Average Class Size Research Articles

Special education funding and teacher turnover

ABSTRACT We exploit differences in state special education funding systems based on special education enrollment (‘bounty systems’) or on total student enrollment (‘census systems’) to assess whether funding systems impact teacher turnover, teacher specialty, special education enrollment, state education spending, average class sizes, and teacher effort. We find that census funding decreases special education enrollment and increases turnover among special education teachers. Relative to their counterparts, special education teachers are 5 percentage points more likely to move across schools and 18 percentage points more likely to switch to general education teaching after the implementation of census funding in their state.

Does class size matter? How, and at what cost?

Using Greek high quality administrative data we show that class size has a hump shaped effect on achievement whereas most of the literature assumes linearity. We then embed our estimates for this relationship in a dynamic structural model with costs of hiring and firing. We find that class sizes around 19 maximize the attainment, and the existing costs result in an average class size of 22–23 being chosen. Firing costs are about the same size as hiring costs consistent with the presence of unions. Reducing firing costs to zero raises class size by 4–6 students and reduces achievement by 0.8 to 1.2 GPA points. Reducing hiring costs to zero reduces class size by 3–5 students and increases GPA by 0.3 GPA points. Raising wages by 50%, class size increases by 2 students and GPA falls by 0.3 GPA points suggesting that unions (which raise salaries and firing costs) do raise class size, but have a small effect on achievement. We show that class size caps are costly, and more so for small schools, even when they are set at levels well above the average class size.

Approach to analysing correlated contextual factors: an application for studies on violence

BackgroundNumerous public health studies, especially in the area of violence, examine the effects of contextual or group-level factors on health outcomes. Often, these contextual factors exhibit strong pairwise correlations, which...

Availability of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Equipment and Facilities in K to 12 BasiC Education Program in Secondary Schools

The objectives of the study were to determine the availability of ICT hardware, software, and facilities and their frequency of availability in school. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire. The majority of the respondents are female, more or less 35 years old, and have been in the service for about seven years. Most of them were college graduates and were major of Filipino or Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE), currently handling grade 10 students having an average class size of 45 students. A greater number of the respondents were Teacher I.Overhead projector, LCD, Computer set, Internet connection, telephone, digital camera, scanner, and television sets were said to be readily available in the schools of each respondent. Only fax machines as stated as not available in their schools. VCD players and other Microsoft office tools like Word, PowerPoint, Excel Publisher, Spreadsheet, and Database were available in each school of the respondents. Moreover, Programming software was also stated to be available. With regards to the availability of rooms for special purposes, audiovisual rooms (78.4%), computer room, conference room were also available.

3 Addressing Food Animal Veterinary Services Shortages Through Veterinary Continuing Education Courses: A New Role for Extension as a Bridge Between Veterinary and Agriculture Communities

Abstract Food animal veterinary services are in demand due to regulatory changes that require more veterinary oversight in animal agriculture. The USDA identifies 13 counties in Arkansas as having food animal veterinary shortages. In response, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service developed the Food Animal Medicine Workshop Series to train veterinarians in food animal medicine with the goal of encouraging veterinarians and their staff to provide more food animal services. The workshops are funded by the USDA NIFA Veterinary Services Grant Program, which allows for monthly continuing education (CE) courses for a two year period. Topics covered to date include: how to integrate backyard poultry into your practice, pharmaceutical use in food animal medicine, the Veterinary Feed Directive and the future of antimicrobial use in food animal medicine, infectious diseases in food animals, current issues and advances in food animal wellbeing, small ruminant medicine, cattle medicine, honey bee medicine, field services, and field necropsy. 171 veterinarians have attended the workshops, with an average class size of 18. All participants were awarded CE credits by the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Examining Board. Surveys were given to participants at the end of each course. A Likert scale was used to measure responses to statements about the workshop with 1 being “strongly disagree”, 2 being “disagree”, 3 being “agree” and 4 being “strongly agree”. Participants gave an average score of 3.9 when asked if their knowledge increased from the workshop, an average score of 3.8 when asked if they would attend future workshops in the series, and an average score of 3.2 when asked if they would incorporate what they learned into their practices. Information from the surveys indicates that the workshops are achieving the goal of increasing food animal services. A future survey of attendees will measure the actual increase in such services.

Class Size and School Performance: An Analysis of Elementary and Middle Schools

The class size debate is still ongoing among researchers, even though smaller class sizes are widely supported by parents, teachers, and the public. To contribute to this discussion, data was taken from the North Carolina (NC) School Report Cards (SRC) datasets and used to address two questions: First, is there a relationship between an elementary school’s performance score and average class size? Second, is there a relationship between a middle school’s performance score and average class size? Using the results from a linear regression and ordered logit, we find that average class size significantly predicts both NC elementary and middle school performance. However, the estimates suggest that higher average class size is negatively related to elementary school performance, but positively related to middle school performance. These results suggest that the impact of class size on student and school performance may depend on the grade levels in question, for example, elementary or middle school. We conclude that policymakers should act carefully when manipulating class sizes, since the effect may depend on the grade levels.

Effective pedagogy for small undergraduate classes

We conducted a survey of about ten different pedagogical tools with students of seven different small undergraduate business classes with average class size of 27 students. We propose that the higher the students’ agreement with specific pedagogical methods the higher their motivation as well as their learning outcomes. A statistical significance test was performed to account for the most effective pedagogical methods—oral presentations and multiple-choice mini-tests. Further methods found to be effective were classroom discussions, in-class exercises and quizzes, and an even workload plus a diversified portfolio of graded items along with a horse-shoe teaching arrangement. Results help business educators—especially who are relatively new to teaching—to strengthen their course outcomes.

Implementation of a Medical School Elective Course Incorporating Case-Based Learning: a Pilot Study.

Case-based learning (CBL) is a pedagogical method using clinical case studies to reinforce learning topics. A pilot elective course incorporating CBL was offered for first-year medical students. The purpose of this study is to (1) describe the logistics of implementing the course and (2) evaluate its reception among medical students on its efficacy in learning basic science class material. An 8-week elective course was offered to medical students from 2012 to 2017. Specialists facilitated case discussions synthesizing material from didactic lectures with clinical scenarios. End-of-term surveys with multiple choice and free response questions were distributed to students and described using summary statistics. There were 13 cohorts of enrollees, and the average number of students enrolled per cohort was 45.6, out of an average class size of 186 (24.5%, range 36-60). One hundred ninety-eight (64.2%) students reported that the course considerably changed or greatly expanded knowledge. Three hundred two (89.1%) students felt it met a majority of or exceeded expectations. Two hundred eighty-seven (80.2%) responses indicated interest in taking the course again or recommending it to others. One hundred six responses (27.1%) indicated preference for CBL over traditional lectures, and 177 (45.3%) were interested to see CBL integrated into the curriculum. Overall, this CBL elective course was well-received and perceived as effective for better learning class material by students. Additionally, students were receptive to case-based learning and integrating this style of learning into a preclinical curriculum without entirely replacing didactic-based learning. These findings may encourage more medical schools to explore incorporating CBL in the curriculum.

High‐Stakes Accountability in Social and Political Context: Skill Gains and Losses in the No Child Left Behind Era

Under the high‐stakes accountability regime, narrower curricula and/or teaching to narrower tests can restrict the range of skills students acquire. We develop a theory of skill range restriction at the state level. The analysis focuses on math and reading skills in fourth and eighth grade between 2003 and 2009. At both grade levels, the average student’s range of math and reading skills expanded, but there was considerable between‐state variation. In fourth grade, math and reading skills were affected in different ways by percentages of African American and Hispanic students in the state, average class size, and political conservatism. In eighth grade, math and reading skills were restricted, respectively, by lower per‐pupil revenue and lower average adult income. Skill range restriction was associated with greater proficiency gains, since students needed to demonstrate proficiency in fewer skills. An exception was in fourth‐grade reading, for which we observed the opposite pattern.

Does Progressive Finance Alter School Organizations and Raise Achievement? The Case of Los Angeles

State finance reforms have raised per-pupil spending and elevated the achievement of disadvantaged students over the past half-century. But we know little about how fresh funding may alter teacher staffing or the social and curricular organization of schools, mediating gains in learning. We find that US$1.1 billion in new yearly funding—arriving to Los Angeles high schools after California enacted a progressive weighted-pupil formula in 2013—led schools to rely more on novice and probationary teachers. Schools that enjoyed greater funding modestly reduced average class size and the count of teaching periods assigned to staff in five subsequent years. Yet, high-poverty schools receiving higher budget augmentations more often assigned novice teachers to English learners (ELs) and hosted declining shares of courses that qualified graduates for college admission. Mean achievement climbed overall, but EL and poor students fell further behind in schools receiving greater funding.

Evaluation of proposed amalgamated anonymization approach

<p>In the current scenario of modern era, providing security to an individual is always a matter of concern when a huge volume of electronic data is gathering daily. Now providing security to the gathered data is not only a matter of concern but also remains a notable topic of research. The concept of Privacy Preserving Data Publishing (PPDP) defines accessing the published data without disclosing the non required information about an individual. Hence PPDP faces the problem of publishing useful data while keeping the privacy about sensitive information about an individual. A variety of techniques for anonymization has been found in literature, but suffers from different kind of problems in terms of data information loss, discernibility and average equivalence class size. This paper proposes amalgamated approach along with its verification with respect to information loss, value of discernibility and the value of average equivalence class size metric. The result have been found encouraging as compared to existing <em>k-</em>anonymity based algorithms such as Datafly, Mondrian and Incognito on various publically available datasets.</p>

Where Is Psychology Teaching and Learning Research Conducted? An Analysis of Institution Setting and Class Sizes

This article presents a census of empirical studies on the scholarship of teaching published in Teaching of Psychology, Psychology Learning and Teaching, and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology over the past decade. All articles from each issue were coded for characteristics identifying the teaching context in which the research was conducted, focusing on institution type using Carnegie classifications and average class size. The majority of studies on the scholarship of teaching and learning in psychology were carried out in smaller classes (less than 40 students/class) in settings characterized as Master’s or Doctoral institutions. These data suggest an underrepresentation of studies from 2-year Associate’s colleges, as well as from larger enrollment classrooms. Implications are discussed for conducting research in the diverse classroom settings representative of psychology instruction.

Dental Students' Use of Student-Managed Google Docs and Other Technologies in Collaborative Learning.

Textbooks, once the standard of education, now have competition when students prefer the Internet and digital technology. The aim of this research study was to survey dental students at one dental school about their use of student-managed Google Docs and other online technologies in collaborative e-learning. All dental students in all four classes at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona were invited to participate in online surveys in 2015 and 2017. The average class size was 140 (n=560 for all four years) for each survey. The 2015 survey focused on the emerging use of Google Docs in collaborative learning. The 2017 study asked not only about Google Docs but how students were using other e-learning technologies and textbooks. In 2015, 282 students responded, for a 50.4% response rate; in 2017, 129 students responded, for a 23% response rate. The 2017 survey showed a 36% increase (p<0.0001) in the use of Google Docs in all dental classes over use in 2015, and a 67% increase (p<0.0001) in respondents' reporting they had used Google Docs during their undergraduate education. Google Docs, Blackboard, and collaboration with peers were the most popular study choices in 2017. The results showed a decline in respondents' reported use of hard copy textbooks from 24.5% in 2015 to 14.8% in 2017 (p=0.0405). Future studies are needed to increase dental educators' understanding of the ways their students are using collaborative technologies in learning and to define ways to overcome challenges posed by these technologies identified in our study.

&amp;[Iota]mplementation and evaluation of a near‐peer teaching program in a Neuroanatomy course for medical students

Medical education is gradually shifting from traditional, lecture‐based formats to novel approaches combining evidence‐based, innovative teaching methods. The present study assesses the gradual implementation of a near‐peer teaching program in Neuroanatomy. Near‐peer teaching was introduced in the neuroanatomy laboratory over a course of 5‐years (2010–2015), starting with no peer teachers and a single faculty member and ending with 52 pear teachers for an average class size of 230 second year medical students. 532 students completed a 25‐question Likert scale questionnaire that surveyed three general areas: (1) the students' opinion of the Neuroanatomy course, (2) the effect of peer‐teaching on knowledge acquisition and (3) the contribution of the peer teacher. The results showed that a high percentage of students (71.27%) who attended both lectures and lab exercises, believed that lectures alone are not sufficient for neuroanatomy comprehension. The majority of students (75%) agreed or strongly agreed that peer‐teaching helped their understanding of neuroanatomy, with 77.5% of those surveyed agreeing or strongly agreeing that peer teachers motivated them and helped them to look for answers to their questions. When asked whether they believed that peer teachers facilitated a positive learning environment, 85% replied that they agreed or strongly agreed. The increased implementation of the peer‐teaching program across the years was positively correlated to the student responses that peer teachers positively contributed to their learning and motivated them to find answers to questions (p&lt;0.001). While this study does not provide a comparative, randomized evaluation of peer teaching, the evidence provided from over 500 students surveyed strongly suggests that peer‐teaching can be a powerful education tool in Anatomy.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Improved Performance of Model Fit Indices with Small Sample Sizes in Cognitive Diagnostic Models

Selecting an appropriate cognitive diagnostic model (CDM) for data analysis is always challenging. Studies have explored several model fit indices for CDMs. The common results of these studies indicate that Q-matrix misspecifications lead to poor performance of the model fit indices in the context of CDMs. Thus, this study explored whether model fit indices improve performance with a modified Q-matrix. The average class size has reduced to 23 students in Taiwan because of the low birth rate; therefore, the study sought the effect of sample size on the performance of model fit indices. The results showed that Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) was an excellent model fit index in small samples. Model fit indices with the modified Q-matrix presented superior performance.

Electroencephalography and Epilepsy Course at UH Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States

AbstractProf. Hans Lüders organized the first International Electroencephalography (EEG)/Epilepsy course in Cleveland (Ohio, United States) in 1979. His vision was to impart a framework of basic knowledge in EEG and epilepsy. The course participants are assumed to have no prior knowledge of EEG or epilepsy. As such, the course is structured and paced to meet the expectations set forth by the organizing committee at the completion of the course. The curriculum has evolved over the years to reflect advancement of the field. There is an added emphasis on semiology (seizure semiology) and epileptic disorders. Also, the course content has expanded to include broader topics such as the intersection between epilepsy and sleep medicine for both adults and children. The course lasts 8 weeks and is offered twice a year, free of charge, in winter and summer at the University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The average class size ranges from 25 to 30, composed of individuals from around the world. The class hours are generally from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Daily attendance is expected as new concepts quickly build on previous ones. Midterm and final examinations are used for evaluations. Both written and verbal feedbacks on homework assignments are given daily. At the end of the course, a certificate of completion is awarded. The purpose of this article is to discuss the structural details of this intensive educational course that has been offered for 40 years.

Genetic grey wolf optimization and C-mixture for collaborative data publishing

Data publishing is an area of interest in present day technology that has gained huge attention of researchers and experts. The concept of data publishing faces a lot of security issues, indicating that when any trusted organization provides data to a third party, personal information need not be disclosed. Therefore, to maintain the privacy of the data, this paper proposes an algorithm for privacy preserved collaborative data publishing using the Genetic Grey Wolf Optimizer (Genetic GWO) algorithm for which a C-mixture parameter is used. The C-mixture parameter enhances the privacy of the data if the data does not satisfy the privacy constraints, such as the [Formula: see text]-anonymity, [Formula: see text]-diversity and the [Formula: see text]-privacy. A minimum fitness value is maintained that depends on the minimum value of the generalized information loss and the minimum value of the average equivalence class size. The minimum value of the fitness ensures the maximum utility and the maximum privacy. Experimentation was carried out using the adult dataset, and the proposed Genetic GWO outperformed the existing methods in terms of the generalized information loss and the average equivalence class metric and achieved minimum values at a rate of 0.402 and 0.9, respectively.

Analysis of sport sales courses in the sport management curriculum

This paper examined the curriculum posted on program websites of sales education in undergraduate sport management programs in the United States. A sport sales course is offered by 22% of undergraduate sport management programs. Programs with Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) accreditation, located in a city, housed in a sport management or leisure department, and programs with larger student enrollments were the most likely to offer a sport sales course. A survey was also utilized better understand of how sport sales courses are being taught and uncover the perceptions of programs not offering sales. The top reasons for adding the class were the demand from the industry for qualified salespeople and a positive employment outlook. Survey results revealed that all courses were taught in a face-to-face environment with an average class size of 27, predominantly taught by a full-time faculty member in sport management. Selling in the Sport Industry authored by Pierce et al. was the most commonly used textbook. Respondents from programs not offering the course nearly universally recognized the importance of students demonstrating competence in sales by the time they graduate, and 74% reported covering sales competencies elsewhere in curriculum. Slightly over one-fourth of the programs without a sales course indicated that addition of a required class is likely in the near future. The business school was a likely place to outsource the teaching of sales competencies, with 13% of schools without a sport sales class requiring a professional selling course offered in the business school and 18% offering access to an elective. The most significant obstacle impeding the adoption of sales was the constraint posed by credit hour limits for graduation.

Juxtaposing the Primary School Assessment Concepts and Practices in Singapore and Malaysia

The assessment practices in schools have moved from the traditional way of assessing students, which is too exam oriented and relies heavily on standardized exams, towards a more holistic assessment which involves the integration of Central Assessment and School-based Assessment. This paper aims to review the relevant studies on Central Assessment, School-Based Assessment, Formative Assessment (FA) and Assessment for Learning (AfL) in Singapore and Malaysia. It begins with a brief history of assessment in Malaysia and Singapore. Then, it critically reviews the concepts of Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning as practiced in both countries. From the review, some differences and challenges between the two educational systems particularly with regard to the implementation of classroom assessment are identified. These differences include the medium of instruction, the assessment system and the average class size. Despite the challenges, School-based Assessment, Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning should be duly implemented regardless of the increased workload and the level of the teachers’ skills in assessment. It is found that these factors do not adversely affect the practices of Formative Assessment and Assessment for Learning by the teachers.

Comparing Business School Faculty Classification for Perceptions of Student Cheating

Faculty continue to address academic dishonesty in their classes. In this follow-up to an earlier study on general perceived faculty student cheating, using a sample of business school faculty, we compared three levels of faculty classification: full-time non-tenure track (NTT, n = 86), full-time tenured/tenure-track (TT, n = 66), and part-time adjuncts (A, n = 71). Results showed that NTTs perceived higher levels for three different types of student cheating, i.e., paper-based, forbidden teamwork, and hiring someone to take an exam. In addition, NTTs were more likely to report a student for cheating. NTTs reported a higher course load and average class size, and average class size was positively related to all five types of cheating measured. Given the predicted increase in NTTs across all disciplines, making sure that all faculty, (but especially NTTs), have the resources needed to deter student cheating is important. All faculty have an obligation to hold students accountable for their behavior. Individual integrity is paramount; and it is what employers expect. Regardless of the chosen field or discipline, an employer’s expectations, in terms of character, is to hire individuals who possess a level of honesty that is above reproach. Addressing cheating is an obligation that all faculty need to address purposefully. Providing resources to help faculty address cheating is critical. Resources might include conflict resolution training to provide instructors with the necessary guidance so that they can better handle these difficult situations. This is important not only for the student while in school, but also for a university/college’s reputation.