On Episode 603, I welcome Matthew Mahavongtrakul, Program Director of Faculty Educational Development at UC Irvine and a practicing educator, to Teaching in Higher Ed. We dive into what vibrant active learning looks like in large classrooms and how it can be designed to engage all learners, regardless of class size. Matthew Mahavongtrakul, whose work bridges neuroscience, faculty development, and science communication. The discussion highlights creative strategies to foster engagement, including a flexible token system that supports students’ complex lives and encourages participation in inclusive ways.

Resources from the episode:

• UC Irvine Division of Teaching Excellence & Innovation’s Active Learning Institute
• Stephen Brookfield
• Todd Zakrajsek
• You Care About It, Do It in Class: Why faculty members need to shift the balance of class time from first exposure to skills practice
• Why Students Resist Learning with Anton Tolman on Episode 171
• Notsu Notes
• Lily Abadal’s workbook, outlining her process of having students write a research paper throughout her entire class
• Bluesky post of Andrea Kaston Tange sharing about her reading scenario experimentation
• POD Network Conference

Episode topics:

• Active Learning in Large Classrooms
• The Importance of Context in Pedagogy
• Shifting from Lecture-Centered to Facilitator Models
• Authentic Assessment & Course Design
• Balancing Instructional Design with Real-Time Adaptability
• Addressing Content Coverage Concerns
• Overcoming Faculty Barriers to Active Learning
• Flexible Engagement Systems: The Token Approach

Discussion questions:

1. Matthew Mahavongtrakul shared his experience facilitating a "snowball fight" active learning activity in a class of over 200 students. What did you find most striking about his story, and how does it challenge assumptions about implementing active learning in large classrooms?
2. Reflect on the difference between “covering” and “uncovering” content, as discussed by Matthew Mahavongtrakul. How might this mindset shift influence the way you design or facilitate your own courses?
3. Bonni Stachowiak and Matthew Mahavongtrakul both highlighted the importance of context in active learning. What contextual factors (course size, student demographics, discipline, etc.) do you think are most critical for designing effective active learning experiences?
4. Chaos sometimes emerges during active learning activities. When do you think classroom chaos becomes productive or counterproductive, and how would you navigate that balance?
5. The token system described by Matthew Mahavongtrakul was designed to offer students flexible ways to engage and reduce undue pressure. What potential benefits and challenges do you see in implementing such a system in your context?
6. Matthew Mahavongtrakul and Bonni Stachowiak exchanged stories about memorable active learning moments and unexpected challenges. What’s one story from your own teaching that illustrates the power (or pitfalls) of active learning?

Recommended

On Episode 551, Peter Felten recommended the book Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow: A Novel, by Gabrielle Zevin. The book sounded intriguing at the time, though I only arrived at it more than a year after our conversation. Such is the life of someone who has the privilege of hearing about wonderful books at least a few times each week. I wrapped it up on January 1 and highly recommend it, now, as well.

I share more reflections on the book and on a song that keeps playing on the soundtrack of my mind in the following post:

Return to Me: Teaching, AI, and the Longing to Connect

I posted another edition of Between the Lines. This time, it’s on Teaching with AI, by José Bowen and Eddie Watson. I’ve also got a special guest for this one who just “pops in.”

Quotable Words

One of the older family members in Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow describes her disappointment at the shortcuts that too many people take, when it comes to producing fabric using technology.

The character complains:

“Computers make everything too easy,” she said with a sigh. “People design very quickly on a monitor, and they print on some enormous industrial printer in a warehouse in a distant country, and the designer hasn't touched a piece of fabric at any point in the process or gotten her hands dirty with ink. Computers are great for experimentation, but they're bad for deep thinking.”

Next Week’s Episode

On the upcoming episode of Teaching in Higher Ed, Bryan Alexander returns. This time, to share about his new book, Peak Higher Ed.

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Disclosures

Affiliate income disclosure: Books that are recommended on the podcast link to the Teaching in Higher Ed bookstore on Bookshop.org. All affiliate income gets donated to the LibroMobile Arts Cooperative (LMAC), established in 2016 by Sara Rafael Garcia.”

Notice: Portions of these weekly updates are produced using CastMagic.io, which uses AI to produce a draft of the transcript, identify key quotes, highlight themes, etc.