Class size and teacher effects 1 Running head: CLASS SIZE AND TEACHER EFFECTS Class Size and Teacher Effects on Student Achievement and Dropout Rates in University-Level Calculus

This paper describes two studies of class size effects on achievement and dropout rates in (traditional) calculus at the university level. The first involved one teacher in both a large and a small section of calculus. The second included four teachers, each in both large and small sections of calculus. After accounting for other significant factors, we found that class size itself was not a statistically significant factor. However, individual teachers did vary in their effectiveness in different class sizes. More importantly, the most effective teachers in large sections were more effective than almost all of the remaining teachers in small sections. Some implications for university administration are discussed. Class size and teacher effects 3 Class Size and Teacher Effects on Student Achievement and Dropout Rates in University-Level Calculus