The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio
What is an optimal online student-instructor ratio? Justify your answer.
I believe the optimal ratio (when I say optimal, I also take into account efficiencies, budgetary constraints, etc....) is 1 instructor to 15 students. This ratio allows for a good amount of collaboration between students, but also allows the instructor to become very involved in the discussions and helps to develop a personal relationship with each student. This could perhaps happen even as high as 20, but in my opinion, 15 is optimal.
There are so many variables to this question.
What level and familiarity are the students with the subject matter? When facilitating for students with new material, new to the subject or a variety of skill sets, a smaller ratio is beneficial to all. It can take several weeks for students to fully feel comfortable reaching out to other students and developing a "community of learning" environment. During this ramp up period the facilitator may find him or herself "working the room" to insure each student understands the material. In this case, I prefer no more the 12 students in the class. As high level course work comes into play, I can comfortably work with 16 to 24 students, as I know we are all building on an existing level of expertise, as well as actively communicating with each other.
I feel a good ratio is 15-20 students per class. A five week course operates at a fairly fast pace. When you have more than 20 students it is very hard to get to know them, provide good feedback, provide quality support and help struggling students.
I have had over 35 students in a computer programming course. This is terrible for the students. There is simply not enough time for an instructor to provide quality support. I know there were students that failed because they got behind and there wasn’t time to help them.
I think there are other factors to consider such as the topic, assignments, first computer course, etc.
Valaire,
So I assume you are saying there is not only a max. ideal ratio but also a minimum one as well. Most other people feel the same way. Without a min. number of students it is hard to have a meaningful discussion in a course; however, too many and it is hard to manage the specifics of the course and provide specific feedback.
Herbert Brown III
that is so true. there is something about that little visual that gets the attention :)
some classes the numbers have been so low that the discussion board was almost useless. There was really no major discussions going on or we had students simply waiting to respond to anyone just to get the necessary points.
I think this depends on the course. If it is a intense course the numbers should be low however, if it is a theory class the numbers could increase. I think this question relates directly to what is the optimal amount of students in any course, online or ground classes.
I think the optimal ratio is contingent upon the type of course being taught. My experience has consisted of teaching a multitude of both writing intensive and more creative-based courses.
Writing intensive courses take a considerable amount of time to review student work. Especially when expectations require substantive feedback. In addition, writing intensive assignments require multiple drafts/revisions, etc.
Design-based courses are particularly challenging due to multiple factors such as a students competency with the software, student's creative point of view, evaluating how well design solutions satisfy the design problem given and lastly the inherent challenge of giving written/text based critiques in a discussion thread to visually based assignments.
Considering the above there should be careful consideration of course enrollment to aid in both the instructor's and student's success in the course.
Peter,
Another limitation of small courses as identified by numerous folks in the forum is the lack of student to student interaction in discussion forums. The smaller the number of students, as you identified, the less diversity in assignment responses, but also the limited interaction between students since there are few to interaction with.
Herbert Brown III
I am surprised by some of the responses in the thread to this question. While I can understand keeping the student class size to less than 30, I cannot understand why less than 12 would be detrimental. Certainly, as the class size increases, the possibility of students getting lost (or hiding) in the online discussion is almost a certainty. So keeping the student size down is important. However, there seems to be a view that less than 12 is also a problem. However, the problem of getting lost or hiding is not one of them. The only downside to a small (less than 12) student class is the lack of diversity of views on each topic but this can be mitigated by the instructor introducing these other views and asking the students to comment on them with the goal of stimulating some critical thinking. Therefore, keeping the class size to less than 30 is optimal and a small class (i.e., 7 students) should not be a problem.
Hi Herbert,
I agree that the type of course being taught makes a difference on class size. I teach Health Records, Coding and Reimbursement to Medical Assistants for Missouri College online and I prefer classes that have 14 students at the maximum. Thanks. Lisa
Elizabeth,
I have found something similar, specifically a 15-20:1 ratio depending on the course I teach. I find the course design (assignments, etc.) the amount of interaction, the level of the content and the intensity of the writing in the course all also play a role in the student to instructor ratio.
Herbert Brown III
Hi Herbert,
I think the optimal online student-instructor ratio is no more than 14 to one. I believe it is important to spend an adequate amount of time for each student. This includes providing timely and constructive feedback on assignments, answering questions, participating in the Discussion Board and preparing Live Chats that are beneficial and complement and goals and objectives of the course.
Thanks. Lisa Dunham
Anne,
I like how you articulated that there is not necessarily one correct ratio. The proper ratio can and should depend on each individual course. I agree with the examples that you give that the content can and will definitely play a role in the proper course ratio. Other factors such as the level of the content, the design of the course (interaction, discussion, etc.) and other factors also influence the ideal ratio. I have personally found similar ratios in my experience teaching online.
Herbert Brown III
In my experience this is highly dependable on the course. For example a class like medical terminology, that involves primarily memorization and retention, the class size can be higher. I would estimate 30-35. The goal of learning medical terminology is primarily placed upon the student and their ability to memorize and apply. They probably have all the skills needed to complete this task with the aid of a course and activities to complement this.
On the other hand a course that involves the development of a new and unfamiliar skill, like medical coding, should have a smaller course size. I would estimate an ideal of 15-20. The ideal learning process involves more of a hands on approach. Being able to work with a smaller group of students is more beneficial to each student. Your availability to meet in small groups and one-on-one is critical.
Brandon,
I agree that smaller courses do allow for more instructor/student interaction. Too small can have a negative impact on the discussion dynamics in the course. It might be hard to get administrators to connect with a 12:1 ratio. The more common ratio I see, for the same reasons you identify, is a 15-20:1 ratio. Administrators can also connect better with this slightly higher ratio.
Herbert Brown III
The optimal student-instructor ratio is no more than 12 to 1. A class of this size allows for rich academic discussion and discourse on various topics presented within the classroom. If the student number is too small, then there may not be enough participants to offer substantive comments. A class size that is too large makes it difficult for the instructor to actively engage all learners effectively in the learning process. Consequently, students who tend to shy away from active participation have the opportunity to sit idly without having to express their thoughts and opinions on the subject matter.
Mary Kay,
I appreciate as an administrator that you realize the difficulties of teaching online and want to limit as much as possible the number of students in a course. Your optimal ratio if very consistent with others teaching in online environments. I get frustrated when admins think online is a money maker and want to put 200 in a single section. I have personally found that 15-20 is ideal for most classes.
Herbert Brown III
Although dependent on the level of the class and the complexity or rigor of the course I have found that the optimal class range should be about 15 students. I know many schools for financial purposes like to go to as high as 25, and while I understand the thinking, I don't feel the student gets the best experience with that large of a class. Students need individualized support and guidance in online courses. As an online instructor, and administrator I try to push for caps of no more than 20 to allow the instructor time to effectively manage their classrooms.
