Dangerous Discussions Topics/Questions - Class Size; Student/Faculty Ratio

4 Versions of one of my favorite “Dangerous Discussion” issues/questions
* Which version is more inflammatory?
* More conducive to constructive results?
* For whom and under what conditions?

Here are the 4 versions + 1 “comment”:
* How to manage large enrollment classes online effectively (e.g., 30-50 students in a doctoral level course)

* “I usually meet face-to-face with 10-20 students in the courses I teach at this college, and I really enjoy the lively – and often thoughtful - discussions. I know I’m lucky. I put my course syllabi on the Web, and often assign Web-based resources to my students. Are there really any ways of adding online interaction that would be any improvement?”

* How to match conditions, goals, resources, and techniques for effective online teaching and learning with different sized classes* In which courses and in which ways can information technology be used more effectively to increase the size of classes and reduce the number/duration of face-to-face meetings without reducing the quality of teaching and learning? Without further overburdening faculty and academic support staff? I.e., how, if at all, can technology be used to reduce operating costs without sacrificing educational quality or the life expectancy of faculty?

* Tom Marino, Temple U. Medical School: “I had to chuckle when I saw your 4th version. Right now we are teaching a completely online class to 120 students. It turns out it is more work than in the past when it was face to face. I guess I can’t imagine upscaling it without it taking an inordinate amount of time. That is unless we start decreasing the faculty to student feedback. Then we would not be able to call it education, just training.”