Impact of Class Size on Students' Achievement - Thesis Example

?Running Head: Impact Size on Achievement Impact Size on Achievement [Institute’s Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Literature Review 5 Implications 8 Applications 11 Conclusion 12 References 15 Introduction Since time immemorial, education has always been one of the prime, important, and essential components for an individual in attaining their status, accomplishments, prosperity, and successfulness. The significance of education has escalated up to skyrocket in the contemporary civilization and world. With the developments and advancements that the world is experiencing, the amendments in the educational and learning curriculum and the teaching methods are constantly an ongoing process that has left indelible imprints on the students’ achievements and progress in both unconstructive and optimistic means (Saracho, 2002). Since education is the understanding, wisdom and the information that any individual elucidate and illuminate in order to become proficient in a particular area of interest. However, there are abundant of students especially in the underdeveloped countries who do not even get the opportunity to get the elementary or primary education due to their poor financial statuses. Whereas, the developed nations are providing the students with quality education that helps them in making them live a better and standard life with the power of knowledge (Saracho, 2002). In view of the fact that education and learning is a critical and vital process that determines the future of any individual and how the person will shape his entire life with the knowledge that he will get. Therefore, education is one principal factor that cannot come under ignorance. Nevertheless, like any other field, the domain of education also has numerous problems that the students may encounter in their academic lives. However, the problems may come across with the teachers as well either with the administration department or in coping up with students (Saracho, 2002). By means of the rising population in the modern world in conjunction with the significance of education, the design, plan, and initiative for the development and enhancement of academic programs have escalated the proportion of students for each class. There are several reasons due to which elementary schools tend to have larger number of students per class without considering the fact that this is making a huge impact on the students’ accomplishments and achievements in their academic careers (Jepsen & Rivkin, 2002). The relationship of students’ achievements caused by the class size has come under numerous researches and exploration since couple of decades; the aftermaths and findings have elevated this matter of subject into many discussions and arguments. In addition, the arguments provide the evidence for the fact that how the suggestions can contribute and influence to the improvements of the students’ performances. Moreover, the suggestions also propose the idea that how all students can get individual attention that can lead to a positive impact on to their achievements (Jepsen & Rivkin, 2002). One of the leading obstacles that are under debates and arguments in the current times that catch the attention of one’s mind is the size of the class that the students study in, as it is one of the imperative subjects that give rise to the problems in the field of education. It has come under surveillance that the class size has a direct impact where it persuades on the learning and accomplishments of the students. In addition, the class size plays a great deal of value and prominence in the essence of learning and education that a student acquires and gains (Franciosi, 2004). Another query arises with the class size concern is that whether the students tend to perform better, gain additional and supplementary knowledge and have high level of achievements and success? This question is in comparison to the students who study in class where there are more students and have relatively big class size (Franciosi, 2004). Literature Review The theme that is the impact of class size on students’ achievements is one of the major and chief concerns in the modern times. Furthermore, this matter of subject has come under numerous researches and studies. The findings of several studies portray one of the mammoth, leading, and prevalent problems of the large class size is that when the students’ in a class are in large number; the teachers may not be able to give equal attention to each student. When compared to the smaller class size, the tutor gets the opportunity to make every student contribute in the class participation and provide one-to-one attention. In addition to it, the teachers have a greater chance to work on the improvement for the students who are weak as they can equally make the students participate during the class (Yeh, 2011). The other problems that the students might face with larger class is that since everybody do not get the chance to engage themselves or become a part of the class participation, it creates a discouraging factor amongst the students to be less active in the class rooms. When a student is less likely to involve in the class participations, the outcome of it will have a huge impact on the performance of the students that will eventually adversely make an effect on their achievements (Betts, Zau, Rice, & Public Policy Institute of California, 2003). According to some schools of thoughts, the performance and the accomplishments of the students’ does not only have an impact due to the class size. Rather, the tutors, trainers, and educators, their capabilities of teaching in association with their behaviors towards the students also play a great deal of importance to the students’ performance in the class. Therefore, the class size has a little impact on the students’ performances, as the teachers and their behaviors play an immense part in the prosperity and achievement of the students and their expertise on a particular course or subject of study (Murnane & Willett, 2011). One of the leading concerns that have come under consideration in relation to the huge class size is that since the tutors’ face difficulties of increased tasks and assignments, they are likely to employ and exercise poor grading and assessment systems. The poor grading systems that in due course not only affect the performance and learning of the students, rather it dwindles and decreases the values and benchmarks of the educational program of study of the schools (Sanders, 200). On the other hand, the teachers provide more attention to the students with a small amount in the class and the probability of exercising proactive approaches, methods, and grading systems increases that lead to the enhancement of the performance of the students. Moreover, the teacher does not have the burden of overloaded tasks when working in a smaller class and gets the opportunity to give personal concentration to every student present in the class (Cicchetti & Cohen, 2006). With the smaller class size, students get the advantage that they can get the assistance, response, evaluations, and comments from their teachers on their homework, class works and projects because the teachers are not under the burden of overloaded work. This provides a great deal of help to the students in the development and enhancement of their performances and gets additional chances to work on their weak areas. While looking at the other end of the spectrum, teachers assigned to huge class size are not able to provide assistance to such extent as they already have a lot of work on their part, therefore not all the students get the required support, and rather, only few students enjoy this practice (Mosher, 2007). The studies also demonstrate the conclusion that with the rising population and the increasing importance of education, more students are now enrolling themselves into schools to get at least the basic education that can lead to a better future. However, this is increasing the number of students per class and the class size is becoming larger, thus increasing the number of students per teacher as well; consequently, it is effecting the students’ achievements and their performances. In addition, the studies also provide evidences that the small class size increases the number of teachers and other resources like classrooms, laboratories, libraries etc. Therefore, this results in augmented overhead and operating expenditures of the elementary schools. In addition, the school administration in few instances might not be able to afford high expenses of the additional resources. Moreover, in some cases due to poverty many of the students are not able to afford the high costs of the school admission. Due to it, the class size is getting larger and the effects the students’ and their achievements (Vegas & Petrow, 2008). The outcome of few researches illustrates the result that substantial plunges in the performances and the achievements of the students have come under observation when they transfer from a small class size to a class with large amount of students. Studies also conclude that the performances of the students come under colossal impact in comparison to larger class size because each of the students may not be able to get hold on to the relevant materials and/or books from the school libraries. Therefore, the performance of the students’ will have a direct impact and they might even get less motivated as they would not have the chance to go through the recommended material (Molnar, 2000). With the bountiful researches that have come under performance by educational researchers, it can come under well conclusion that the students’ achievements are directly proportionate to the class size. In addition, the universal observation and conviction on the subject of impact of small class size on students’ achievements excel in comparison to the large size of the class, although the consequences of the several conducted researches witness to be full of loopholes and indecisive. Surveys have also proved that students’ approach and perspectives towards particular areas under discussion will have an insightful and thoughtful influence from the size of the class, regardless of the fact that whether the class size makes little or no impact on the performance of the students (Plomp & Howie, 2006). The matter of interest and consideration of the impact of class size on students’ achievements has come under many studies and researches since a very long time. However, the researchers are also concerned about the impact on the teacher, guiders, and their course of studies together with the techniques and methods of their teachings in the huge class size in the modern times. According to some of the studies, it can come under conclusion that with the acclimatization of creative and state-of-the-art educational techniques and approaches for students’ with huge class size can alleviate the pessimistic attitudes that the students possess that comes under development by the huge class size (Jepsen & Rivkin, 2002). Implications With the apparent results of the studies and researches that have come under presentation in the literature review segment, the subject of concern clearly portrays that not only students’ performances gets effected but the teachers and their methods also gets disturbed thus affecting the overall cycle of learning. However, these academic researchers have come to many suggestions that would assist the teachers and their curriculums and create a positive impact on the students’ performances and their learning process even with large class size (OCED, 2011). Various researches and studies come under view that the class size has a strong relationship with the students’ achievement and performances. This is because class size plays a significantly important role in shaping the students’ attitudes towards the course of study that are a part of their curriculum. Therefore, it is imperative that the curriculum and the methods of teaching should come under performance in such a way that the student produces a positive outcome from their studies regardless of the fact that the student studies in large or small class size (Ballantine & Spade, 2007). The studies also demonstrate the piece of information that the limited and reduced financial plans and costs of the educational institutions are creating a massive and colossal impact on the students’ achievement with the fact that the class size is increasing. As the tutors get wider chance to pay attention to students on one-to-one basis in small class size, it helps in building and enhancing the boldness in the students who lacks confidence. Furthermore, it also facilitates in eliminating the hesitation aspect of speaking for the weak students in class who are shy to speak in public. Therefore, studies suggest that the tutors should adopt methods and techniques that makes every student contribute in the class whether it is big or small class so that the confidence in each student comes under development and it may help them performing better in their curriculums (Kaplan & Owings, 2010). Researchers also propose that the teachers with large class size should exercise and practice techniques that involve students working in small clusters. This exercise will provide the teacher to measure the performances of each of the students in a much better way that it works in a similar manner as the teachers perform in small classes. The result will turn to be fruitful for the students, as they would be having the option to perform and participate on individual basis, ultimately it would elevate the level of accomplishments of the students (Grissmer, 2000). Another vital and crucial step that the teachers and tutors of the elementary schools need to work on is the grading systems and evaluation methods that have a huge and undeviating impact on the motivational factor of the students. As the teachers practice poor evaluation structures, in large class size due to the excess duties and responsibilities, which creates a direct impact on the students’ achievements. Therefore, they should design, develop, and practice assessment and evaluation methods in such a way that comes under exercise in the small class size in order to sustain and enhance the students’ performances in association to the maintenance of the school standards of the quality education (Chubb & Loveless, 2002). Due to the overwork with the teachers in the large class size, they ignore the feedbacks of the assignments and class works of the students, which administers an unconstructive impact on the students’ achievements. Hence, in large class size, the formation of small groups within the students will produce rewarding results in the class participation amongst the students and they will keep themselves alert during the class. In addition, it would also help the teacher to pay attention to a large number of students, in most cases to all the students and would bring rise to the performances and accomplishments of the students. Furthermore, spending little more time after classes on the weak students to advice, draw attention to their weaknesses and provide opinions and responses to the students’ assignments will be a great deal of influence in attaining and upholding greater performances (Monk & Walberg & Wang, 2001). Studies also bring the information into limelight that the small class size enlarges and amplifies the cognitive skills and the hidden capabilities of the students’. Since the students have to be attentive and observant during the class because of the interactive sessions, thus, this process helps in boosting the students’ achievements and performances. As the evaluations and assessments come under the basis on their involvement in the class, therefore, the students at all-times have to be attentive towards the learning process. Similar methods should also come under application in the large class size so that the students’ in such classes may also benefit from it and their performances should enhance (Healy & Cote & Helliwell & Field, Centre for Educational Research and Innovation & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2001). Applications As an outcome of many of the researches related to the impact of the class size on to the performances of the students, there have been several pen-downed materials and manuscripts. These materials provide effective ways and approaches of teaching that can prove to be effectual, useful, and valuable for the students’ achievements, regardless of the class size. The use of advanced technologies that include microphones, multimedia presentations or other related technology in the big classrooms may also witness to be fruitful in developing optimistic impacts on the students’ performance. Such utilization might bring a motivational factor to participate actively during the class lectures. With the use of such media technologies, the teacher will have the option to move around in the whole class and this would make the students pay more attention towards the lectures because they are under close watch by someone. Moreover, the students would get the option to note down the theme points of the class lectures that would help them to retain the learning for a long time. One of the biggest problems that the students face in the big class size is that, at many times they are not able to listen, understand, and grasp the lectures of the teachers due to class size. Therefore, this technique would be a great assistance for the students to be active during the class and will lead to better performances. The formation of small groups in large class size is one of the effective methods that encourage the students to work out and elucidate their queries related to the syllabus of study with the help of the teacher. Through this approach, the students will not have to mark down their queries during the class and search for the teacher after class to get clarifications. As, in some cases the students are not even able to remember the exact problem for a longer period because it is not necessary that the teacher would be available after class. Therefore, the mentioned issue is one of the frequent problems that the students undergo in large class size. It has also come under observation that it becomes simple and is uncomplicated to have a strong relationship and bonding with the teachers in the distant future with small class size. This has proved to be effective in case when the students’ needs recommendations from their tutors for their advance studies; they usually look for their schoolteachers with whom they had a favorable association. This does not likely to happen with the students studying in large class size and they in normal circumstances have issues with the advice. This is because the teachers having less students in a class tend to remember more about the strong and weak point of the students and are able to advice them in a more appropriate manner. Due to this reason, it is advisable to have small class size that facilitates the students in their prospect academic lives as well. According to some of the researches, the results have come under observation that the teachers with proper teacher training and educational background that have sufficient level of expertise and capabilities that tend to promote the students’ learning process in a much better way when compared to the teachers having only a secondary education. Therefore, researchers suggest that capable teachers are able to teach the students in a class of any size and the class size does not matter for the capable teachers. Conclusion Education has become one of the primary and most significant sources of success and stability in an individual’s life, thus more and more students’ in the modern times want to educate themselves. Due to this considerable and noteworthy consequence, a widespread trend is under observation that is the increase in the class size. In addition, prevalent and pervasive monitoring has also come under notice and study that huge class size is heavily effecting the students’ achievements and accomplishments (Wong, 2006). The concern of impact of class size on students’ achievements has undergone many researches and studies since few decades. Most of the undergone studies, analysis, and experimentation have come under same consequence that huge class size subside and abate the performances of the students. The literature review gives an apparent and unambiguous idea about how the small class size affects the students’ performances in a positive manner and promotes their motivational feature towards the course of study. With the conducted studies and experimentations, it also provides manifold ways to improve the approaches and methods that can lead to the development, enhancement, and progression of the students’ achievements even in large class size. As the elementary school education provides a base root to a student in their later academic careers, therefore, researches and studies should come under performances on a continuous basis for the improvements. These studies and analysis should come under performance than can boost the motivational level amongst the students. In addition, these researches may demonstrate an effective and productive outcome in association with the proper implementation of the proposed suggestions and solutions. If a student gets discouraged in his early education period, it will influence his whole life and that students might get disheartened with his studies and may lead to other destructive ways. Hence, it is vital and crucial for the academic researches to examine the problems of the students precisely and accurately on the ground level and provide efficient proposals that consequence in boosting the achievements of the students because the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore, in order to have a better future for the development on an overall basis, the students must get personal attention on their studies. According to a personal opinion, class size has profound impact on the students’ performances and their accomplishments, thus the success come under affection of the students. In order to overcome this issue, it is fundamental to put into practice the solutions that have come under proposal by the researchers in an appropriate manner. Moreover, the students must come under a personal interview in order to analyze their viewpoints and the issues that they are facing. This would help the experts to learn the exact problems and the solutions can come under design accordingly. Lastly, the teachers should also undergo such type of dialogue sessions so that with their help, effective and efficient consequences can come under planning. Moreover, teachers can also have a counseling session with the students on timely basis that can lead to the problems that the students are facing so that it can help the teachers to perform consequently that can enhance the students’ performances. References Ballantine, J. H, Spade, J. Z. (2007). Schools and society: a sociological approach to education. Pine Forge Press. Betts, J. R., Zau, A., Rice, L., Public Policy Institute of California. (2003). Determinants of student achievement: new evidence from San Diego. Public Policy Institute of CA. Cicchetti, D., Cohen, D. J. (2006). Developmental Psychopathology: Theory and method – Volume 1. John Wiley and Sons. Chubb, J. E., Loveless, T. (2002). Bridging the achievement gap. Brookings Institution Press. Franciosi, R. J. (2004). The rise and fall of American public schools: the political economy of public education in the twentieth century. Greenwood Publishing Group. Grissmer, D. W. (2000). Improving student achievement: what state NAEP test scores tell us. Rand Corporation. Healy, T., Cote, S., Helliwell, J. F., Field, S., Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2001). The well-being of nations: the role of human and social capital. OECD Publishing. Jepsen, C., Rivkin, S. G. (2002). Class size reduction, teacher quality, and academic achievement in California public elementary schools. Public Policy Institute of CA. Kaplan, L. S., Owings, W. A. (2010). American Education: Building a Common Foundation. Cengage Learning. Molnar, A. (2000). 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