Development of effective oral presentation skills is an essential component of entrepreneurship education, but class size and time constraints can limit opportunities to practice and receive quality feedback. Immersive virtual reality can provide time- and place-independent opportunities to hone presentation skills in diverse settings with…

In recent decades, informal project-based learning (PjBL) for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has gained immense significance. Though some meta-analytical studies have reported the effectiveness of PjBL models, none of them has been explicit for informal PjBL models executed for school students in STEM education.…

With the development of education technology, Smart classroom has evolved to version 2.0. Currently, the meta-analysis literature on the effects of smart classroom-based instruction on academic achievement ignores the impact of technological changes and time on the effect sizes. This study incorporated the impact of technological changes and time,…

This article presents a census of empirical studies on the scholarship of teaching published in "Teaching of Psychology", "Psychology Learning and Teaching", and "Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology" over the past decade. All articles from each issue were coded for characteristics identifying the…

A meta-analysis of recent quantitative studies that examine the effects of cooperative learning (CL) on achievement outcomes in chemistry is presented. Findings from 25 chemical education studies involving 3985 participants (N[subscript treatment] = 1,845; N[subscript control] = 2,140) and published since 2001 show positive association between…

In reaction to the recent release of the 2013 Pan Canadian Assessment Program results, in which Manitoba's grade 8 students achieved the lowest results in Canada in reading, numeracy, and science, the author conducted a literature review of alternative education programs, seeking to identify successful alternatives to traditional school…

In this meta-analysis, we synthesize the results of 24 studies using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) and the Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX) to answer several questions: (1) How does physics instruction impact students' beliefs? (2) When do physics majors develop expert-like beliefs? and (3) How do…

Reviews research related to the question of whether or not science class sizes should be reduced. Research is grouped into two categories: (1) empirical research on achievement; and (2) research on teaching methodology. Discusses the Robert Slavin/Harris Cooper debate, when results defy common sense, and the Tennessee-based…

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the ways in which class size affected other facets of the educational environment of the classroom. The study focused on the commonly found positive relationship between class size and achievement. The most plausible explanation of the evidence seems to involve the effects of grouping more able…

Explains pros and cons of whole-group instruction and ability grouping, based on research evidence. Whole-group instruction is convenient for teaching the same skills or subject to a class, making assignments, administering tests, setting group expectations, and making announcements. Critics contend that whole-group instruction fails to meet…

This Digest examines school districts' efforts to reap the greatest benefit from smaller classes. Although the report discusses teaching strategies that are most effective in small classes, research has shown that teachers do not significantly change their teaching practices when they move from larger to smaller classes. Smaller classes mean…

Class size and teaching methods as they affect each other are examined. The theory of class size and ways of determining when small classes are needed are discussed as well as how these factors affect educational goals. (PHR)

The article discusses the concept of whole-group instruction. After noting criticism of whole-group instruction, the paper examines research on the effects of class size and academic achievement, classroom tasks, altering instructional variables, and ability grouping. Fifteen practical suggestions for teaching whole groups are included. (SM)

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…

Hoping to inspire greater cooperation among local school boards, administrators, teachers, and state officials, this paper reviews class size research and analyzes effective instructional methods and student learning related to class size issues. The New York State Board of Regents should not standardize class size, since standardization undercuts…