Community College Online Class Size Optimization: Current Research and Findings

Josh Murdock@professorjosh

Lisa Macon Ph.D.@lisamacon

Valencia College

Poll the Audience

• What do you think is the optimal class size for an online class?

• 10• 15• 20• 25• 30• > 30

Primary Sources• Instructional Technology Council

survey March 2012.• Our own observations as

instructional designer and faculty member• Conversations with colleagues at

our own and other institutions• Focus on issues of class size and as

a secondary issue, compensation

What is the ITC?

• Consortium of community colleges offering distance learning courses• Has been surveying

member institutions since 2004

The Game – Tug of War• Pressure from administration for faculty to maximize

class size to increase efficiency (profitability)• Faculty pressure to safeguard demands on their time

as well as quality of the educational experience for students

Preliminary Conclusions: Class Size

• Ideal class size ranges from 12-30 (median of about 25)• Numbers differ by discipline• Introductory Math: 27 students• Introductory English Comp: 25• Introductory Political Science: 30

• What is your discipline?

Preliminary Findings : Compensation

• The majority of institutions compensate faculty for teaching more students than the established cap or limit• The majority of faculty teaching do not receive

additional compensation simply for teaching online classes• Course development compensation varies

greatly by institution

Example• Valencia College• Course caps set individually by campus and division• Average = 25 (min = 20, max = 40)• Larger courses are team taught• Faculty may not combine sections of the same course• In general, no compensation for development

Example

• Northern Virginia Community College• Tutorial Instructional Model Approach• 50-100 students per class with high success rate• Learner-instructor interaction is built into content – not

contrived using discussions• Additional interaction is optional

Example

• Ottawa University Online• Maximum enrollment of 20 students per class• Instructors are required to respond within 48 hours• Instructors are expected to be in the course on

weekends• Tougher schedule than ground instructors• Small increase in compensation

Example• Buffalo State Online Graduate Program• Faculty receive a stipend to develop an online course• Faculty spend additional hours teaching online• Expectation that communication is not constrained by time as it is in

classroom sections

Example

• New Jersey Institute of Technology• 40 to 60 students per online class• Apply 6 “management principles”• Information organization and retrieval• Set and enforce guidelines• Promote active collaboration and socialization• Knowledge sharing• Encourage student-to-student feedback• Require participation

Conclusions

• Online classes do not improve efficiency in class size• Online classes do

improve access• Online classes do

improve efficiency of facilities usage

Recommendations to Maximize Class Size

• Faculty training• Study models that work

• Compensation for design• Initial investment can lead to greater efficiency

• Collaboration/consistency in scheduling

Questions?

Contact Information

• Lisa Macon, Ph.D.• Email: Lmacon@valenciacollege.edu• LinkedIn: Lisa (Fischer) Macon, PhD• Twitter: @lisamacon

• Josh Murdock• Email: jmurdock3@valenciacollege.edu• LinkedIn: Joshua Murdock• Twitter: @professorjosh

References• 2011 Distance Education Survey Results,

Instructional Technology Council, March 2012.• “The Upper Limit: The Issues for Faculty in Setting

Class Size in Online Courses”, Colwell and Jenks.• “Class Size and Interaction in Online Courses”,

Orellana and Anymir.• Sener Knowledge Online Learning Blogs