Within-class grouping: A meta-analysis

Y P  Lou; P C  Abrami; J C  Spence; C  Poulsen; B  Chambers; S  dApollonia

Within-class grouping: A meta-analysis

Y P Lou, P C Abrami, J C Spence, C Poulsen, B Chambers, S dApollonia

Institute for Effective Education

Research output: Contribution to journal › Literature review › peer-review

Abstract

The effects of within-class grouping on student achievement and other outcomes were quantitatively integrated using two sets of study findings. The first set included 145 effect sizes and explored the effects of grouping versus no grouping on several outcomes. Overall, the average achievement effect size was +0.17, favoring small-group learning. The second set included 20 effect sizes which directly compared the achievement effects of homogeneous versus heterogeneous ability grouping. Overall, the results favored homogeneous grouping; the average effect size was +0.12. The variability in both sets of study findings was heterogeneous, and the effects were explored further. To be maximally effective, within-class grouping practices require the adaptation of instruction methods and materials for small-group learning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	423-458
Number of pages	36
Journal	Review of Educational Research
Volume	66
Issue number	4
Publication status	Published - 1996

Keywords

BEST-EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
COOPERATIVE SMALL-GROUPS
STUDENT TEAMS
MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT
ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE
ABILITY
INSTRUCTION
SCHOOLS

Cite this

@article{d1f68eeb9aad41daa8c7117954722958,

title = "Within-class grouping: A meta-analysis",

abstract = "The effects of within-class grouping on student achievement and other outcomes were quantitatively integrated using two sets of study findings. The first set included 145 effect sizes and explored the effects of grouping versus no grouping on several outcomes. Overall, the average achievement effect size was +0.17, favoring small-group learning. The second set included 20 effect sizes which directly compared the achievement effects of homogeneous versus heterogeneous ability grouping. Overall, the results favored homogeneous grouping; the average effect size was +0.12. The variability in both sets of study findings was heterogeneous, and the effects were explored further. To be maximally effective, within-class grouping practices require the adaptation of instruction methods and materials for small-group learning.",

keywords = "BEST-EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS, COOPERATIVE SMALL-GROUPS, STUDENT TEAMS, MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT, ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE, ABILITY, INSTRUCTION, SCHOOLS",

author = "Lou, {Y P} and Abrami, {P C} and Spence, {J C} and C Poulsen and B Chambers and S dApollonia",

year = "1996",

language = "English",

volume = "66",

pages = "423--458",

journal = "Review of Educational Research",

issn = "0034-6543",

publisher = "SAGE",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Within-class grouping: A meta-analysis

AU - Lou, Y P

AU - Abrami, P C

AU - Spence, J C

AU - Poulsen, C

AU - Chambers, B

AU - dApollonia, S

PY - 1996

Y1 - 1996

N2 - The effects of within-class grouping on student achievement and other outcomes were quantitatively integrated using two sets of study findings. The first set included 145 effect sizes and explored the effects of grouping versus no grouping on several outcomes. Overall, the average achievement effect size was +0.17, favoring small-group learning. The second set included 20 effect sizes which directly compared the achievement effects of homogeneous versus heterogeneous ability grouping. Overall, the results favored homogeneous grouping; the average effect size was +0.12. The variability in both sets of study findings was heterogeneous, and the effects were explored further. To be maximally effective, within-class grouping practices require the adaptation of instruction methods and materials for small-group learning.

AB - The effects of within-class grouping on student achievement and other outcomes were quantitatively integrated using two sets of study findings. The first set included 145 effect sizes and explored the effects of grouping versus no grouping on several outcomes. Overall, the average achievement effect size was +0.17, favoring small-group learning. The second set included 20 effect sizes which directly compared the achievement effects of homogeneous versus heterogeneous ability grouping. Overall, the results favored homogeneous grouping; the average effect size was +0.12. The variability in both sets of study findings was heterogeneous, and the effects were explored further. To be maximally effective, within-class grouping practices require the adaptation of instruction methods and materials for small-group learning.

KW - BEST-EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

KW - COOPERATIVE SMALL-GROUPS

KW - STUDENT TEAMS

KW - MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT

KW - ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE

KW - ABILITY

KW - INSTRUCTION

KW - SCHOOLS

M3 - Literature review

SN - 0034-6543

VL - 66

SP - 423

EP - 458

JO - Review of Educational Research

JF - Review of Educational Research

IS - 4

ER -