Increasing Class Sizes Research Articles

A critical perspective on large class teaching: the political economy of massification and the sociology of knowledge

Large classes have increasingly become a feature in many countries around the world. This paper present a two-pronged analysis of this phenomenon, drawing on the political economy of higher education as well as the sociology of knowledge to contribute to a principled discussion about why we have large classes, and when a large class is too large. I argue that much of the justification for expansion in higher education is not borne by an analysis of the political economy of higher education. I then explain why the expansion of higher education through increasing class sizes is self-defeating: because contact between lecturers and students is necessary for the acquisition of disciplinary knowledge, and it is difficult to achieve such contact in large classes. I conclude that the current discourse on large class teaching, which suggests that lecturers must accept ever increasing class sizes in the name of access and development, is unrealistic, both in terms of the political and economic imperatives, and also in terms of the nature of education, and the conditions for the development and acquisition of knowledge.

Assessment of a novel group‐centered testing schema in an upper‐level undergraduate molecular biotechnology course

Providing students with assignments that focus on critical thinking is an important part of their scientific and intellectual development. However, as class sizes increase, so does the grading burden, prohibiting many faculty from incorporating critical thinking assignments in the classroom. In an effort to continue to provide our students with meaningful critical thinking exercises, we implemented a novel group-centered, problem-based testing scheme. We wanted to assess how performing critical thinking problem sets as group work compares to performing the sets as individual work, in terms of student attitudes and learning outcomes. During two semesters of our recombinant DNA course, students had the same lecture material and similar assessments. In the Fall semester, student learning was assessed by two collaborative take-home exams, followed immediately by individual, closed-book in-class exams on the same content, as well as a final cumulative exam. Student teams on the take-home exams were instructor-assigned, and each team turned in one collaborative exam. In the Spring semester, the control group of students were required to turn in their own individual take-home exams, followed by the in-class exams and final cumulative exam. For the majority of students, learning outcomes were met, regardless of whether they worked in teams. In addition, collaborative learning was favorably received by students and grading was reduced for instructors. These data suggest that group-centered, problem-based learning is a useful model for achievement of student learning outcomes in courses where it would be infeasible to provide feedback on individual critical thinking assignments due to grading volume.

Evidence that class size matters in 4th grade mathematics: An analysis of TIMSS 2007 data for Colombia

Like students in most developing countries, Colombian students in 4th grade performed poorly in the TIMSS 2007 test of mathematics skills, achieving an average score of 355 relative to an international mean of 500. After controlling for other factors and misreporting error, I find that large classes have substantial adverse effects on student achievement. Increases in class size from 20 to 53 students reduce test scores by about 80 points, or 2.4 points for each additional student in the class. Most likely this is the cumulative effect of class size in grades one to four on achievement in 4th grade.

Medical student self-reported confidence in obstetrics and gynaecology: development of a core clinical competencies document

BackgroundClinical competencies in obstetrics and gynaecology have not been clearly defined for Australian medical students, the growing numbers of which may impact clinical teaching. Our aim was to administer and validate a competencies list, for self-evaluation by medical students of their confidence to manage common clinical tasks in obstetrics and gynaecology; to evaluate students’ views on course changes that may result from increasing class sizes.MethodsA draft list of competencies was peer-reviewed, and discussed at two student focus groups. The resultant list was administered as part of an 81 item online survey.ResultsSixty-eight percent (N = 172) of those eligible completed the survey. Most respondents (75.8%) agreed or strongly agreed that they felt confident and well equipped to recognise and manage most common and important obstetric and gynaecological conditions. Confidence was greater for women, and for those who received a higher assessment grade. Free-text data highlight reasons for lack of clinical experience that may impact perceived confidence.ConclusionsThe document listing competencies for medical students and educators is useful for discussions around a national curriculum in obstetrics and gynaecology in medical schools, including the best methods of delivery, particularly in the context of increasing student numbers.

The surprising effect of larger class sizes: Evidence using two identification strategies

This paper estimates the marginal effect of class size on educational attainment of high school students. We control for the potential endogeneity of class size in two ways using a conventional instrumental variable approach, based on changes in cohort size, and an alternative method where identification is based on restrictions on higher moments. The data is drawn from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) collected in 2003 for the United States and the United Kingdom. Using either method or the two in conjunction leads to the conclusion that increases in class size lead to improvements in student's mathematics scores. Only the results for the United Kingdom are statistically significant.

Rack ‘em, pack 'em and stack ‘em: challenges and opportunities in teaching large classes in higher education

The higher education sector is undergoing tremendous change, driven by complex driving forces including financial, administrative, and organisational and stakeholder expectations. It is in this challenging environment, educators are required to maintain and improve the quality of teaching and learning outcomes while contending with increasing class sizes. Despite mixed evidence on the effectiveness of large classes on student outcomes, large classes continue to play an important part in higher education. While large classes pose numerous challenges, they also provide opportunities for innovative solutions. This paper provides an overview of these challenges and highlights opportunities for innovative solutions.

Introduction

Introduction

Research funding is not enough

Universities compete for research money but at the risk of neglecting teaching and maintenance of their infrastructure.

Revival of essay writing in economics

Over the years, we have seen an increase in class size at all levels of leaning and across all curricula. As one might expect, the impact of this growth on student performance is constantly questioned. One of the consequences of large classes is the pending extinction of the essay test and dwindling research paper assignments. Scholars in any discipline typically understand that writing brings extraordinary focus to one’s thinking. Our students are losing that experience as large classes make essay grading increasingly onerous. In this paper, based on my experience teaching principles of economics, it is suggested that with the help of technology, writing can make a comeback in large class settings.

Student Response Systems and Facilitating the Large Lecture Basic Communication Course: Assessing Engagement and Learning

Instructors of large lecture classes face a variety of challenges, including student engagement and participation. With budget cuts and increasing class sizes, more schools may turn to large lecture/lab formats for the basic communication course (Stanley & Porter, 2002); instructors must understand how these classes engage students. One viable technique is the use of student response systems (e.g., clickers). However, the relationship between these systems, learning, and the factors that impact participation in basic communication courses is unclear. This study will explore the effectiveness of incorporating student response systems into large lectures.

Regeneration status of trees around Khoh river in Garhwal Himalaya

This paper describes the regeneration status of trees along and away from riverian vegetation of Khoh river area of District Pauri in Garhwal Himalaya. Two sites were studied to examine regeneration status/pattern along the river and away from the river area. Seedling (1129.15 seedlings ha-1), sapling (1010.01seedlings ha-1) and tree density (660 trees ha-1) were greater along the river stretch. The highest and lowest seedling density along the rivarian patch was recorded for Salix teterasperma (162.50 seedlings ha-1) and Toona hexandra (29.17 seedlings ha-1) respectively while the highest and lowest seedling density in the area away from the river was observed for Pyrus pashia (106 seedlings ha-1) and Syzygium cumini (23.33 seedlings ha-1) respectively. The tree species Terminalia alata, Bischofia javanica, Melia azedarch and Dalbergia sissoo along the river and Buchanania lanzan, Pyrus pashia, Lagerstromia parviflora and Bombax ceiba observed away from the river were found without any regeneration. The diameter class showed decreasing trend with increase in size of girth class at both the study sites.

Notes from the Editors, November 2012

buy this issueFrom September 10–18, 2012, …[the] rank-and-file-led Chicago Teachers Union went on strike in what is the third-largest school district in the nation with some 350,000 students.… Working-class communities in Chicago came massively to the aid of the strikers. More than a strike simply over wages, teachers were fighting against the corporatization, privatization, and degradation of schools, including: education cutbacks; school closings; teacher layoffs; merit-based pay and removal of teacher-seniority protections; loss of benefits; increased class sizes; shortages of textbooks and equipment; longer school days and longer working hours for teachers; excessive testing; teacher evaluation based mainly on student test scores…; the imposition of an increasingly standardized, corporate-derived curriculum; the charterization of schools; and a highly segregated school district.… The Chicago teachers won a number of partial victories as a result of the strike…. This struggle over elementary and secondary education…is at the very heart of class/social conflict in the United States today. Moreover, neoliberal attacks on public education are now occurring on a global level. Consequently, we intend to devote added attention to the battle over K–12 education in future issues of MR.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.

Human capital contracts for global health

Human capital contracts for global health

Alternate List Matriculants: Outcome Data From Those Medical Students Admitted From the Alternate List

Medical schools are increasing class size to meet future health care needs for our nation. This may lead to more students being accepted from an alternate list (vs. primary acceptances). Given these trends, performance outcomes were compared for alternate list matriculants and primary acceptances. Our hypothesis was that those students accepted from an alternate list would perform equally to the primary acceptances on these outcomes. We compared medical school performance of students who received a primary recommendation of "accept" and compared them to those who received a recommendation of "alternate" over a 10-year period. Given the small sample size of this alternate list group (N = 23), descriptive statistics are reported. No consistent differences between alternate and primary acceptance matriculants in terms of cumulative medical school grade point average, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores and USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge scores were found. Only three alternates (13.0%) were presented to student promotion committee compared to 17.2% for matriculants who were primary acceptances. Three alternates were required to repeat a year (average percentage of 8.7%) compared to 5.6% of matriculants who were primary acceptances. This observational study provides some reassurance that as long as the qualifications of the applicant pool remain adequate, admissions policies that provide for alternate list acceptances may not produce poorer performing students, at least by our current outcome measures.

Digital lecture recording: A cautionary tale

Increasing application of information technology including web-based lectures and live-lecture recording appears to have many advantages for undergraduate nursing education. These include greater flexibility, opportunity for students to review content on demand and the improved academic management of increasing class sizes without significant increase in physical infrastructure.This study performed a quasi-experimental comparison between two groups of nursing students undertaking their first anatomy and physiology course, where one group was also provided access to streaming of recorded copies of the live lectures and the other did not. For the course in which recorded lectures were available student feedback indicated overwhelming support for such provision with 96% of students having accessed recorded lectures. There was only a weak relationship between access of recorded lectures and overall performance in the course. Interestingly, the nursing students who had access to the recorded lectures demonstrated significantly poorer overall academic performance (P < 0.001). Although this study did not specifically control for student demographics or other academic input, the data suggests that provision of recorded lectures requires improved and applied time management practices by students and caution on the part of the academic staff involved.

Diversity and regeneration status of Sarkot Van Panchyat in Garhwal Himalaya, India

We investigated the floristic composition, phytosociological and regeneration status of Sarkot Van Panchyat (community forest) in Chamoli district of Garhwal Himalaya. A total of 52 plant species of 46 genera and 26 families were recorded, which included 12 trees, 18 shrubs and 22 herb species. Quercus leucotrichophora was dominant tree species in sapling and seedling layers, followed by Lyonia ovalifolia and Rhododendron arboreum. Out of 12 tree species, 7 species in seedling stage and 8 species in sapling stage were recorded in the study area. The 44.41% species in the study area showed good regeneration status, 16.66% species were fairly regenerating, and 8.33% species showed poor regeneration status, while 33% species were not regenerating. Number of individuals from lower girth classes (0–10 cm and 10–30 cm) showed decreasing trend with the increase in size of girth class. Shannon index (H) for trees, shrubs and herbs was recorded as 1.82, 2.24 and 2.41 respectively. Simpsons index (CD) was recorded as 0.21, 0.12 and 0.12 for trees, shrubs and herbs respectively. The forest should be divided into compartments for better management purpose and each compartment should be closed for five years to assist regeneration and enrichment planting may also be carried out for sustainable management.

Use of ICT and Student Learning in Higher Education

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Higher Education (HE) and the capabilities of the internet have added value to university teaching and learning. It has also tested the resolve of universities to maximise the benefits of technology integration amidst increasing class sizes, student expectations, cultural diversity and mobility of students. Understanding how students learn and devising appropriate student centred instruction and learning are considered essential to the successful implementation of ICT and allied technologies in teaching and learning. Supported by the findings of an empirical study conducted in an Australian university on student learning orientations and perceptions of course delivery, this article discusses the challenges faced by universities in the integration of technology in teaching for better learning outcomes. The study indicates that technology and learning contexts have a profound influence on student learning orientations of deep or surface learning and students seem to have mixed feelings about the impact of technology in teaching and learning.

Financial Implications of Increasing Medical School Class Size: Does Tuition Cover Cost?

In 2006, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) issued a recommendation that medical schools increase the supply of physicians by 30% to meet the patient needs of the new millennium. To provide financial analysis of the cost of increasing class size. To determine the financial consequences of increasing medical student enrollment and in the absence of nationally published cost data for medical schools, adjusted secondary revenue data was analyzed using AAMC and Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) financial data from 2009. Linear regression analysis was used to determine average fixed costs and variable cost per student in USD. In USD, $62,877 represents the best point estimate of the annual variable cost of educating a medical student. Comparing this cost to current tuitions and fees of LCME-accredited medical schools suggests that revenues other than tuition are needed to cover increases in class size. Tuition and fees revenue from increasing enrollment will not increase overall revenue to medical schools.

The characteristics and quality of pre-school education in Spain

We examined 25 four-year-old pre-school classrooms from a random sample of 15 schools within a large urban city in southern Spain. Observational measures of classroom quality included the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System and the Observation of Activities in Pre-school. Findings revealed that, on average, classroom quality was low in regards to space and materials, developmentally appropriate activities and instruction; however, classrooms were relatively high on positive climate and productivity, and teachers demonstrated positive relationships with families. The observed ratio of children to teachers was high across classrooms. Results from regression analyses indicate that a higher ratio was associated with lower quality language modelling, teacher feedback and personal care routines available in these settings. Qualitative data from teacher interviews highlighted the importance of a pre-school education for children's development and school readiness, but also emphasised the challenges teachers faced with the new government-subsidised, universal pre-school programme, including increased class sizes and a lack of staff and resources. Implications for maintaining high-quality programme standards are discussed.

Teacher knowledge as fundamental to effective teaching practice

Mathematics teaching, and the ways in which ‘ineffective’ teaching impacts on students’ learning, has long been the topic of discussion around many a national policy table. Given that mathematics plays a central role in shaping how individuals deal with various spheres of private, social, and civil life, mathematics student outcomes have traditionally been a key rallying point for administrators and policy makers. Concerns that mathematics teaching contributes to poor students’ achievements, relative to international benchmarks, have recently put huge political pressure on education systems in a number of Western nations. Stakeholders tend to blame sitting governments at both state and national levels for not doing enough to demonstrate good or internationally comparable student performance. The current debate resembles the debates that preceded it in at least one important respect: that young people cannot do mathematics sufficiently well because, in part, teachers are not doing their job sufficiently well. The terms of the debate have prompted governments to respond with inquiries, with new initiatives, and with new policy, and the comprehensive strategy designed to boost mathematics standards in the UK is a case in point. In my own country, New Zealand, the current response consists of a suite of proposals including more public–private partnerships, increased class size, and teachers’ salaries commensurate with competence. If the proposals are implemented, inevitably, there will be some who stand to win and some who do not. Effective teaching is not necessarily a consequence of new policy. Lying at the heart of effective teaching are the knowledge and skill that an individual teacher brings to the cognitive demands of teaching. What teachers do in classrooms is very much dependent on what they know and believe about mathematics and on what they understand about the teaching and learning of mathematics (Anthony and Walshaw 2007). Successful teachers are those with both the intention and the effect to assist students to make sense of mathematics (Jaworski 2004). A teacher with merely the intention of developing student understanding will not necessarily produce the desired effect. What is clear, however, is