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CLASS SIZE REDUCTION: IS IT WORTH THE COST?A META-ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH

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Date Issued:
2006
Abstract/Description:
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ethnicity, gender, grade level and content area mediate the relationship between class size and student achievement. Twenty six educational research studies were collected for this meta-analysis. A meta-analytical approach using like data sets were used to report the most accurate information. Fixed and random effect models were used to ensure the distribution across different studies. A total of three studies were meta-analyzed for this research. The studies included in this research examined class size and student achievement for students in grades K-7. This research examined whether there was a mediating effect on ethnicity, gender, grade level, and content area in the class size and student achievement studies collected and correlated. The results indicate that smaller class size does have a positive impact on student achievement when mediated by ethnicity, grade level, and content area. When examining ethnicity as a mediating factor, a stronger correlation exists for minority students than for whites. When examining grade level as a mediating factor results indicate that a stronger correlation exist for lower grades K-3 than upper grades 4-7. A stronger correlation is present in the content area of reading as compared to other content areas when it was used as a mediating factor. When examining gender as a mediating factor, the largest effect sizes were reported for females in reading as opposed to males in math, both for first grade. These results correlate with those presented in other mediator sections of the study. The results found in this research will contribute to the literature concerning class size and student achievement and will help inform educational policy makers regarding class size as an educational issue.
Title: CLASS SIZE REDUCTION: IS IT WORTH THE COST?A META-ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH.
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Name(s): Camacho, Christopher, Author
Holt, Larry, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2006
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ethnicity, gender, grade level and content area mediate the relationship between class size and student achievement. Twenty six educational research studies were collected for this meta-analysis. A meta-analytical approach using like data sets were used to report the most accurate information. Fixed and random effect models were used to ensure the distribution across different studies. A total of three studies were meta-analyzed for this research. The studies included in this research examined class size and student achievement for students in grades K-7. This research examined whether there was a mediating effect on ethnicity, gender, grade level, and content area in the class size and student achievement studies collected and correlated. The results indicate that smaller class size does have a positive impact on student achievement when mediated by ethnicity, grade level, and content area. When examining ethnicity as a mediating factor, a stronger correlation exists for minority students than for whites. When examining grade level as a mediating factor results indicate that a stronger correlation exist for lower grades K-3 than upper grades 4-7. A stronger correlation is present in the content area of reading as compared to other content areas when it was used as a mediating factor. When examining gender as a mediating factor, the largest effect sizes were reported for females in reading as opposed to males in math, both for first grade. These results correlate with those presented in other mediator sections of the study. The results found in this research will contribute to the literature concerning class size and student achievement and will help inform educational policy makers regarding class size as an educational issue.
Identifier: CFE0001029 (IID), ucf:46813 (fedora)
Note(s): 2006-05-01
Ed.D.
Education, Department of Educational Studies
Doctorate
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): class size reduction
student achievement
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001029
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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