THE CLASSROOM

• Carleton University seeks to be an "innovator in undergraduate education" - how is this reflected in the classroom and the nature of the instructor?



Commentary:



• Despite changing enrolment and faculty numbers, the average section size has remained remarkably constant over the past five years and, at the overall level, the same over the past three years.
• First year class sizes have increased in all faculties (1999/00 as compared to 1998/99), mirroring the large increase in the first year intake in 1999/00.
• Undergraduate class sizes are continuing to rise in Engineering, a reflection of increasing enrolments, while remaining relatively stable in the other three faculties.
• In terms of sections taught, the proportion of first year classes taught by sessional lecturers has increased by 10% over the last year, and in terms of the numbers of students taught, this proportion has increased by 8%. The proportion of sections taught by professorial rank faculty has decreased by 9%, however, the proportion of students taught has fallen only 2%; this discrepancy in numbers implies that professorial faculty are teaching a higher proportion of the larger classes. (Proportion of students taught, in this context, counts students multiple times - once for each section in which they are enrolled.)
• The proportion of students who have at least one small class in their first year has continued to increase (See First Year Seminars).
• The percentage of enrolment in day and evening courses has increased marginally, matched by a decline in enrolment in ITV sections.