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Connecting in Class? College Class Size and Inequality in Academic Social Capital

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  • Irenee R. Beattie
  • Megan Thiele

Abstract

College students who interact with professors and peers about academic matters have better college outcomes. Although institutional factors influence engagement, prior scholarship has not systematically examined whether class sizes affect students' academic interactions, nor whether race or first-generation status moderate such effects. We conceptualized academic interactions as forms of social capital that are sensitive to institutional characteristics. We analyzed survey data from a random sample of 346 students enrolled at a public research university linked with institutional data on student class size. We employed logistic regression on six dependent variables capturing academic interactions with professors and peers and controlled for precollege characteristics. Compared to students enrolled in smaller classes, students enrolled in larger classes had significantly fewer interactions with professors about course material and with peers about course-related ideas. Social group also moderated some effects of class size. Class size negatively influenced first-generation (but not continuing generation) students' likelihood of talking to professors or TAs about ideas from class. For discussions about future careers, larger classes had profound negative effects on Black students (for interactions with professors) and Latino students (for interactions with peers), but no effect on other groups. We discuss implications for theory and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Irenee R. Beattie & Megan Thiele, 2016. "Connecting in Class? College Class Size and Inequality in Academic Social Capital," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 87(3), pages 332-362, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:uhejxx:v:87:y:2016:i:3:p:332-362
    DOI: 10.1080/00221546.2016.11777405
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    Cited by:

    1. Kevin P. Belanger & Angela K. Dills & Rey Hernández-Julián & Kurt W. Rotthoff, 2019. "Class Size, Course Spacing, and Academic Outcomes," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 45(2), pages 301-320, April.
    2. Ágnes Lukács J. & Beáta Dávid, 2019. "Roma Undergraduates’ Personal Network in the Process of College Transition. A Social Capital Approach," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 60(1), pages 64-82, February.
    3. Michael Gove, 2019. "Student engagement and larger class enrollments: evidence from a growing mid-sized university," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(4), pages 2550-2565.
    4. Skobba, Kim & Meyers, David & Tiller, Lori, 2018. "Getting by and getting ahead: Social capital and transition to college among homeless and foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 198-206.
    5. Mary L. Scherer, 2022. "Strategically Unequal: How Class, Culture, and Institutional Context Shape Academic Strategies," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, October.
    6. Oriol Pons & Jordi Franquesa & S. M. Amin Hosseini, 2019. "Integrated Value Model to Assess the Sustainability of Active Learning Activities and Strategies in Architecture Lectures for Large Groups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-19, May.
    7. Ozan Jaquette & Bradley R. Curs, 2023. "Enrollment Growth and Faculty Hiring at Public Research Universities," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 64(3), pages 349-378, May.

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