Effect of Class Size on Teachers Teaching Pervformance - Research Paper Example

Signature Assignment Affiliation size is one topic that has greatly been discussed and debated on by various scholars and stakeholders in the education sector. With measures being sought and put in place to improve teacher’s teaching performance, class size has become one of the focus areas. This study will explore the effect of class size on teacher’s teaching performance. In order to determine the correlation, the study will rely on data that will be obtained from a survey that will be administered to preschool teachers. The survey will also be administered to parents who have sons/ daughters in the preschool. It will also have a qualitative aspect involving in-depth interview that will be administered to five teachers in the preschool. The five preschool teachers and five parents who have sons /daughters in the preschool will respond to twelve survey questions that are specifically designed for each group. The responses from the teachers and the parents will be analyzed using the Likert Scale. Five preschool teachers will take part in the in-depth interviews. The feedback from the qualitative research will also be recorded and analyzed. The results from both the two parts of the study will be discussed and interpretation done. In addition, suggestions from the study will be discussed. LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction A lot of studies have been carried out to determine the advantages and disadvantages of having a smaller class over a larger one. Researchers have tried to draw a correlation between the number of students in a classroom and the student’s academic performance, relationships, teacher morale and teaching style. The findings from these research works have clearly indicated that there is some form of relationship between the number of students and the overall teaching experience in a classroom. The findings of these studies are based on empirical studies. This literature review will focus on the importance of a small class, connection between class size and student-teacher relationship, student performance and teaching style. Importance of a Small Class Size Among the most important issues that have been studied by educational reformists and researchers is the importance of having a smaller class size. According to Blatchford et al (2007), the size of a class is a very important indicator of the academic achievement of a class, student and school. This view by Blatchford et al (2007) on the size of the classroom has made class reduction become an important aspect of education reforms in various countries around the globe. According to Kryder (2007) ,each student is able to naturally benefit from the increased attention that they get from the teachers and the individualized instruction. in a small class. Furthermore, a small class is associated with increased student motivation as well as improved discipline in the classroom. The outcome of this is improved teacher morale resulting in improved student academic achievement (Cuseo, 2007). Class reduction reforms have attracted political weight and backing in various countries (Chingos & Whitehurst, 2011). In the United States of America, class size has been used as potential indicator of school decline. Milesi & Gamoran (2006) acknowledges that class size can impact on the teachers’ morale, especially where the class has been allowed to increase up to a certain level where even more qualified and experienced teachers have difficulty when it comes to maintaining order in the class and providing targeted help. This has been blamed for the declining performance in some schools. Class Size and Student Teacher Relationship The effect of the class size on teacher-student relationship is another debate that has attracted varied opinions over the years (Blatchford, Bassett, & Brown, 2005). According to Blatchford, Bassett & Brown (2011), students feel more comfortable in a smaller class than in a bigger one. This is because they feel a greater sense of belonging when they are in a smaller class. In addition, some students find it hard to relate to fellow students and even their teachers in large sized class (Krueger, & Whitmore, 2008).Such students tend to keep to themselves and may even avoid participating in some class activities. The kind of relationship that is developed between the student and the teacher is a determinant factor in the achievement of teaching goals in a classroom. In a class where the students have a positive relationship with the teacher because of the existence of conducive environment, the performance of the students will most likely be good (Magnuson & Waldfogel, 2007). Ready & Lee (2009) reveal that those students who are in a class of less than twenty are comfortable when it comes to taking part in class activities. Moreover, such students find it easy to get help from their teachers because of the personalized care and guidance. This in turn impacts positively on their performance and achievement of teaching and learning objectives (Ready & Lee, 2009). Class Size and Pupil Behavior Student behavior in a class has also been one area of focus of the studies done to determine the effect of class size on various aspects of learning and schooling. According to Blatchford, Bassett & Brown (2011), class size and the behavior of students has been found to influence learning outcome. In larger class, the teacher finds it hard to monitor the students and to control their actions in the class. This is unlike a smaller class that allows for close monitoring of student behavior (Babcock & Betts, 2009). Generally, the studies suggest that smaller classes tend to be associated with fewer student misbehavior and absenteeism (Zyngier, 2014). Blatchford, Bassett & Brown (2008) argue that smaller classes in the formative years tend to lead to fewer cases of absenteeism at the secondary levels. In addition, students in a smaller class tend to be positive towards each other and are willing to interact with one another leading to high self esteem. Class Size, Teaching Style and Teacher Morale The number of students in any given class greatly determines the kind of method that the teacher uses to impart knowledge to his or her students. As indicated earlier, Lewit, & Baker (2014) clearly state that in a small class the teacher is able to give individualized instructions to the students and to monitor the them closely. The students are therefore able to get help from the teacher at any time. The courses that require critical thinking to develop problem solving skills in the learners are suitable for smaller class ( Milesi & Gamoran, 2006). In larger classes, teachers normally prefer using the lecture type method that involves the whole class. This is because the they cannot get enough time to individually attend to all the students in the classroom. Milesi & Gamoran (2006) indicate that there is a huge difference between teaching unmotivated students in a larger class and motivated students in a smaller class. This usually gives a huge challenge for teachers, especially the new recruits who find it very hard to motivate students in a larger class. The other effect of class size can be seen in the assessment process. According to the study by Krueger (2003), there is a difference in evaluating large class and smaller class. In the study by Krueger (2003), teachers and instructors who work with a smaller number of students in a classroom tended to be more satisfied and motivated because the marking process takes a shorter time. This enables them to give feedback on assignments and tests within a short duration. Those teachers who teach classes of above 25 students indicated that marking and evaluation process is normally time-consuming because of the large number of papers or books to be evaluated. This therefore impacts on the duration taken to give feedback on assessments and tests (Cook & Campbell, 2010). Teachers who teach larger classes find it hard to help the students with their corrections, even after the time consuming marking process has been finalized (Center for Public Education., 2014).This makes more teachers prefer a smaller class over a larger one. In addition, those who teach larger classes were found to be less motivated (Magnuson, Ruhm & Waldfogel, 2007). In general, several research works reviewed have indicated that class reduction is an important educational reform that can be used to help achieve learning objectives. This is because a smaller class size is associated with effective teaching methods, less behavioral disturbances, sense of belonging, higher self esteem and improved grades especially to the disadvantaged students. These varied views on the effect of class size on teaching process from the literature review necessitates the needs to determine the effect that class size might have on the performance of the teacher in determining the achievement of teaching objectives. In the research studies reviewed, there are several and varied research methods that have been used. Some studies have been done empirically while others were qualitative. In these research studies, it is clear that there is no statistical correlation between class size, student performance and student behavior. However, it is important to note that observation data from the interviews and questionnaires used indicated that class size can impact on teaching performance.  METHOD Design and Procedure This study will have both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The quantitative study will be done through a survey that will be conducted in the preschool so as to obtain data on the effect of class size on teacher’s teaching performance. The survey questions will be filled by both the teachers in the preschool and parents who have children in the preschool (See Appendix 1). The second part of the study is going to be the qualitative component of the research and will be used to obtain extra information that will assist in answering the research questions. The interviewer will conduct structured in-depth interviews with preschool teachers to get their view on the effect of class size on the teacher’s teaching performance (See Appendix 2). Structured In-depth interviews are appropriate for this particular study as they will enable narratives of the teachers to be elicited so that the interviewer can be able to know their view on how class size affects the teacher’s teaching performance. The dependent variables in this study are the parent’s perception of the teacher’s performance and the perception of the teacher on his or her own performance in the class. The independent variables on the other hand, are the class make up and size, the number of students in the class and the teacher assigned to a given class. Participants This study will be divided into two parts: the quantitative study and the qualitative study. Each study will have its set of participants. In the survey the target population is parents who have sons/daughters in the preschool and the teachers who teach preschool students. Five teachers and five parents will take part. In the qualitative interview the target population will be preschool teachers. The participants will be randomly picked among the teachers who teach the above stated level. Five teaches will be interviewed in this study. Random sampling method will be use because of three reasons. The first reason is because it gives everyone in the target population equal chance to be selected to take part in the survey or interview. This therefore removes any kind of bias that may be associated with other sampling methods. The second reason why it will be used is because its simplicity. Random sampling, unlike other sampling techniques is straight forward and does not require any modifications when selecting the target population. The final reason is that this method represents the entire population and therefore allows for conclusion to be made from the data obtained. Measures The surveys and the qualitative interview questions are in the Appendix. In the survey all demographic questions including sex, grade and number of students are indicated. The surveys consist of 10 closed questions and two open ended questions each making a total of 12 (See Appendix 1). Each response in the survey will have a corresponding numerical value as per Likert scale. The interview questions are also included in the appendix. The interview will consist of five questions (See Appendix 2). ANALYTICAL PLAN To determine the effect of class size on the teacher’s teaching performance from the survey, answers to the Likert questions shall be analyzed. The Likert scale shall be used in this analysis based on numerical values of the answers (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). The numerical values of the answers will be as shown below. Strongly Disagree=1 unit, Disagree= 2 units, Neutral= 3 units, Agree= 4 units, Strongly agrees =5units answers (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). In the parents survey, Questions 1 -12 will help in understanding the teacher’s view of the effect of the number of students in the class on his/ her teaching performance In the teacher survey, Question 1, 2 and 3 will measure whether the students understand or grasp what the teacher is teaching. Question 4, 5 and 6 will measure whether the students get the support of the teacher in the class. Questions 7-12 will help determine the teaching method used and the teacher’s view on class size and teacher’s performance. The data analysis for the qualitative study will be carried out using three iterative steps (Mills & Sperling, 2012). The first step will be going through the notes and summarizing the main points. The second step will be the descriptive step where there will be in depth description of the participants, the activities that took place during the interview and the views of the participants in relation to the research questions. The third and final step will be the organization and categorization stage. In this stage, information or data that tend to show a similarity in terms of content and views will be grouped together for easier synthesis (Mills & Sperling, 2012). DISCUSSION As indicated in the literature review section, there are several benefits of having a small sized class compared to a large sized class. Blatchford et al (2007) indicates that academic performance is greatly enhanced by having a small sized class. According to Kryder (2007), in a small class, each student is able to naturally benefit from the increased attention that they get from the teachers. Other studies considered in the literature review section have all indicated that there are benefits that are associated with having a smaller class size in terms of teaching methods, methods of instruction, evaluation and teacher-student relationship. The preschool teachers surveyed and interviewed in this study may indicate that they feel that a smaller class improves the teacher’s teaching performance. The parents may also report strong belief in the ability and performance of the teacher depending on the size of the class that is being taught. The teachers may also report that they feel that their teaching performance is improved by having a smaller class. The outcome of this study may have immediate implication in the education sector. If the result indicate that the teaching performance of a teacher is improved by having a smaller class, school may look for additional funds so as to finance and maintain smaller classes in order to enhance the teacher’s teaching performance. In addition to that, this study can be used in carrying out further research on the relationship between class size, teacher’s teaching performance and achievement of learning goals. LIMITATIONS There are some limitations that can be pointed out in this study. The first limitation is that the survey that was used to obtain data focused on a small sample size of five preschool teachers and five parents. This therefore undermines validity of the data. In order to improve the validity of the data obtained, more teachers are required to participate. Moreover, the survey and the interviews would also need to be conduced in different schools to expand the sample size. Another limitation is the fact that the parents who take part in the survey may feel compelled to give positive response because they feel that the preschool where they have taken their son or daughter is the best. An additional limitation is that the teachers may influence each other’s response in order to achieve a particular goal by giving similar responses. FURTHER RESEARCH Even though it has been noted that the study may have some limitations, it can be concluded that class size affects teacher’s teaching performance. This study can easily and inexpensively be replicated in future studies on the subject of class size and teacher’s teaching performance. Expanding the study to include a larger target population can be vital in determining the correlation between class size and teacher’s teaching performance. Data from such studies can be helpful to various education stakeholders on determining the best education practices in the country. Other methods such as stratified sampling techniques may be used when selecting the target population so as to further increase the validity of date obtained. In addition to that, use of other grading and analysis techniques other than the Likert Scale that was predominantly used in grading responses can greatly help in determining the actual relationship between class size and teacher’s teaching performance. References Babcock, P., & Betts, J. (2009). Reduced class distinctions: effort, ability, and the education production function. Journal of Urban Economics, 65, 314-322. Blatchford, P., Bassett, P., & Brown, P. (2011). Examining the effect of class size on classroom engagement and teacher-pupil interaction: differences in relation to pupil prior attainment and primary vs. secondary schools. Learning and Instruction, 21(6), 715-730. Blatchford, P., Russell, A., Bassett, P., Brown, P., & Martin, C. (2007). The effect of class size on the teaching of pupils aged 7–11 years. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 18 (2), 147-172. Blatchford, P., Bassett, P., & Brown, P. (2008). Do low attaining and younger students benefit most from small classes? results from a systematic observation study of class size effects on pupil classroom engagement and teacher pupil interaction. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, 20(6), 1-29. Center for Public Education. (2014). Class size and student achievement: research review. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Class-size-and-student-achievement-At-a-glance/Class-size-and-student-achievement-Research-review.html Cuseo, J. (2007). The empirical case against large class size: adverse effects on the teaching, learning, and retention of first-year students. Journal of Faculty Development, 21 (1), 5-21. Ehrenberg, R., Brewer, D., Gamoran, A., & Willms, D. (2001). Class size and student achievement. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 20 (1), 1-30. Kryder, J. (2007).Effects of class size on instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 26(10), 65-77. Krueger, A. (2003). Economic considerations and class size. Economic Journal, 113, 34-63. Krueger, A.B., & Whitmore, D. (2008). Empirical study of the effect of attending a small class on grades. Economic Journal, 21 (1), 5-21. Lewit, E., & Baker, L. (2014). Child indicators: class size. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=52&articleid=281 Magnuson, K., C., & Waldfogel, J. (2007). The persistence of preschool effects: do subsequent classroom experiences matter? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22 (1), 18-38. Milesi, C., & Gamoran, A. (2006). Effects of class size and instruction on kindergarten achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 28 (4), 287-313. Ready, D. & Lee, V. (2009).Optimal context size in elementary schools: disentangling the effects of class size and school size. Project Muse Journal, 28 (4), 287-313. Cook, T & Campbell, D. (2010) Experimental analysis of class size and teaching methods. American Educational Research Journal, 44(3), 670-700. Zyngier, D. (2014). Class size and academic results, with a focus on children from culturally, linguistically and economically disenfranchised communities. Evidence Base, 1, 1-23. Appendix 1 Parent Survey Thank you for finding time to participate in this survey. You are going to be asked questions about the effect of the number of students in a class on the teaching performance of a teacher. In this survey, there are neither wrong nor right answers. It is an anonymous survey and the answers that you give can never be traced back to you. All you are required to do is to answer the questions honestly and return the completed survey. Thank you. DIRECTION: Please use [] to mark your answers Gender Male Female My child is a Boy Girl How many students are in your son/daughter’s class? Less than twenty students More than twenty students DIRECTION: Use a [] to indicate your answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Directions: Please check one box per item. 1) I believe the teacher always makes my son/daughter understand what is taught 2) I believe my son /daughter can always get help from his/her teacher 3) My son / daughter gets good grades because the teacher teaches well 4) My son/daughter can always go to his/ her teacher to get help any time 5) My son/ daughter’s grades will improve if he/ she is in a smaller class 6) The morale of the teacher is higher in a small class than in a large class 7) I believe all others students in my son /daughter’s class understand what the teacher teaches in class 8) I believe my son/ daughter’s teacher can effectively handle the class 9) I believe my son/ daughter’s teacher is able to effectively teach his/ her class 10) The teacher always gives my son/ daughter feedback on his/her homework and class work 11) Finish the sentence: A large class means the teacher can ________________________________________ 12) Finish the sentence: A large class means that the teacher cannot ________________________________________ Teacher Survey Thank you for finding time to participate in this survey. You are going to be asked questions about the effect of the number of students in a class on the teaching performance of a teacher. In this survey, there are neither wrong nor right answers. It is an anonymous survey and the answers that you give can never be traced back to you. All you are required to do is to answer the questions honestly and return the completed survey. Thank you. DIRECTION: Please use [ ] to mark your answers Gender Male Female Size of the Class Less than twenty students More than twenty students Direction: Tick [] one box per item Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Directions: Please check one box per item. 1) My students understand what I teach 2) I am able to effectively teach my class 3) I get time to offer extra help to my students 4) I give more written work in my class 5) The size of my class influences the teaching method I use 6) Class size affects the performance of my students 7) My students can get help from me whenever they want. 8) I am able to cover whatever I plan to cover within the expected time frame 9) I get enough time to assess every student in my class and respond to their needs 10) I have difficulty in making my students understand what I teach Finish the sentence: 11) If I have a class of less than 20 students I will be able to ________________________________ Finish the sentence: 12) If I have a class of more than 20 students I will not be able to ___________________________ Appendix 2 Interview Protocol Form Project: Exploring the effect of class size of teacher’s teaching performance Date ___________________________ Time ___________________________ Location ________________________ Interviewer ______________________ Interviewee ______________________ Other Topics Discussed:____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Documents Obtained: _____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Post Interview Comments or Leads: Notes to interviewee: Thank you for participating in this research. The research is being done to explore the effects of class size on the teachers’ teaching performance. Confidentiality in this interviewee is guaranteed. Interview Questions 1. What is your view on a class of less than 20 students in terms of the teacher’s performance? 2. What is your view on a class of more than 20 students in terms of the teacher’s performance? 3. Does the number of students in a class have any correlation with teacher assignment? 4. Do you think class size affects professional development of a teacher? 5. How does the number of students affect the teaching quality in a class? Response from Interviewee: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Read More