A STUDY ON EFFECTS OF CLASS SIZE TOWARDS STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE

AMONG FORM FOUR STUDENTS IN SEK MEN KLANG UTAMA SELANGOR

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In the school, small size of classroom is seen to be very encouraging in developing

students’ ability in their learning science as this will help to expand their creativity, imagina t ion

and motivation. Traditionally, research on class size has been characterized by the following

underlying assumptions which are small classes are better than large classes and class size is an

independent and controlling variable. There seems to be a widespread belief that an increase in

numbers has a negative correlation with learning and achievement in the classroom. On the other

hand, it is assumed that a reduction in numbers would affect, positively, not only learning and

other non-achievement variables but also the method of instruction and teacher behavior in the

classroom.

According to Naseer and Saeed (2007) stated in their findings that significant correlation

between school size and cultural school with student achievement has a significant. Small schools

revealed positive school culture and performed better than medium and large schools. According

to McKeachie (1999), he emphasized that a reorganization and restructuring of the large classes’

way of delivering could deliver commensurate outcomes to small classes. But the problem is when

student can not to stimulate actively, critical thinking when they in larger class that because they

only promote passive absorption of material. Many academicians and researchers such as Waugh

and Waugh, 1999 likely to maintain the large classes because they think it become more effective

in inspiring and enhancing student motivation. Large classes can have comparable effects on

students’ performance as smaller group settings, when taught using another ways to encourage

interpersonal interaction and active learning,

According to students, instructors in small and medium classes are more to involve students

in hands-on projects and real-life activities, assign projects that require original or creative

thinking, form teams or discussion groups to guide them in learning, and ask students to help each

other understand concepts or ideas. Perhaps most troubling is that students in large and very large

classes report the instructor is less likely to inspire them to set and achieve goals that really

challenge them.

There are lots of conflicts research states about the comparison of class size that contribute

toward performance in achievement. Some of them believe that large class size is not the main

character in the other hand other researcher emphasize on reducing small size classroom will

increasing student understanding and will better achievement in their performance.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

According to Wulff (1987), found that lack of interaction between instructors and students

and opportunities for question and discussion is what students report to be most dissatisfying about

large introductory courses. Stones (1970) research over 1,000 college students, and found that 60%

of them reported that the presence of a large number of people in class deterred them from asking

questions, even if the teacher encouraged them to do so. Using direct classroom observation as

their methodological tool, Karp & Yoels (1976) explore that in classes with more than 40 students,

2-3 students accounted for over half the exchange and of less than 40 students, 4-5 students

accounted for 75% of all classroom interactions.

How much attention do students at your school get? Class size is one factor to consider

when evaluating a school's effectiveness. But small class size alone does not ensure a good

education. The quality of the teaching, the school leadership, the size of the school, the amount of

parents’ involvement and other factors are important to consider too.

Therefore, there is the need to address these issues by looking into the influence of class size in

student achievement, students attitude’s and perception of teacher regarding class size in enhance

student motivation in their learning by creating small size classroom to didactic teaching for

motivation will set the focuses of this study which are:

(i) Perception of teacher regarding class size

(ii) The relationship and effects of class size towards student’s attitude

(iii) The relationship of class size towards students’ academic result

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is hoped that in the future, this study can become a guideline or as a reference for new

teachers or even to the senior teachers in using class size to enhance student perform their

achievement. Teachers and public will gain information from this study on size classroom point

of view in teaching using small size of classroom, the roles and effects small size classroom,

advantages from small size classroom in enhancing student motivation specifically. In practical

significant of this method should be research more of their implementation in Malaysia then it

should be administered following the policies from the government, ministry of education. After

approved by ministry it will conduct by school management and school administered.

As the study was conducted using questionnaire, the data gathered will help the teachers in

the future to lessen their workloads stress, to provide useful information, and to help teachers to

consider appropriate activities that they are going to do that can help to improve student motivat ion

even when they are in different levels, and classes. It is also hoped to enable ministry of education

to develop more insights of the use of size classroom in enhancing student motivation and the

potential of this kind of learning to be integrated in the lessons or syllabus.

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

This study attempts:

1) To investigate the perception teacher about class size

2) To investigate the relation and effects of class size towards the students attitude

3) To study the relation class size towards students’ academic result

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION

The research will be focusing on the following questions:

1) What are the perceptions of teacher regarding class size?

2) What is relation and effects between class size and students attitude?

3) What is relation between class size and student academic result.

1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

There are some limitations in conducting this study. First, as this study is meant to gain

new perceptions from teachers, it might lack of genuine insights toward class size as new

teachers are usually new to teaching. The result gathered would be clearer if the researcher can

get the data and information needed from both new teachers and in-service teachers to make it

more valid on the pros and cons by teaching in different class size in order to enhance students’

achievement. In the aspect of time, it will take only about two hours to collect data. Research is

limited to samples from Sek Keb Utama Klang with 50 samples from teacher and 100 sample

form four students. Although this does not cover all student in Klang Valley area, the

information gathered will at least become a reference for future use. As the researcher is a

student with no financial support, it is difficult to undertake wide research coverage. Another

limitation is the need to work on a comparative study in the future by using controlled and

experimental instrument in observations. Lastly, one of the limitations is policies by the

government ministry of education to implement this method to school in Malaysia.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

In term of class size it can be measured by how large or small a person or thing is

(classroom). In small class size it contains about 13-17 students (Murphy, 1998) whereas regular

(Large) Class - Contains 22-25 students (Murphy, 1998).

Performance is thing that somebody has done successfully, especially using their own effort

and skills. According to Edusoft Quick Guides Journal, (2004) students’ performance is how a

single student is doing across multiple assessments. Depending on the type of exam, you can see

percent scores, raw scores, and performance bands for the overall assessment, for individua l

standards, and/or for question groups.