The pedagogy of large classes : challenging the "large class equals gutter education" myth

Maged, Shireen

The pedagogy of large classes : challenging the "large class equals gutter education" myth

Master Thesis

1997

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The study takes the work of three teachers to examine whether the popular belief of "small is better" is substantiated in the practice of these teachers. The study observes and analyses the classroom instruction of each of these teachers in a small class as well as in a large class. The observation is done with the use of an observation schedule, and the analysis of data is done within a Vygotskian framework. The study shows that the pedagogy and the teaching style of the three teachers does not change when they teach differently sized classes. In other words, their classroom practice is the same for both the small and large classes. The study further shows that the pedagogy of the teacher determines the effectiveness or quality of instruction, and that class size does not impact, either positively (in the case of the small class) or negatively (in the case of a large class) on the effectiveness or quality of instruction.