Instructors answered questions indicating personal warmth, professorial rank, years of teaching experience, sex, and class size. Students completed the Instructional Improvement Questionnaire. The classes which received high ratings were small in size, were taught by instructors who rated themselves as warm, and had students who expected high…

Officials at colleges of veterinary medicine feel their field is overdue for major changes in areas including teaching strategies, breadth of curriculum, keeping pace with growing agricultural and medical knowledge, faculty emphasis on research, livestock industry needs, and computer applications. (MSE)

Twelve schools with higher reading levels than expected, on the basis of family incomes, were examined on 67 variables. Results indicated that schools achieving higher than expected were smaller, had lower pupil mobility, had teachers with more structured methods, and had principals and students with more positive reading attitudes. (JAZ)

Discusses and compares advantages and disadvantages of large and small computer-based instructional systems. Predicted and actual costs in two systems--PLATO, which uses a mainframe system, and VITAL, a microcomputer-based system--are analyzed, and cost comparisons are made based on class size. (LRW)

Educational implications of falling birth rates in Western Germany are discussed. Teacher-pupil ratios are emphasized. (RM)

Many social and intellectual forces focus introductory courses not on the process of inquiry but on its products. Changes that can help refocus these courses include limiting class size, emphasizing writing skills, having all levels of faculty teach the courses, and promoting exchange of ideas in the classroom. (MSE)

In general, the more knowledgeable the student in an area, the higher his ratings of courses and instructors in that area. Significant interactions among the four main effects were also found across the judgmental dimensions students utilized in evaluating instruction. (Author/LBH)

The "Model Secondary (6-12) Plan for Reading Intervention and Development" has been designed to meet the cognitive needs of middle school through high school students whose reading performance ranges from those significantly below expectation through those reading at or above grade level. The reading needs of the population of students in need of…

Researchers have studied the affects of class size on student achievement for years. Therefore, the size of classes presently is disturbing. In regards to class size reductions, Murphy, 1998 states that students enjoyed significantly greater improvements in test scores in reading, language arts, and math. A class size research study was conducted…

The federal Class Size Reduction Program, first implemented in California's Los Angeles Unified School District in 1999-2000, included a component targeting eighth grade language arts classrooms for mandatory reduction to a minimum of 20 students per classroom. Implementation evaluation showed that average class size was below 20. This study…

This study examined the impact of class size reduction (CSR) on achievement among 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students with different numbers of years of participation in CSR. Single-year matched gains were calculated for the 1997-1998 and 1999-2000 school years. Student progress was assessed using scores from the SAT/9 reading, mathematics, and…

This report summarizes the findings of some recent pivotal studies of class size, especially as they relate to students at risk. Of particular note is a large-scale study of class size, which was designed to test the conclusions of G. Glass and M. Smith (1978) and G. Robinson (1990) about the advantages of small class size. This study, Project…

The link between educational expenditure and student achievement remains a lively topic of debate after almost 30 years of study. This paper is designed to help legislators and other state policymakers understand a complex and technical area of research that will play an important role in state funding decisions. The paper examines why the…

This report addresses some of the concerns surrounding smaller classes and looks at whether reduced class sizes result in higher achievement levels, and concludes that it in fact does increase student achievement, so long as classes do not exceed 17 students. But many critics question whether the high cost of reducing classes to 17 or fewer…

As poverty, dysfunctional families, and special needs continue to affect students, educators seek improved ways to start children in formal education. One such approach is to lower the teacher-to-pupil ratios, and recent research shows that this method positively influences pupil achievement. How the process works is not well understood. To fill…