Neurodiverse Students Learning in Large Lecture Theatres: Challenges and Opportunities

This paper explores the impact of massification in higher education,
particularly in large classroom settings, on students who identify as
neurodivergent. It focuses on how these students navigate learning in such
environments and examines pedagogical practices that may affect their
inclusion and learning outcomes. The author, with experience teaching classes
of various sizes in higher education, notes the challenges that arise when
neurodivergent characteristics clash with the demands of large classrooms.
Neurodiversity encompasses a range of neurological challenges. This paper
aims to investigate how these challenges intersect with large class settings and
impact teaching and learning dynamics and considers strategies to maximise
engagement, participation and learning for neurodiverse students in large
higher education classes.