I think it also depends on the overall "personality" of the class. A class of 30 students with 98 percent of them having good study habits, minimial personal issues, etc. would be much less challenging than a class of 25 students where five or six of your students had personal,employment,reading,or language issues that an instructor may have to deal with either directly or in cooperation with another department. When comparing those two classes together, I am sure grades, retention and the overall learning experience would be somewhat different between the two.
Class size does matter, you can't be as close or catch concerns and intervine with a large number of students.
I also belive that a smaller class size is a huge advantage to the students. I usally have a class of 30 students. On the rare ocassion it is cut down to 24 students the pass rate goes up and the retention rate also goes up. This could be from more student to teacher one on one time or that the teacher is just in touch with what is going on in the class. Which makes it easier to spot the students that are struggling with getting there and staying there.
I recently had a class with 21 students. 9 less than the usual. What a diffrence in lab/class! It was easier to teach more extra topics in lab by spliting the class in two half groups, instead of 3. Ten students works well in my engine lab. Especially when I am looking for feedback for the answer to a topic or theory. It is also better so I can figure out quicker how to get the underachiever up to speed with my more advanced students.
The thought of having a lab assistant is 2 fold. Alot like working in the field. To find someone who has the same ideals with the tasks in front of you, and reinforce the topic in lecture would be beneficial. Someone who contridicts what you had tought in lecture would do nothing but cost you time, trust.
My thoughts on whay a small class size would no more that 16 students. If you have 25 to 30, then two instructors should be in that class during lab time. It is I personally can not whatch and look for troubled students while helping many students during lab. If the school wants beeter retention then lets think about schudling smaller class and some form of screening the students that appl to come to school so we get a better quailty of student, and not just someone that mommy sent out of the house because she was tired of him/her laying around the home. You know if we got better quailty students we would not have as much attrition as we may have now. and our other customer would be alot happer with the students we send them in the end.
Nicely done, Gerry. Information is available that can significantly impact outcomes, if people are willing to gather and analyze the data. Obviously, the next step - acting on it - is the critical component.
You may not have the opportunity to pick your class size, but you can influence it. We have a 12 week program where students may start in any one of 4, three week modules. One module is the most difficult in the entire school. by collecting statistics on failures related to class size and whether the student was starting in that module, I was able to present statistics to the scheduling and student services coordinator that led them to modify the class laod to try to improve student success. You can sometimes make a difference
A lot of interesting comments but no one has quantified what is a small class. Is 25 - 30 small? Is there a difference if the class is a lecture or lab? What's the impact of an assistant?
yes class size matters, especially in a subject that uses a classroom/lab environment. in the classroom a extremely large class the control sometimes suffers and the underachieving student is overlooked and in the lab it is almost impossible to monitor a large group without assistance. hands on training suffers and class completion is downgraded. by maintaining a smaller class the instructor has a better chance of all students recieving the lessons presented.
Yes I do believe the class size matters. A smaller class gives you a better opportunity to work with the students and to build that relationship with them. But as we get better at recognizing student behavior and what to look for it should not be an issue.
I feel that class size is a factor. When the class is too large the students seem to get lost in the crowd and it is far more dificult to spot a troubled student.
I think a smaller class size is very important both for the student and the instructor, but you dont have the opportunity to pick your class size so you have to deal with the cards as they are delt.
Size of the class does affect ones ability to identify a problem early on. When the class size is smaller, you have a better chance to conect with the student and be able to react to a problem befor it gets out of hand.
I agree with that, in a class of almost 30 it can be difficult to spot troubled students early on. With a smaller group of 15 to 20 more attention can be given and a more personal learning environment can be had.
Yes it does seem like smaller classes are more personal, when i have a larger class it is harder to spot problems and see the attitudes of all, and work to help correct them
i do believe that a smaller class is easier to find the troubled students and be able to intervene and possibly prevent a student from quiting school.
