Our department offers a Gen Ed physics course, which attracts approximately 550 students per
semester. The class is currently taught in a room with approximately 85 seats with an enrollment limit
of 85.
Yesterday, at out department meeting, it was suggested that we increase the size of the classes
(moving to a different room, of course) to perhaps 120 per section; and we would then offer fewer
sections.
Some faculty claimed that it doesn't make any difference if there are more than 40 or 50 students. So,
we have two issues, (1) Is there a difference in teaching outcomes between a class of 85 and a class
of 120? and (2) Is there an effect in a large lecture hall when every seat is filled (100 % attendance) as
opposed to having 10-15% of the seats empty with 100 % attendance?
In my opinion, having every seat filled makes the room seem too crowded and some students will feel
uncomfortable with that and not come to class as a result. In addition, in my classes, I like to do group
activities with groups of 4 to 6 students; and having empty seats makes moving around easier. Most of
the other faculty only use passive lectures and multiple-choice, computer graded tests.