Randomly assigned groups of fourth grade students were used to determine the effect of class size upon the learning of ten mathematical objectives. There were 20 groups of one, ten groups of two, four groups of five, and one group of 23 for each of three schools used in the study. Within schools, seven randomly assigned teachers presented the…

The perceived obstacles to the effective teaching of composition skills are inadequate teacher preparation; lack of support from teachers in other disciplines; indifference from administrators in charge; large class size; and poor student preparation in grammar, sentence sense, and reading. (Author)

Generally speaking, classes of fewer than thirty are healthier and more productive for children, and lay persons and educators should keep that in mind when considering the class size issue. (Author)

Results from a 1985 poll show that teacher's perceptions of ideal and actual class sizes and their effectiveness in the classroom are affected by their attitudes, age, experiences, and priorities. Includes three tables. (MD)

This once sleepy community, founded by Mormon missionaries in 1855 and jumpstarted by gambling 85 years later, now gobbles up real estate faster than a conventioneer chowing down at a midnight buffet. Every day of the week, two acres of Las Vegas area land are developed for commercial or residential use in a frenetic drive to accommodate the…

Over a four-year period, different sized classes were asked to rate the physical environment in a college classroom. Class size was found to be related to the proportion of complaints, satisfaction with ventilation, and room size for both students and faculty. It is necessary to develop theories of people-in-environments rather than of people and…

A brief discussion of the problem of converting limited funds into as much learning as possible," focussing on the educational materials which can be bought with money saved from expanding class size and increasing teacher loads. (LS)

Reports a study of the affective impact of class size on students in a course on the utilization of educational media at the Universtiy of Maryland. Research on class size is reported. No difference in student attitude was found between large and small classes. (RAO)

Feeling out of touch with daily classroom realities, a Washington State superintendent spent seven half-days as a routine substitute teaching elementary school classes. Newly sensitized, the author shares his insights concerning class size, classroom management, and educational technology issues. (MLH)

A combination class is formed when students from two adjacent grades are placed in one classroom under the supervision of one teacher. Two recent studies indicate that combination classes may contribute to lower student achievement in multitrack year-round schools. (eight references) (MLF)

Describes a Georgia elementary school's experience with adding a last-minute fourth-grade class during a budget crunch. Administrators met with the grade four teaching team and developed five goals for the added class: avoiding negative impact, minimizing student anxiety, keeping parents informed, obtaining the best placement for each child, and…

Used Tennessee Project STAR data to examine the impact of the duration of participation in small classes on K-3 students' later school performance. Year in which students started and number of years they participated in small classes were important mediators of benefits gained. Starting early and continuing for at least 3 years were necessary to…