Professors often expect students to have the skills that are necessary to participate in discussions. Students, on the other hand, have been trained to glean information from the lecture format; their prior experiences in discussions are likely to be limited to personal opinions on topics such as stem-cell research or evolution. Sudden changes in…

According to Tennessee's 4-year study of class size, smaller classes (13 to 17 students) have an advantage over larger classes in reading and mathematics in the early primary grades. Another study showed that fourth graders previously enrolled in Project STAR classes out-performed non-STAR students. Benefits are greater when teachers possess…

Tested whether variations in class size caused teachers to alter their teaching methods. Examination of 2,170 mathematics classes suggests that, when class size is reduced, teachers do not spend time on new material, nor do they finish more of the assigned textbook. Instead, they shift time to more individual instruction. (SLD)

A policy of reducing class size seems sensible, but might have costly, far-reaching implications for students, teachers, and public support for schools. The purpose of this research brief is to summarize 100 class size research studies from 1950 to 1985 and to regroup them into 18 areas of concern. The cluster analysis approach was designed to…

CLASSES WERE DIVIDED EXPERIMENTALLY INTO FIVE OR SIX SMALL GROUPS. EACH GROUP WORKED TOGETHER FOR A PERIOD OF 1 MONTH. EACH OF THE EIGHT PARTICIPATING TEACHERS SELECTED ONE TO SIX PUPILS IN HIS CLASS WHO WERE EITHER DISRUPTIVE OR WITHDRAWN. THESE CHILDREN WERE CALLED THE TARGET PUPILS. THREE TIMES EVERY MONTH THE TEACHER RECORDED THE INTERACTION…

Prime Time is a funding mechanism that allows Indiana school corporations to hire instructional assistants for K-3 classrooms with large enrollments. The goal is the establishment of a favorable student-teacher ratio. In the first evaluation of this program, researchers conducted a stratified random cluster survey of 680 K-3 teachers from across…

Reviews research that finds teachers assigned to smaller classes do not significantly alter the instructional methods they used in larger classes. (PKP)

This study examined the impact of smaller class size on elementary student achievement, focusing on types of instructional strategies utilized, student time on task, academic focus of the classroom, and types of interactions between teachers and students and between students and students. Two long-term class size reduction sites in North Carolina…

This study examined the relationship between test results of students in PRIMETIME first-grade classrooms in Indiana, and the Smith and Glass (1979) class size/achievement model. The class size/achievement model shows the results of a meta-analysis of research on class size which indicated that as class size decreases, achievement increases. The…

The authors present reports of current research on distance education at the FernUniversitat in West Germany. Fritsch discusses adapting distance education techniques for small classes. Kuffner describes procedures for providing feedback to students using personalized computer-generated letters. Klute discusses using a computer with tutorial…

Observes primary grade teachers and students to determine if reduced class size alters the typical organization and procedures of reading programs. Discusses implications for schools and classrooms in terms of helping school personnel clarify their beliefs about reading and instruction and assisting them to act on their beliefs. (MG)

Examined what actually transpires in California's reduced-size classrooms, using systematic classroom observations and teacher and student interviews at four elementary schools. Results indicated that, overall, teachers still used whole-class instruction (though they perceived they used varied instructional strategies). Most learning activities…

This review surveys the current literature dealing with the effect of class size on both school finance and educational quality. The literature cited reflects a general agreement on the telling impact of class size on school budgets. However, the material gives little evidence of uniform agreement on the effect of class size on educational…