Principal Investigator
Chris Hundhausen, professor of computer science, associate head for online education, director, CREEdO
Co Principal Investigator
Mary Ellen Dello-Stritto, director, Ecampus Research Unit
Research Title
Exploring the impact of class size on students and instructors in online computer science courses
Project Overview Description
Research suggests that students in smaller cohorts develop stronger ties and camaraderie, but it's unclear if this holds for online courses. To explore this, we conducted a study varying the sizes of three online computer science courses: one entry-level, one 200-level, and one 300-level. We categorized sizes as “small” (< 50) and “large” (> 250).
We measured student engagement, sense of community, and success by collecting data on grades, persistence intention, attitudes, and subjective experiences through interviews. Preliminary results indicate that both students and instructors noted a lack of “critical mass” in smaller classes, with students viewing “community” primarily as receiving academic support rather than building camaraderie.