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Instructors As Learning Managers: Span of Control As a Factor of Class Size in Higher Education

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Instructors As Learning Managers: Span of Control As a Factor of Class Size in Higher Education AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Carol McKiel for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education presented on March 29, 2011. Title: Instructors as Learning Managers: Span of Control as a Factor of Class Size in Higher Education. Abstract approved: _______________________________________________________________________ Chris L. Ward Research suggests that a key factor in student persistence and success is the relationships students form with faculty (Chickering & Gamson, 1991; Kuh et al., 2005; Tinto, 1987). While it appears to be intuitive that small classes would promote these instructor/student relationships, research on class size provides conflicting results, with only some studies showing positive student outcomes in small classes. In business, however, research clearly identifies that a small ratio of manager to employees, called span of control and with an average size of 1:10, is important for maintaining employee satisfaction, facilitating skill development, and when tasks require complex problem- solving and creativity (Doran et al., 2004; Gittell, 2001; McManus, 2007). This study explores the perceptions of managers and instructors concerning the nature of their work with employees and students, respectively. An intersect of the management and instruction roles may be that both help people acquire skills in order to fulfill work objectives. If there are commonalities between the way managers and instructors work with people, then span of control may be an appropriate application for determining class size. If managers can only work with 10 people because of the complexities of the human experience and job tasks, the question is, why do instructors work with at least twice as many people, but must expect the same results? Using the Q method and a focus group as a way to compare study participants‘ attitudes, there appears to be a significant correlation between the way managers and instructors perceive their roles in working with employees and students. Both managers and instructors in the study believe building collaborative relationships with others is important for producing positive outcomes. Both report the importance of their roles in helping individuals develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In addition, the managers and instructors in the study acknowledge important similarities within their work with employees and students. ©Copyright by Carol McKiel March 29, 2011 All Rights Reserved Instructors as Learning Managers: Span of Control as a Factor of Class Size in Higher Education by Carol McKiel A DISSERTATION submitted to Oregon State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Presented March 29, 2011 Commencement June 2011 Doctor of Philosophy dissertation of Carol McKiel presented on March 29, 2011. APPROVED: ________________________________________________________________________ Major Professor, representing Education ________________________________________________________________________ Dean of the College of Education ________________________________________________________________________ Dean of the Graduate School I understand that my dissertation will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my dissertation to any reader upon request. ________________________________________________________________________ Carol McKiel, Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank and express my appreciation to those individuals who agreed to participate in my study and who were generous with their time and support. I am also grateful for the encouragement and assistance of all the faculty of the Teacher Leadership Program. Their energy and faith sustained me when I faltered. A special thanks to Dr. Chris Ward, my major professor, for her patience and assistance when I encountered self-doubt over the course of the program. Her support was invaluable to my success, and her timely guidance kept my research strategies well grounded. The members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Craig Taylor, Dr. SueAnn Bottoms, Dr. Susan Shaw, and Dr. Tom Scheuermann, have helped me and were generous with their time by providing me with assistance, answering my many questions, and offering valuable insights into my research and writing. I would also like to thank all my friends at Lane Community College for their support, advice, and caring. They never stopped providing encouragement and professed confidence in my success. This acknowledgement would not be complete without recognizing the foundation provided by my family and without whom this project would never have been completed. To Diana and Glen who have been both my cheerleaders and taskmasters during my dissertation process. My children, Erin and Ralf and John and Yoyo, have been a help to me with their love. Their support and continued patience have been phenomenal. Finally, I must recognize the assistance from my husband, Allen, for his continued willingness to act as my sounding board during our endless conversations on this topic and for his constant faith and encouragement to finish this project. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Maslow‘s Theory on a Hierarchy of Needs .........................................................................4 Problem Statement ...............................................................................................................6 Class Size .............................................................................................................................7 Shifting Expectations ...............................................................................................9 Purpose of the Study ..........................................................................................................12 The Study Questions ..........................................................................................................12 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................12 Chapter Summary ..............................................................................................................16 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ..................................................17 Student Learning ................................................................................................................18 The Traditional Model of Education ......................................................................18 Evolution of Educational Needs ............................................................................21 Alternatives to the Traditional Teaching Model ....................................................26 Summary ............................................................................................................................35 Class Size ...........................................................................................................................36 Making Large Classes Work ..................................................................................37 The Case for Small Classes....................................................................................39 Summary ............................................................................................................................42 Span of Control ..................................................................................................................42 Background on Span of Control ............................................................................43 Application of Span of Control ..............................................................................45 Higher Level Skills Influenced by Span of Control...............................................49 Summary ............................................................................................................................51 Theoretical Framework for the Study: Maslow‘s Theory of a Hierarchy of Needs ..........51 Safety .....................................................................................................................53 Belonging ...............................................................................................................54 Self-Esteem ............................................................................................................57 Self-Actualization ..................................................................................................58 Summary ............................................................................................................................61 Span of Control and Maslow‘s Theory ..............................................................................61 Affective Management Function: Providing Motivation .......................................62 Affective Management Function: Promoting Communication..............................62 Affective Management Function: Fostering Independence ...................................63 Affective Management Function: Developing a Collaborative Work Environment ...........................................................................................................63 Affective Management Function: Building Relationships ...................................64 Affective Management Function of Span of Control in Education and Management ...........................................................................................................64
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