MIT is using a new approach to teaching traditionally lecture-style classes. Instead of teaching 100+ students in one sitting, the classes are split into smaller, more manageable units. Common sense strikes again.

This is an idea I’ve had since I gave my first-ever traditional lecture to 93 students in the Introduction to Database Management course. I had their attention for the first few classes, but as the semester continued, it became more and more difficult to keep their attention. While teaching these classes, I always wanted to split them into four smaller classes and deliver lectures to each individual class at different times. This would, however, increase the lecture and contact hours considerably. But is that a bad thing?

I didn’t do it then, but I am reconsidering it now.

NYTimes: At M.I.T., Large Lectures Are Going the Way of the Blackboard

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/us/13physics.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=MIT&st=cse