scholarly journals The impact of varying class sizes on epidemic spread in a university population

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 210712
Author(s):  
Alex Best ◽  
Prerna Singh ◽  
Charlotte Ward ◽  
Caterina Vitale ◽  
Megan Oliver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Epidemiological Model ◽  
Small Class ◽  
Epidemic Spread ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
University Population ◽  
Size Limits ◽  
The Impact

A common non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) during the COVID-19 pandemic has been group size limits. Furthermore, educational settings of schools and universities have either fully closed or reduced their class sizes. As countries begin to reopen classrooms, a key question will be how large classes can be while still preventing local outbreaks of disease. Here, we develop and analyse a simple, stochastic epidemiological model where individuals (considered as students) live in fixed households and are assigned to a fixed class for daily lessons. We compare key measures of the epidemic—the peak infected, the total infected by day 180 and the calculated R 0 —as the size of class is varied. We find that class sizes of 10 could largely restrict outbreaks and often had overlapping inter-quartile ranges with our most cautious case of classes of five. However, class sizes of 30 or more often result in large epidemics. Reducing the class size from 40 to 10 can reduce R 0 by over 30%, as well as significantly reducing the numbers infected. Intermediate class sizes show considerable variation, with the total infected varying by as much as from 10% to 80% for the same class size. We show that additional in-class NPIs can limit the epidemic still further, but that reducing class sizes appears to have a larger effect on the epidemic. We do not specifically tailor our model for COVID-19, but our results stress the importance of small class sizes for preventing large outbreaks of infectious disease.

scholarly journals The impact of varying class sizes on epidemic spread in a university population

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Best ◽  
Prerna Singh ◽  
Charlotte Ward ◽  
Caterina Vitale ◽  
Megan Oliver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Epidemiological Model ◽  
Small Class ◽  
Epidemic Spread ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
University Population ◽  
Size Limits ◽  
The Impact

A common non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) during the Covid-19 pandemic has been group size limits. Further, educational settings of schools and universities have either fully closed or reduced their class sizes. As countries begin to reopen classrooms, a key question will be how large classes can be while still preventing local outbreaks of disease. Here we develop and analyse a simple, stochastic epidemiological model where individuals (considered as students) live in fixed households and are assigned to a fixed class for daily lessons. We compare key measures of the epidemic - the peak infected, the total infected by day 180 and the calculated $R_0$ - as the size of class is varied. We find that class sizes of 10 could largely restrict outbreaks and often had overlapping inter-quartile ranges with our most cautious case of classes of 5. However, class sizes of 30 or more often result in large epdiemics. Reducing the class size from 40 to 10 can reduce $R_0$ by as much as 30\%, as well as signficantly reducing the numbers infected. Intermediate class sizes show considerable variation, with the total infected varying as much as from 20\% to 80\% for the same class size. We show that additional in-class NPIs can limit the epidemic still further, but that reducing class sizes appears to have a larger effect on the epidemic. We do not specifically tailor our model for Covid-19, but our results stress the importance of small class sizes for preventing large outbreaks of infectious disease.

The Impact of Group Size in an Exercise Setting

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert V. Carron ◽  
Lawrence R. Brawley ◽  
W. Neil Widmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Exercise Class ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Exercise Classes ◽  
The Impact

Two independent studies were conducted to examine the impact of group size in an exercise setting. In the first, archival data from 47 exercise classes varying in size from 5 to 46 members were used to examine the relationship between group size and behavior. Attention and retention were high in small and large exercise classes and specific social psychologocal correlates of group size including the participants’ perceptions of conspicuousness, quality and quantity of interactions with their leader, their opportunities for social interaction with other members, the level of crowding and density, and satisfaction. Trend analyses showed a curvilinear relationship between exercise class size and participants’ perceptions of the opportunities available for social interaction and feelings of crowding and density. Both the small and large classes were perceived more favorably than the medium classes. The relationships between class size and perceptions of the instructor as well as the level of satisfaction experienced were linear—positive perceptions decreased systematically as class size increased.

scholarly journals The Impact of Class Size on Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language: The Case of the Department of English at Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Hayat Aoumeur
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Huge Number ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
The Past ◽  
Quality Of Teaching ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Learning English

This paper is devoted to the study of the impact of class size on teaching and learning English as a foreign language. The investigation was conducted at the department of English at Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University. The department has witnessed a huge increase in the enrolment figure in the past decade which resulted into an increase in class sizes. This has created problems for staff and students alike. Despite the steps taken by the administrators to reduce the number of students, the problem of class crowding still persists. The department of English, alone, has an enrolment of almost 3000 students, it is a huge number indeed if we take into consideration the availability of facilities and resources. The aim of this study is to explore the organizational and pedagogical difficulties that are frequently encountered by the teachers dealing with large classes and the effects on student learning. Additionally, this paper proposes some suggestions on how to deal with class overcrowding. As part of our research, we have given questionnaires to 200 students and 40 teachers. The findings of the survey clearly demonstrate that large class sizes have an adverse impact on the quality of teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Contextual Categorisation of Academics’ Conceptions of Teaching

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Daniel ◽  
Alex Mazzolini ◽  
Llewellyn Mann
Keyword(s):  
Large Class ◽  
Physics Education ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Intermediate Stage ◽  
Small Class ◽  
Conceptions Of Teaching ◽  
Large Classes

Background: Despite large-class research-based instructional strategies being firmly established in the literature, traditional teacher-centred lecturing remains the norm. This is particularly the case in physics, where Physics Education Research (PER) has blossomed as a discipline in its own right over the last few decades, but research-based strategies are not widely implemented. This variation in practice is underpinned by variations in beliefs and understandings about teaching. Studies investigating the spectrum of conceptions of teaching held by teachers and, in particular, academics have almost uniformly identified a single dimension from teacher-centred to student-centred. These studies have used a phenomenographic approach to capture the variety of conceptions of teaching, but have excluded contextual issues like class size. Research Question: How does class size affect academics’ conceptions of teaching? Method: This study used an online survey to compare and contrast respondents’ experiences of small and large classes, and in particular lectures. The survey was promoted to Australian university academics from a range of disciplines, predominantly science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Responses to the sets of small-class questions were analysed independently from the sets of equivalent large-class questions. For each respondent their small-class responses were categorised, where possible, as either being student-centred or teacher-centred, and likewise, independently, for their large-class responses. Results: In total, 107 survey responses were received. Of these, 51 had the sets of both their large- and small-class responses unambiguously categorised. Five of these were student-centred regardless of class size, and 17 of these were teacher-centred regardless of class size. All of the remaining 29 responses were teacher-centred in large classes, but student-centred in small classes. Conversely, none of the responses corresponded to a conception of teaching that was student-centred in large classes and teacher-centred in small classes. Implications: This result demonstrates that the one-dimensional analysis of conceptions of teaching along the spectrum of teacher-centred to student-centred is too simplistic. Conceptions are contextual. At the very least they depend on class size, and perhaps other factors. It confirms the hierarchy of understanding from teacher-centred to student-centred reported elsewhere in the literature, with the added feature of an intermediate stage of differing focus depending on class size. One recommendation from this finding is that teaching professional development programs should be focused on developing studentcentred conceptions and practices in large classes in particular, as this occurs infrequently but leads to the best student learning outcomes. Moreover, further research on contextspecific conceptions of teaching need to be explored.

scholarly journals Modeling the Impact of Lock-down on COVID-19 Spread in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Altahir A. Altahir ◽  
Nirbhay Mathur ◽  
Loshini Thiruchelvam ◽  
Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro ◽  
Syaimaa’ S. M. Radzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Immature Stage ◽  
Epidemic Spread ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Seir Model ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAfter a breakdown notified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, COVID-19 is declared as pandemic diseases. To the date more than 13 million confirmed cases and more than half a million are dead around the world. This virus also attached Malaysia in its immature stage where 8718 cases were confirmed and 122 were declared as death. Malaysia responsibly controlled the spread by enforcing MCO. Hence, it is required to visualize the pattern of Covid-19 spread. Also, it is necessary to estimate the impact of the enforced prevention measures. In this paper, an infectious disease dynamic modeling (SEIR) is used to estimate the epidemic spread in Malaysia. The main assumption is to update the reproduction number Rt with respect to the implemented prevention measures. For a time-frame of five month, the Rt was assumed to vary between 2.9 and 0.3. Moreover, the manuscript includes two possible scenarios: the first will be the extension of the stricter measures all over the country, and the second will be the gradual lift of the lock-down. After implementing several stages of lock-down we have found that the estimated values of the Rt with respect to the strictness degree varies between 0.2 to 1.1. A continuous strict lock-down may reduce the Rt to 0.2 and accordingly the estimated active cases will be reduced to 20 by the beginning of September 2020. In contrast, the second scenario considers a gradual lift of the enforced prevention measures by the end of June 2020, here we have considered three possible outcomes according to the MCO relaxation. Thus, the estimated values of Rt = 0.7, 0.9, 1.1, which shows a rapid increase in the number of active cases. The implemented SEIR model shows a close resemblance with the actual data recorded from 10, March till 7, July 2020.Author summaryConceptualization, A.A.A; methodology, A.A.A, N.M; validation, A.A.A, N.M; formal analysis, A.A.A; investigation, N.M, A.A.A; resources, G.E.M.A, L.T; data collection, L.T, N.M; writing—original draft preparation, A.A.A, L.T, G.E.M.A, N.M; writing—review and editing, V.S.A, S.C.D, B.S.G, P.S, S.A.B.M.Z, N.M; visualization, N.M; supervision, V.S.A; project administration, V.S.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript

The Impact of Class Size on Outcomes in Higher Education

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Monks ◽  
Robert M. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Faculty Member ◽  
Size Effects ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Student Assessments ◽  
Selective Institution ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Numerous studies have investigated the impact of class size on student outcomes. This analysis contributes to this discussion by isolating the impact of class size on student outcomes in higher education by utilizing a natural experiment at a selective institution which enables the estimation of class size effects conditional on the total number of students taught by a faculty member. We find that class size negatively impacts student assessments of courses and instructors. Large classes appear to prompt faculty to alter their courses in ways deleterious to students.

Modifikasi Sistem Asistensi dan Responsi Kelas Kecil pada Praktikum Parasitologi Blok Digestif dan Hematoimunologi Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Riau

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Suri Dwi Lesmana ◽  
Esy Maryanti
Keyword(s):  
Large Class ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Small Class ◽  
Laboratory Practice ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Competency Based

Faculty of Medicine University of Riau has been implementing Competency Based Curriculum (KBK) with theProblem Based Learning (PBL) since 2007 with the implementation of teaching and learning activities of the systemconsists of a tutorial activities, skillab, expert lectures, independent and practical. However, there are still manyproblems in the implementation of the KBK on preclinic degree. One part of the block that is identified to be one ofthe causes of low graduation exam block is less efective coaching laboratory practice. Parasitology is one part of thetask is to provide laboratory practice in several blocks on the stage of preclinic especially digestive and hematoimunologyblock. This study aimed to compare the results of the evaluation of parasitology laboratory practice in hematoimunologyand digestive assistance and posttest in large classes with small class. Assistance and posttest in large class performedon the digestive block implementation and hematoimunologi in 2011 while assisting and posttest of small classes ona block implementation in 2012. Average value of small class digestive laboratory practice was not significantlylower than the large class but the proportion of the value of quality B and C more many in small classes. The meanvalue of the block hematoimunologi laboratory practice significantly higher on small class assistance and posttest aswell as the proportion of the value of quality A, B and C was higher in small classes than large classes.

scholarly journals Exploring optimal control of epidemic spread using reinforcement learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abu Quwsar Ohi ◽  
M. F. Mridha ◽  
Muhammad Mostafa Monowar ◽  
Md. Abdul Hamid
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Short Length ◽  
Reproduction Rate ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Epidemic Spread ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Individual Human

AbstractPandemic defines the global outbreak of a disease having a high transmission rate. The impact of a pandemic situation can be lessened by restricting the movement of the mass. However, one of its concomitant circumstances is an economic crisis. In this article, we demonstrate what actions an agent (trained using reinforcement learning) may take in different possible scenarios of a pandemic depending on the spread of disease and economic factors. To train the agent, we design a virtual pandemic scenario closely related to the present COVID-19 crisis. Then, we apply reinforcement learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, that deals with how an individual (human/machine) should interact on an environment (real/virtual) to achieve the cherished goal. Finally, we demonstrate what optimal actions the agent perform to reduce the spread of disease while considering the economic factors. In our experiment, we let the agent find an optimal solution without providing any prior knowledge. After training, we observed that the agent places a long length lockdown to reduce the first surge of a disease. Furthermore, the agent places a combination of cyclic lockdowns and short length lockdowns to halt the resurgence of the disease. Analyzing the agent’s performed actions, we discover that the agent decides movement restrictions not only based on the number of the infectious population but also considering the reproduction rate of the disease. The estimation and policy of the agent may improve the human-strategy of placing lockdown so that an economic crisis may be avoided while mitigating an infectious disease.

scholarly journals On the diverse and opposing effects of nutrition on pathogen virulence

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1906) ◽  
pp. 20191220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria L. Pike ◽  
Katrina A. Lythgoe ◽  
Kayla C. King
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Pathogen Virulence ◽  
Disease Outcomes ◽  
Host Nutrition ◽  
Opposing Effects ◽  
The Impact

Climate change and anthropogenic activity are currently driving large changes in nutritional availability across ecosystems, with consequences for infectious disease. An increase in host nutrition could lead to more resources for hosts to expend on the immune system or for pathogens to exploit. In this paper, we report a meta-analysis of studies on host–pathogen systems across the tree of life, to examine the impact of host nutritional quality and quantity on pathogen virulence. We did not find broad support across studies for a one-way effect of nutrient availability on pathogen virulence. We thus discuss a hypothesis that there is a balance between the effect of host nutrition on the immune system and on pathogen resources, with the pivot point of the balance differing for vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Our results suggest that variation in nutrition, caused by natural or anthropogenic factors, can have diverse effects on infectious disease outcomes across species.

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