THE EFFECT OF CLASS SIZE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION--LARGE CLASS SIZE VERSUS SMALL

Abstract

As is the case in many business schools across the country, the personnel within the School of Business at Indiana State University are forced to deal with an increasing student-faculty ratio. Our School of Business classes until three years ago were, with few exceptions, smaller than 60 students; however, since that time the number of students majoring in business has grown tremendously. This growth coupled with little appreciable increase in faculty has caused the School to institute large lecture classes in the basic courses, particularly Harketing and Hanagement and even in Accounting. The age old question of what effect, if any, does class size have on student performance is a concern within our School of Business. A review of the literature accomplished by Morgan (1978; Hunsberger 1958, pp. 283- 285; Rohrer 1957, pp. 275-280) revealed that findings of studies on class size had little effect on student performance. The authors were not completely convinced that class size alone had not been a factor in their teaching experience as far as student performance was concerned.