INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT REACTIONS TO 'A RADICAL APPROACH' TO INSTRUCTING A LARGE UNDERGRADUATE CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY LECTURE COURSE

This study applies S. Douglas Olson's (2012) pedagogical methodology to a specific subject: classical mythology a course taught at universities and colleges across the country. Olson's innovations, while originally built around a classical civilization course, are easily adaptable to this subject matter and prevent a large instruction class from being too simplistic Furthermore, they engage students in the material through primary source research and writing assignments without overburdening students. The grading load per student is decreased, making the instructor's invested time comparable to that of a traditional small-instruction class that implements papers and exams. The result was an enjoyable classroom experience that encouraged interaction among students with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests, while allowing the instructor to focus on the needs of the students in the classroom rather than excessive grading.
Over the past 30 years, increasing budgetary constraints and rising student populations have caused universities across the nation to create large-enrollment (+100 students) lecture courses. Both Florida State University (FSU) [...]