The Class Size Question

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 students in larger classes, but the findings also indicated achievement gains beyond those expected soley from a consideration of differences in achievement levels. It is clear that an increased understanding of these features of the classroom is a necessary step towards sorting out the relationships between class size, teacher activities and student motivation, all of which appear as central themes in the class size question. (JD)