterogeneous group. Long and 

Coldren (2006) identify that when lecturers are able to actively engage students in learning, the 

students achieved higher results and higher levels of satisfaction in the course. Students who were 

actively involved with other students along with being actively engaged in learning rate themselves as 

higher performing (Carter, Barrett, & Park, 2011). The lecturers achieved this by using a variety of 

engaging techniques to promote a student’s sense of belonging and to enhance their learning. The 

process of community between the three lecturers acted as an impetus to develop these types of 

strategies further.  

In the lecture series, all three lecturers used a variety of engagement strategies. These included asking 

the students to vote on possible answers/solutions, allowing students to ask questions, identifying 

specific students to answer questions and getting students to interact with peers in the lecture time, 

which are all possible in smaller lecture spaces. The lecturers often used problem questions and 

allowed the students time to discuss the possible answers with peers before reporting back to the 

lecturer. The results between groups were then tabulated so that the students had a sense of ownership 

of the course content. This assisted in the development of community between the students and lecturer. 

Krause (2005) found that campus experiences can be intimidating, leaving students feeling isolated and 

unvalued. Communicating with students and encouraging them is essential in assisting them in gaining 

a sense of belonging and purpose on campus.  

Getting to know students names has been seen in the research of Brehl (2013) who identifies that this 

strategy will enhance the sense of community. However, how can a single lecturer learn 700 names 

when he/she only interacts with the students for 13 hours over the entire semester and lectures are not 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

31 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

compulsory? A possible strategy identified was when students answered questions, they were to state 

their name so that the lecturer had a sense of being able to identify some of the students in the lecture. 

Another strategy used was to get all the students to write their names on a sticky note and to randomly 

select a few of these per week. Whilst this meant that only the vocal student’s names or the names of 

the students whose names were randomly selected from the sticky notes exercise, it was one way of 

attempting to learn some of the first-year student’s names. There are multiple ways in which university 

lectures can get to know students names, however, it is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss every 

possible strategy.  

As coordinators we encouraged the tutors with classes of between 22-24 students to further establish 

the sense of community by considering the physical and social aspects of their classes. For example, 

the furniture in the room could be moved to provide for an inclusive environment by arranging the 

furniture into a U shape where everyone could see everyone else. Creative initiatives were the student a 

sense of self-worth. Teaching and Educational Development Institute (2003) identifies that the creation 

of a sense of community to engage with students plays an important part in fostering student 

engagement and enhances learning outcomes. An examination of courses such as medicine and the 

sciences where there is an emphasis on significant number of contact hours per week through 

subsequent tutorials and laboratories, students can more easily interact with peers, tutors and lecturers. 

However, as students in the School of Education undertake somewhere between 12-15 hours per week 

in face-to-face classes, it would appear that developing this sense of community has the added pressure 

of limited time.  

These lecturers identified the need to develop a sense of community not only within the lecture hall, but 

also with their tutor teams in order to further enhance student belonging. Each lecturer took the time to 

meet with the tutor team prior, during and post course. Previous research has found that forming a 

social network develops a sense of belonging (Matthews, Andrews, & Adams, 2011) and it was 

therefore encouraged that the tutors should learn student names and attempt to develop this sense of 

community within the tutorials that consisted of 22-24 students. A number of tasks were undertaken to 

assist the tutor in developing this approach. Often students in first-year classes experience a sense of 

isolation and anonymity in large classes (Debowski, 2012,). As a result, a strategy employed by the 

lecturers was the use of group presentations/group micro-teaching/group experiments as an assessment 

task where students had to work cooperatively with 2-3 others. This provided the students with a sense 

of self-efficacy in the large units.  

 

 

 

 

 

 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

32 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

3. Discussion 

We cannot justify large cohorts as effective teaching; however, we discovered a relational aspect 

enabling the three individuals to successfully counterbalance the difficulties that presented themselves 

in the respective units in a non-competitive environment. An informal network developed between the 

three lectures and encouraged our skills to successfully form a sense of community in a challenging 

environment. A limitation of this study was the small sample size. In future iterations of the study, we 

would aim for a longitudinal study in order to get more depth from the experience rather than 

expanding that sample size. That is, it would be good to know if the community persisted in subsequent 

years of the students’ degrees. Also, participating academics were teaching different courses. In order 

to build validity into the study, another colleague reviewed the data and the narrative in order to ensure 

that the findings presented here were credible. On reflecting, one of the ways forward is the 

establishment of informal networks with non-hierarchical peers who are personally encouraging, 

knowledgeable and helpful. Universities have, in recent times, attempted to develop this through a 

compulsory mentoring system; however, this is not always a requirement and the individual is 

responsible for forming their own network. Being together in this difficult climate in teaching large 

classes, responding to the individual and creating a sense of community enhanced our sense of 

confidence and abilities to deal with complex issues that presented themselves over the course of the 

semester. It was refreshing for each of the lecturers involved to know physically, emotionally and 

psychologically what the others were going through and this added to their own survival techniques 

and strategies. For such a system to work effectively, all members of the peer support group shared 

openly and continually sought moral authority from one another on the decisions that were made as 

unit coordinators. This situation could have been a deterrent to continue in academia and teaching, 

however, the sense of confidence in informal discussions that were kept confidential from supervisors 

added to the lecturers’ confidence in surviving in the current climate. It is important to note that this is 

not a system of duplication, but rather a reflection on circumstances that many of us as academics find 

ourselves in current situations.  

 

References 

Barnard, A., Croft, W., Irons, R., & Cuffe, N. (2011). Peer partnership to enhance scholarship of 

teaching: A case study. Higher Education Research and Development, 30(4), 435-448. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.518953 

Bell, M. (2001). Supported reflective practice: A programme of peer observation and feedback for 

academic development. International Journal for Academic Development, 61(1), 21-28. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440110033643 

Bell, M. (2005). Peer observation partnerships in higher education. Milperra, NSW: HERDSA.  

Brehl, B. (2013). Teaching Large Classes. Retrieved August 15, 2013, from 

https://utah.instructure.com/courses/148446/wiki/teaching-large-classes  

https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.518953
https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440110033643


www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

33 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

Brennan, J., & Shah, T. (2000). Managing quality in higher education. Buckingham, UK: SRHE/Open 

University Press.  

Burnett, L., & Krause, K. (n.d). GIHE Good Practice Guide on Teaching Large Classes: Challenged 

and Strategies. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from 

http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/118924/GPG-tlc.pdf  

Carter, I., Barrett, B., & Park, W. (2011). Improving Collaborative Teaching in Large Introductory 

BSW Classes. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 31(5), 569-587. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2011.615262 

Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. 

de Vries, B., LeBlanc, A. J., Frost, D. M., Alston-Stepnitz, E., Stephenson, R., & Woodyatt, C. (2017). 

The relationship timeline: A method for the study of shared lived experiences in relational 

contexts. Advances in Life Course Research, 32, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2016.07.002 

Debowski, S. (2012). The New Academic: A Strategic Handbook. London: McGraw Hill. 

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan. 

Ferren, A. (2001). Reconciling corporate and academic cultures. Peer Review, 3(3), 9-17.  

Garvis, S. (2015). Narrative Constellations: Exploring Lived Experience in Education. Rotterdam: 

Sense Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-151-9 

Harris, K., Farrell, K., Bell, M., Devlin, M., & James, R. (2008). Peer Review of Teaching in Higher 

Education: A handbook to support institutions in developing and embedding effective policies and 

practices. Australian Learning and Teaching Council, Sydney, Australia. 

Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australia. (2008). Response from the Higher 

Education Research and Development Society of Australia, Inc. (HERDSA) to the Review of 

Australian Higher Education Discussion Paper. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from 

http://www.herdsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/herdsa-submission-bradley-review.doc  

James, R., Krause, K., & Jennings, C. (2010). The First Year Experience in Australian Universities: 

Findings from 1994 to 2009. Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of 

Melbourne. 

Jungic, V., Kent, D., & Menz, P. (2006). Teaching large math classe: three instructors, one experience. 

International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 1(1), 1-14.  

Kerr, A. (2011). Teaching and Learning in Large Classes at Ontario Universities: An Exploratory 

Study. Toronto: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario.  

Krause, K. L. (2005). Understanding and promoting student engagement in university learning 

communities. Retrieved from http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/pdfs/Stud_eng.pdf  

Leadbeater, C. (2004). Personalization through Participation: A New Script for Public Services. 

London: Teachernet. Retrieved August 17, 2013, from 

http://www.demos.co.uk/files/PersonalisationThroughParticipation.pdf  

 

https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2011.615262
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2016.07.002
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-151-9
http://www.herdsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/herdsa-submission-bradley-review.doc


www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe            Global Research in Higher Education                  Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 

34 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

Long, II. E., & Coldren, J. T. (2006). Interpersonal influences in large lecture-based classes: A 

socioinstructional perspective. College Teaching, 54, 237-243. 

https://doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.54.2.237-243 

MacKinnon, M. (2001). Using observational feedback to promote academic development. International 

Journal for Academic Development, 6(1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440110033689  

Magin, D. (1998). Rewarding good teaching: A matter of demonstrated proficiency or documented 

achievement? International Journal for Academic Development, 3(2), 124-135. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144980030205 

Matthews, K., Andrews, V., & Adams, P. (2011). Social learning spaces and student engagement. 

Higher Education Review & Development, 30(2), 105-120. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.512629 

McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. (1986). Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of 

Community Psychology, 14(1), 6-23. 

https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1<6::AID-JCOP2290140103>3.0.CO;2-I 

Moltzen, R. (2011). Personalizing the student experience. In I. Hay (Ed.), Inspiring Academics: 

Learning with the world’s great university teachers. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education. 

Ott, J., & Ross, C. (2014). The journey toward shared governance: The lived experience of nurse 

managers and staff nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 22(6), 761-768. 

https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12032 

Rovai, A. (2002). Building Sense of Community at a Distance. International Review of Research in 

Open and Distance Learning, 3, 1. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v3i1.79 

Scott, G. (2008). Review of Australian Higher Education Request for Research and Analysis: 

University Student Engagement and satisfaction with learning and teaching. University of 

Western Sydney, 1 September.  

Teaching and Educational Development Institute. (2003). Teaching Large Classes Project 2001: Final 

Report. Retrieved April 14, 2014, from 

http://www.cadad.edu.au/largeclasses/pdfs/AUTC_final_report.pdf  

Towner, T. L. (2016). Class Size and Academic Achievement in Introductory Political Science Courses. 

Journal of Political Science Education, 12(4), 420-436. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2016.1154470 

Trzebiński, J. (2005). Narratives and understanding other people. Research in Drama Education, 10(1), 

15-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569780500053098 

Weinstein, K. (1995). Action Learning: A practical guide. London: Blackwell.  

Winsor. (2014). Narrative inquiry: The experience of first-generation college students. S.l.: Sage 

Publications Ltd. 

 

https://doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.54.2.237-243
https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440110033689
https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144980030205
https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.512629
https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1%3c6::AID-JCOP2290140103%3e3.0.CO;2-I
https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12032
https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v3i1.79
https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2016.1154470
https://doi.org/10.1080/13569780500053098

