Our college sets cap (possible enrollment) at 35 for regular lecture courses and 25 for writing intensive courses. There are a number of variations for labs, practicums, and so forth depending on quipment needed and nature of the class.
However, a recent video I view on why the US falls behind in math and science points out that countries scoring higher in math and science scores often have 40 in classes - this is high school. But, the point is curriculum (not class size) seems to make the difference. Class size here is directly related to work load for faculty - who do not have teaching assistants. It is also part of our mission to keep classes small - as opposed to lecture hall classess. Susan St. John, Assoc. Professor of Sociology Corning Community College 1 Academic Drive Corning, NY 14830 (607) 962-9526 or secretary 962-9239 ----- Original Message ----- From: Sarah Murray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 6:03 am Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: SOTL on ideal class sizes? > Actually, at my particular university, classes are cancelled at > varying thresholds, depending on the course, day, time, etc. -- > usually at 5. (The classes of 3 I was referring to where at a > local county community college and at an elite private school in > the area -- two environments very different from one another.) > Because I teach at one of the large state schools in New Jersey's > network, without private school funding, I thought it might > surprise readers that we allow small class sizes, like the one I'm > teaching (11). But many course that max out at 40 are filled to > capacity. To my knowledge, none go larger than that. > Sarah Murray > WPU of NJ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Walter Dean > To: Sarah Murray > Cc: [email protected] > Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 12:59 AM > Subject: Re: TEACHSOC: Re: SOTL on ideal class sizes? > > > Seems to me that your post refers more to enrollment rather > than class size. For example, enrollment may only be 25 when the > class size is a maximum of 35. Budgets determine how small a > class can be and still 'go.' Apparently your college permits > class sizes as small as three. At what enrollment would a class > be cancelled because of under enrollment? > > How one teaches classes of varying sizes is another discussion. > > Walter Dean > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Sarah Murray > To: Walter Dean > Cc: [email protected] > Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 4:31 AM > Subject: Re: TEACHSOC: Re: SOTL on ideal class sizes? > > > Hi, > I adjunct at a large state university, not at all financially > endowed in the manner of Harvard, or any private institution. Our > Soc. courses cap out at 40, but I teach on Saturdays, and have had > 25 students, and this semester, just 11. A colleague of mine, > teaching also on Sat. (we have many working students), has 7 > students this semester. We can have as few as 5 without the class > being canceled. Sunday classes are offered, as well, and these > are smaller too. My daughter attended a much more elite private > school and has had as few as three in her class, but I know an > adjunct at a local county community college who likewise has > taught classes of 3. > Believe it or not, there is an adjustment to be made, I'm > experiencing, going from 25 students to half that number. The > semester has just begun, but I notice in this class of 11, without > any very chatty older students that I've had in the past, it > doesn't yet seem to be a more intimate experience -- actually more > pressure to be entertaining, as the students are right there "in > my face" so to speak. But I have better opportunities to go > around the room , eliciting contributions; it's easier to plan > little field trips; and obviously the students (I hope) will be > diligent about attendance in a group in which their absence will > certainly stand out. With 25, I found up to 10 would be out at > any given time (many exhausted from both full-time work and > school), and I don't think that will be the case this semester! > Any who else find teaching a small group to be a challenge of > its own? Anyone else teach on Saturdays? > Sarah Murray > William Paterson U of NJ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Walter Dean > To: Roberts, Keith ; Nijole Benokraitis ; Susan Webb ; > [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 10:39 PM > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: SOTL on ideal class sizes? > > > We may not like it, but class sizes can not be discussed > outside of budgetary constraints. Harvard U has plenty of money: > it can have smaller classes. What about other institutions that > are not as well financially endowed? > > Walter Dean > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Roberts, Keith > To: Nijole Benokraitis ; Susan Webb ; > [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 9:13 AM > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: SOTL on ideal class sizes? > > > The Dean, prodded by the Provost, President, and Board, > has asked departments to justify class sizes, especially those > under 40 students or so. Is anyone aware of literature on ideal > class size for learning? Specifically we were asked to address > the question with regard to sociology, but I'm hopeful there's > general literature on class size issues. Please send citations to > me directly or to the list. > > * * * * * * * * * > > > > I'm not able to point to specific studies of class size, > but I would approach this issue through learning theory. Students > learn through a variety of methodologies, and if a class grows too > large, it becomes impossible to address the diversity of > intelligences or learning styles in the classroom. One is left to > lecture as the main or only delivery style. A few sources on > learning styles and multiple intelligences appear below. > > > > I have been intrigued by the research indicating that if > we do nothing but lecture, we may unwittingly engage in > institutionalized racism and sexism, for passive reception of > lectures is the preferred learning style of whites and especially > of white males. Generally speaking (and of course there are > individual variations) lecture is not a strong learning modality > for African Americans, Hispanics, or women. So it would be the > height of irony to deliver a lecture on institutional racism or on > cultural diversity in a class that has only lecture formats. If > classes are smaller, it is more possible to customize the course, > perhaps even individualize some of the learning experiences, to > address a variety of learning styles and ways of > knowing/processing material. > > > > Howard Gardner, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple > Intelligences. Basic Books. > > Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in > Practice. Basic Books. > > Howard Gardner, Intelligence Reframed: Multiple > Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic Books > > Linda Campbell. Bruce Campbell, and Dee Dickson Teaching > and Learning Through Multiple Intelligences. 2nd ed. Allyn and Bacon. > > www.pz.harvard.edu/SUMIT/MISUMIT.HTM > > www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.hmt > > Bernice McCarthy, Four-Mat System: Teaching to Learning > Styles With Right-Left Mode Techniques. Excel > > Mary Haywood Metz Classrooms and Corridors > University of California Press. > > David A. Kolb Experiential Learning: Experience as the > Source of Learning and Development, Pearson > > > > Also see: > > Thomas Kochman. Black and White Styles in Conflict (Univ > of Chicago Press) > > Mary Field Belenky et al Women's Ways of Knowing (Basic Books) > > > > I have seen other studies on learning styles related to > ethnicity, but can't put my hands on them right now. > > > > Keith > > > > * * * * * * * * > > Keith A. Roberts, Ph.D. > > Dept of Sociology & Anthropology > > Hanover College > > Hanover, IN 47243 > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Office: 812/ 866-7353 > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > Susan Webb > > Professor of Sociology > > Coastal Carolina University > > (843) 349-2933 > > > > > > >
