The Impact of Class Size on Outcomes in Higher Education

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Summary
The study
The statistics
Data collection
Works Cited

Monks, James and Schmidt, Robert. “The Impact of Class Size and Number of Students on Outcomes in Higher Education.” The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy 11.1 (2011): 1-17.

Summary

Monks and Schmidt concur that numerous studies have been conducted to determine the influence on class size on learner behavior, attitudes as well as outcomes. However, most of these studies have largely focused on elementary as well as pre-school while few studies have investigated the impact of class size on students in institutions of higher learning.

Thus, the general belief among education stakeholders that smaller class sizes leads to better student learning and outcomes has not been supported by empirical evidence especially at institutions of higher learning (Monks & Schmidt 1).

A few studies have been able to show the influence of class size and the total number of students in a faculty (student load) on students and learning outcomes at tertiary level of education. Monks & Schmidt (3) state that most studies on this topic have revealed that larger class sizes have significant negative effects on student outcomes although a few have contradicted this result.

Two studies have provided theoretical basis for lower student outcomes in larger class sizes and higher overall number of students in a faculty. The first study was done by Correa (133) and reveals that larger class size and student load limits an instructor’s ability to provide individual attention (Monks & Schmidt 3). The second was done by Lazear (800) and reveals that larger classes allow some students to absentee themselves from classes or hide from class engagements or participations (Monks & Schmidt 3).

This study examined the effects of class size and student load on student outcomes. A private university on the east coast of the United States was used to provide data to determine the influence of class size and student load on learner outcomes at institutions of higher learning (Monks & Schmidt 5). The study covered 1996 academic year through 2008 (Monks & Schmidt 5).

The outcomes examined were overall instructor ratings, amount learned, and overall course ratings which were all assigned values 1-5 where 5 represented the highest rating. It also examined students’ highest and lowest expectations which were averaged to form the students expected course GPA (Monks & Schmidt 5).

The independent variables used in the study included “course specific variables which were the average grade point average of the students in class, the gender mix of the class, the grade level mix of the class, the meeting time of the class, class length, type of class and the prior level of student interest in the course” (Monks & Schmidt 6).

The other controls included institutional factors which were trend variable and online binary since the evaluation was done online. The other independent variable was the number of students in classes, captured from the administration records. Instructor as well as course fixed affects formed the final independent variables.

The study found that larger class size as well as the total number of students that an instructor in a faculty has to teach have an impact on the outcomes of amount learned, course grade, course rating as well as instructor rating (Monks & Schmidt 15). Larger class size and student load have negative influence on the amount of critical as well as analytical thinking required of the instructor in the course.

They also negatively affect effectiveness of teaching methods, clarity of presentations, the instructors’ ability to stimulate student interest, daily preparedness, enthusiasm for the class and availability outside class. These negatively impact student outcomes.

The study

This study was a longitudinal experiment where the researchers, Monks and Schmidt, used control groups (classes) to eliminate some independent variables, and determine as well as explain the influence of class size and total number of students in a faculty on student outcomes. The research questions were administered online and on paper. The sample period began in 1996 and continued through 2008.

It involved three years of data collection before the implementation of the merged classes, six years of implementation of the merged classes and three years of return to normal class sizes. The type of longitudinal study applied in this study is panel study as it involved sampling in 8 faculties, 48 individual faculty members, as well as 88 separate courses. The studies were done in 1,928 course sections with 80 of them being merged during the research period.

The statistics

The research utilized both qualitative and quantitative statistics. The students were asked to give their overall rating on their instructors, amount learned, and course. Each of the outcomes was assigned values 1-5, where 1 represented the lowest value and 5 the highest value.

In addition, students were asked to state their highest as well as lowest expected grades, which were then averaged. These statistics were used to estimate the average course outcomes and in turn “the influence of class size and student load on course outcomes” (Monks & Schmidt 6) using the equation:

Y_isjt = β₀ + β₁ (X_isjt) + β₂(Class Size_isjt) + β₃(Student Load_isjt) + δ_i + α_j + ν_t + ε_isjt;

where Y is the average course outcome and X is the course specific variables. The constant i represents instructor, s is the section of course j while t is the semester and δ, α, ν are their error components (Monks & Schmidt 6).

In addition, weighted least squares regression was done on all independent variables to determine their influence on course and student outcomes. The independent variables were classified as course specific, number of students, course fixed effects and instructor.

All the regression results included faculty fixed effects as well as a trend term so as to allow for all estimated coefficients to be representative of effects of changes in course enrollment as well as student load on outcomes within each faculty. Finally, descriptive statistics were used to present and explain the regression results.

Data collection

The data used in the study was collected from various sources. The number of students registered in every class and faculty as well as student course evaluations were collected from the administrative records of a private university where the study was conducted. The study was restricted to the university’s undergraduate business school and the data were collected after the second week of registration.

The sample period covered 1996-2008 academic years (Monks & Schmidt 6). The samples were collected from 48 instructors teaching in 8 faculties (Monks & Schmidt 6). In total, the samples were collected from 1,928 sections in 88 separate courses (Monks & Schmidt 5). Other important data regarding the students’ opinions and ratings were collected through questionnaires which administered online while others on paper.

The relationship between the objectives and the statistics used

The major objective in this study was to examine the impact of class size as well as the total number of students in a faculty on outcomes of students at institutions of higher learning. The statistics examined to understand the study question were self-reported ratings on the much learned in the course, overall course, overall instructor, as well as, student average expected grade.

These measures were used to determine the impact of class size as well as the total number of students in a faculty on course outcomes and in turn student outcomes. It was found that larger class sizes had negative effects on the students self-reported outcomes of expected course rating, amount learned, course rating as well as instructor rating.

These negative ratings represented student outcomes in their courses implying that a faculty that enrolls many students in a semester and or registers more than the class average negatively affects course and student outcomes. Qualitative analysis of the course specific variables also reveals that large size classes have negative effect on student outcomes.

Regression results of class size as well as the total number of students in a faculty on course attributes was also used to establish the reasons as to why larger class sizes and many students in a faculty negatively affected student outcomes. It was found that larger class sizes and many students in a faculty negatively affect the analytical and critical thinking of instructors required to enhance student outcomes in a course.

These factors also affect the instructor’s daily preparedness and enthusiasm for class, effectiveness in arousing students’ interests, clarity in presentations as well as effectiveness in using teaching methods (Monks & Schmidt 13).

Many students in a faculty increases workload on the instructor and therefore affecting his or her ability to prepare for lessons and effectively deliver to the expected level. In general, these statistics help find answer to the research question and explain the theoretical basis behind the problem, and therefore, fulfilling the objectives of the study.

Works Cited

Correa, Hector. “An Economic Analysis of Class Size and Achievement in Education.” Education Economics, 1.2 (1993): 129-135.

Lazear, Edward. “Educational Production.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 116.3 (2001): 777- 803.