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Effects of class size on alternative educational outcomes across disciplines

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  • Cheng, Dorothy A.

Abstract

This is the first study to use self-reported ratings of student learning, instructor recommendations, and course recommendations as the outcome measure to estimate class size effects, doing so across 24 disciplines. Fixed-effects models controlling for heterogeneous courses and instructors reveal that increasing enrollment has negative and significant effects on student satisfaction in Sociology, Political Science, Computer Science and Engineering, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Educational outcomes in Linguistics, Psychology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Math, Physics, Cognitive Sciences, Visual Arts, History, and Philosophy are unaffected by class size. Other disciplines, including Economics, have inconclusive findings. No discipline benefits from increasing enrollment.

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  • Cheng, Dorothy A., 2011. "Effects of class size on alternative educational outcomes across disciplines," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 980-990, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:30:y:2011:i:5:p:980-990
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    1. Kara, Elif & Tonin, Mirco & Vlassopoulos, Michael, 2021. "Class size effects in higher education: Differences across STEM and non-STEM fields," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Alexei Karas, 2021. "The effect of class size on grades and course evaluations: Evidence from multisection courses," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(4), pages 624-642, October.
    3. Tisha L. N. Emerson & Linda K. English & KimMarie McGoldrick, 2018. "The High Costs of Large Enrollment Classes: Can Cooperative Learning Help?," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 44(3), pages 455-474, June.

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