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![Works Cited"Class Size Need Not Constrain Teaching." The Chronicle of Higher Education 56.06 (2009). General Reference Center Gold. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.Hartley, James. "Class size matters! James Hartley considers research into the effects of different class sizes on academic attainment at school and university." Psychology Review Nov. 2004: 27+. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Mar. 2010."Smaller classes? Yes! (But ...). (Research corner: essentials on education data and analysis from research authority AEL)." District Administration 39.6 (2003): 66. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.Wilby, Peter. "Size isn't everything: why teachers may be wrong about this class issue." New Statesman [1996] 31 Mar. 2008: 16. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.Images- all were derived from the creative commons section of http://www.flickr.comhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/chicago2016/3277192438/http://www.flickr.com/photos/seattlemunicipalarchives/4112145057/http://www.flickr.com/photos/chicago2016/3277193678/sizes/l/http://www.flickr.com/photos/csessums/4389889668/](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/doessizereallymatter-100325094019-phpapp01/75/Does-Size-Really-Matter-17-2048.jpg)
Does Size Really Matter
- 1. Does Size ReallyMatter?cdsessums By: Kaci Poland
- 2. Class SizeClass sizeis the ratio of students to one teacher. This ratio is regularly enforced in daycares. Ex) Preschool ratio is 10 students to one teacherIf a daycare center does not follow ratios, there could be legal trouble. Regular inspections of ratio
- 3. Importance of ClassSizeClass size is important to consider when the following variables are involved: Physical dimensions of the classroomResources availableEffectiveness of teaching in classroom(Hartley, Par. 2)
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- 5. Background InformationThere hasbeen a lot of debate recently about the correlation between class size and academic achievement. Researchers have been studying class size. There are financial benefits and disadvantages to both large and small class size.
- 6. Background Information:Class sizein the U.K.The U.K. government policy recommends a class size of about 30 students. (Hartley, 2004)Peter Blachford’s study (Hartley, 2004)7,000 children monitoredUsed multiple methods to measure effects
- 7. Background information:Class Sizein The U.S.The U.S. hopes to achieve a class size around 18 students in elementary grades. (Hartley, 2004)The examination of about 77 study's in the U.S. The study found as class sizes increased achievement decreased (Hartley, 2004)
- 8. Class Size InElementary SchoolSTAR (Student Teacher Achievement Ratio)Well known study conducted in Tennessee during the 1980’s.STAR compared student achievement in small classes including only about 13-17 children. The study involved children ages 5,6,7,and 8.Results: students in smaller classes achieved higher marks than students in larger or regular classrooms, (Hartley, 2004).
- 9.
- 10. Class Size InMiddle School and High school Robinson’s research in 1990 found that as students got older the effects of class size became less noticeable. The STAR program results affected the academic performance in secondary school. Students in small classes:Completed more advanced courseworkLower drop out ratesWere more likely to be in the top 10% of their classesTook college entrance exams (Hartley, 2004)
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- 12. Class Size InUniversitiesResearch has been conducted on class size and has found that increasing the lecture sizes has led to lower scores, (Hartley, 2004).However, as class sizes were larger and reached 550 students the scores improved. In general large classes are not effective for:Retention of knowledge Critical thinkingAttitude change (Hartley, 2004)
- 13. The Benefits OfLarger Class Sizes Schools can enroll more students More government funding is given to schools with higher enrollment. Schools can save money Not as many faculty members to pay
- 14. The Disadvantages toLarger Class SizeHarder for teacher to give individual attention.Less interaction concerning individual student’s needs. More time spent on non-teaching activities.Less classroom management and control.
- 15. LegislationInstead of settingand enforcing a student to teacher ratio, the government wants to enforce the hiring of more qualified teachers.However, most schools pride themselves on the low student to teacher ratio. With standardized testing becoming increasingly demanding on teachers and students, schools are likely to see legislation for class size as an attempt to see higher marks on these tests.
- 16. ConclusionOverall smaller classsizes lead to higher grades at every level although it is not as noticeable in older students. The government has not yet stepped in to control this issue, however as America becomes more competitive in academic success on a global level, class size may become more of an issue in the years to come.
- 17. Works Cited"Class SizeNeed Not Constrain Teaching." The Chronicle of Higher Education 56.06 (2009). General Reference Center Gold. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.Hartley, James. "Class size matters! James Hartley considers research into the effects of different class sizes on academic attainment at school and university." Psychology Review Nov. 2004: 27+. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Mar. 2010."Smaller classes? Yes! (But ...). (Research corner: essentials on education data and analysis from research authority AEL)." District Administration 39.6 (2003): 66. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.Wilby, Peter. "Size isn't everything: why teachers may be wrong about this class issue." New Statesman [1996] 31 Mar. 2008: 16. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.Images- all were derived from the creative commons section of http://www.flickr.comhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/chicago2016/3277192438/http://www.flickr.com/photos/seattlemunicipalarchives/4112145057/http://www.flickr.com/photos/chicago2016/3277193678/sizes/l/http://www.flickr.com/photos/csessums/4389889668/
Editor's Notes
- #2 Thispowerpoint gives light to the topic of class size which is becoming an increasingly controversial topic, as academic standards are set even higher as America competes in the international education competition.
- #3 Class size is used to describe the ratio of students to every one teacher in a classroom. This ratio is enforced by law in all day care centers. Each age and grade level has a set amount of students that can be under one teacher’s supervision. There are annual random inspections of daycares, and daycares receive an expensive fine if they do not comply with the legal ratios. An example is that preschool classrooms can only have ten students per one teacher in the classroom.
- #4 Class size is very important when considering the following; physical dimensions of the classroom, the amount of resources available for instance is there enough scissors for every child in the classroom, and the effectiveness of teaching in the classroom for example does every student get one on one attention from the teacher so that the students better understand the concepts that are being taught?
- #5 When there are a large amount of students in a classroom, they often group together so that they can help each other understand the curriculum being taught. This is because the teacher may have too many student to help these children his or herself.
- #6 There is a lot of debate about whether or not there is a correlation between class size and academic success. Teachers believe that there is a very strong correlation and that legislation should be put in place to help minimize the amount of students per classroom. Government officials on the other hand believe that instead of lowering classroom sizes, they should hire teachers who are better prepared to teach in larger sized classrooms. Because of this recent debate, there is plenty of research being done to study the correlation. Financiallty there are advantages and disadvantages to both a large classroom and a small classroom.
- #7 In the U.K. it is often suggested that the classroom size remain consistently at 30. Peter Blachford recorded a study conducted in the U.K. where he monitored 7,000 children of all ages and used multiple methods to measure the effects of class size. He found that his results varied from student to student.
- #8 The U.S. on the other hand is taking some action in class size, the U.S. hopes to lower class size to 18 in elementary grades. Seventy-seven study's were examined and it was found that as class size increased academic success tended to decrease.
- #9 The Student teacher Achievement ratio or STAR was a well known study that was conducted in the 80’s. the study compared student achievement in smaller classes which tended to range from 13 to 17 children. The study involved mostly lower elementary aged students. The results they found was that students in smaller classes achieved higher marks than students in regular, large classooms.
- #10 This teacher is shown teaching with a teacher’s assistant. This is done so that larger classes can attempt to give children the individual attention needed for academic success.
- #11 The effects of class size in middle and high school was studied by Robinson who’s research in 1990 found that the older students became the less of an impact class size had on academic achievement. The STAR program affected class size in middle school and high school. It has been shown that students in smaller classes in middle and high school completed more advanced coursework, lower dropout rates, they were more likely to be in the top 10% of their graduating class, and they were more prepared for college by taking college enterance exams.
- #12 This teacher is shown teaching a smaller class of middle school students with around 17 or 18 students.
- #13 The research conducted on university class size showed that larger lecture halls had lower scores mainly because of low attendance, however when the lecture reached 55o students, scores seemed to improve. In general large class sizes do not promote the retention of knowledge, critical thinking, or attitude change due to the lack of hands on activities and interaction with the teacher or professor.
- #14 There are, however, benefits to larger class sizes, schools can enroll more students, schools can receive more government funding if they have a larger amount of students, schools save money by cutting back on faculty and filling remaining classrooms to their maximum.
- #15 There are many disadvantages as well for a large class size. Obviously it is harder for students to get individual attention from the instructor, there is less interaction and accommodation for the individual students needs. Students in a larger classroom tend to spend more time on non-teaching activities, and there is less management and control.
- #16 The government although they encourage smaller class sizes do not enforce it by law because they feel that teachers who are more qualified to handle and teach in larger classrooms should be hired. Most schools pride themselves on low student to teacher ratios, I know Central Michigan University pride itself on their one to eighteen students ratio. Looking in the future, standardized testing is being used more to measure the effectiveness of a teacher or school and with that legislature should follow by enforcing lower class sizes in an attempt to receive better scores from students.
- #17 In conclusion it would seem that lower class size higher grades at every level even if the difference is less noticeable in upper elementary. The government has not yet stepped in to enforce this issue however, they will be pressured due to global academic competition.