Hi Stephen, understanding that more students drop out of online courses, what type of enrollments do you try to get, so that you end up with a class of 12-15 students? Tina
Hi Kimberly, I agree that one of the benefits of a large class is having robust discussions as well as multiple perspectives on an issue. Tina
Hi Kimberly,
I log into the system at 7 am and I have still yet to walk away. I will probably be done today around 5 pm. I will be closing out 4 classes by Tuesday and have to have them graded and posted it the system. That is the point when I triple check all my work, over and over again. I have been running 7 classes, talk about spreading myself thin. I am glad, next semester it will go back down to 5 classes. That will be better for myself and for the student interaction.
Hello Dr. Stavredes,
I have been teaching online master's degree courses in project management since January. The student-instructor ratio has been as low a 9:1 to a high of 21:1. I found having 21 students a challenge to provide substantive feedback on assignments within the time frames.
I would suggest an optimal student class consisting of 12 to 15 students for the courses I teach. This number would allow instructors to provide the necessary feedback and communication to each student. Students learn from each other so having this many would hopefully diverse class.
Dr. Stephen W. Volz
Hi Antonio, I usually experience a drop percentage as well however mine is typically 2-5 students’ that withdrawal. 28 students seem to be more manageable then 40 however it sounds like your course content is more difficult so 28 students could still be a stretch for you. I find that I also am logging in/checking e-mail more than required, if I don’t it’s just too easy to get behind.
The optimal online student-instructor ratio depends on many factors. Is this the students first online class; do they have the technology and understand the technology needed for the online class; are they academically prepared for the class; do they have the ability to learn concepts on their own and/or have the ability to ask for help when necessary.... the list goes on and on.
With this in mind I will say 10:1 is a good student –instructor ratio. This class size is large enough to have a good discussion of topics from varied view points, and small enough for the instructor to really get to know each student and provide them with meaningful, timely feedback.
I just finished an online class that had 19 students. For many of them it was their first online class and they really needed more support than I could give them with a class that size. Some of the students fell through the cracks…I can’t say I feel great about that. So those students are left feeling frustrated and inept and the instructor may very well feel the same way. Which then leads to student (and instructor) retention issues.
Currently my student ratio is 35-37 students to one instructor. I find this to be challenging and very time consuming to provide meaningful feedback within the 72-hour grading deadline. It seems to me that a ratio of 20 students would be the most optimum ratio, considering that some students require more hands-on help and this would also afford me more time to provide the most detailed feedback. Putting grading a side, having a larger class makes for a very lively discussion board which really enhances the student’s participation. At present, time management dictates the amount of time I can spend on each student, having less students would be the optimal ratio for my instructor style.
I think the optimal online student/instructor ration is 1:25. I feel that once you have over 25 students in a course it is difficult to provide them with personalized attention. However, having 25 or fewer students gives the instructor time to truly reach out to each student individually providing the attention they need to complete the course.
Hi Brian, I think you make a good point about it being instructor dependent. This is especially the case with new instructors. Tina
Hi Antonio, I would find it very hard to manage 40 students or even with a 30%, 28! At my institution we keep our courses at around 25 students. Tina
In the years I spent in a on ground classroom I was normally assigned 24 students per class. This number was manageable depending on which of the two courses I was teaching last year. The GenEd course was geared for first time computer users, I taught the basic Microsoft Products ex. Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Although week 1 through 3 were a challenge, it was nothing compared to my other class. The second class was an Medical Insurance Billing and Coding class. We all were using a program that required a great amount of hands on with the individual student. This course generally kept me on my feet from the start of class until we went home. It took an average of 4 sessions for the average student to continue with little interaction from me.
Now days, I find myself going into the online classroom more than the required by my employer to insure I can bridge the gap in "live" communication. I am required 5 days a week and I normally will check emails also on my two other days. I have at times 40 assigned student and by the second or third week it dwindles down by as much as 30%.
It depends on the instructor. Some may be able to deal with more students or less students than others. Personally, I like about 13 students. That is the number that I feel comfortable with, and would prefer all my classes to be at or under.
The optimal online student-instructor ratio would be 10 to 15 students. This amount of students would allow for adequate one on one interaction. Also the group of only 10 to 15 would allow for a great class size for group interaction.
A larger group would not allow for individual instructions. Also this group amount would allow for revisions in the course and allow for student feedback.
Hi Kim, we experience the same thing, however, we do have a cap, so ours will not go over 27. Tina
Hi, Tina and Joan:
I agree that 30:1, at least in a writing course (what I teach) is too many. In order to provide substantial feedback to each student, I prefer 20-25 students in the course. I think some institutions predict that enrollment in each section will drop in the first week, but when in doesn't, the burden falls on the instructor to work with 33+ students in a section and that overwhelms me! Kim
Hi Tawanda, I agree with you that larger numbers are great for discussions, but a nightmare for grading!! Tina
I like the idea of establishing a rapport with the students, which can really help to facilitate student learning. Students need to be able to trust that we will be there to assist them and answer any questions, which can be difficult with more than 20 or 25 students. I agree that enrollment has a major impact on the online learning environment, whether enrollment is high or low.
I think that about 1 to 20 would be the optimal online instructor-student ratio. But it should also be based on the type of course you are teaching. More advanced courses should have less students while less advanced (introductor) one should have more. I teach introductory courses in medical assisting and have anywhere between 25 to 30 students. I can be difficult with that many students because of the amount of attention that is needed for some students and the grading. Especially the grading...lol!
However, I do enjoy the large classes because it makes the class discussions even more interesting and interactive. However, there is less time spent grading in the smaller courses. I guess hte ration also depends on enrollement as well.
Hi Janet, we actually have more learners in the course sections when they are new to online learning because of the large attrition. Tina
I believe the ratio depends on the course level and the type of students. If the students are familiar with online learning and the responsibilities they hold, then the ratio can be higher if the content of the course allows more students. However, if the students are new to the online environment then they will require more instructor time.
It is important to have enough students in the class to engage actively in discussions however.
