The Effect of Mixed‐Age Classes in Sweden

Abstract

Mixed-aged (MA) classes are a common phenomenon around the world. In Sweden, these types of classes increased rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s, despite the fact that existing empirical support for MA classes is weak. In this paper, the effect of attending an MA class during grades 4-6 on students' cognitive skills is estimated. Using a unique survey with information on students, parents, and teachers, it is possible to control for many factors that could otherwise bias the results. A negative effect on short-run cognitive skills, as measured by grade 6 cognitive tests, was found. This effect is relatively large-almost 5 percentile points-and robust to a rigorous sensitivity analysis. On grade 9 credits the effect is still negative but smaller in size and not statistically significant.

Multiage Education: An Exploration of Advantages and Disadvantages through a Systematic Review of the Literature

“…Cornish (2010) suggests that the reason for creating these classes forms the major difference in the terminology used in describing them, and that those reasons are often varied. These variations which influence the creation of classes are generally economical, the driving forces being: total school enrolments; individual grade (year) level enrolments; number of teachers available; and the availability and effective use of resources (Cornish, 2010;Lindström & Lindahl, 2011;Saqlain, 2015).…”

“…Other researchers suggest that multiage classes do not disadvantage students academically and may benefit them socially and emotionally (Curriculum Directorate, 1997). However, Veenman (1995) suggests there are no significant differences between mono-grade, multi-grade, and multiage classrooms on students' learning, while others suggest negative effects on students' cognitive skills on cognitive or standardised test after being in multiage classes (Gerard, 2005;Lindström & Lindahl, 2011).…”

“…This creates a confusing picture about what education, such as those above, mean as other definitions for mixed-age classes include: family grouping; blends; non-graded classes; combined classes; composite classes; and stage classes (Cornish, 2010;Saqlain, 2015); all with slightly different variations on the multiage and multi-grade contexts. Further compounding the confusion around terminology is that the terms multiage and multi-grade are often used interchangeably in the literature, though Lindström and Lindahl (2011) use the term mixed-age in discussing this type of educational practice. Lindström and Lindahl deem mixed-age to be classes where students from different grades are mixed into one homogenous class mainly demographic/economical, or philosophical reasons to benefit students.…”

“…The normalisation of age-based grading in schools has created a tendency to view other modes of grouping students, like multiage schooling, as being inferior (Veenman, 1995). This causes some issues for parents and teachers, in that multiage classes are sometimes seen as not desirable placements for either students or teachers (Lindström & Lindahl, 2011;Veenman, 1995) and may differ depending on the cultural traditions within these communities. However, schools which embrace the practice of multiage philosophy; structure the classes to enhance students' social and emotional development, where students of different ages are in the same class over several years (Veenman, 1995), on the belief that this is an advantageous way to educate students, often reported more success.…”

“…Research that distinguishes between the cognitive outcomes of multiage classes is also needed, rather than just looking at mixed-age or multi-grade classes. However, Lindström and Lindahl (2011) did not distinguish between multiage and multi-grade settings because the effects of attending either class type could differ from context to context, an area they suggested needed further research. There have been limited opportunities for researchers to observe and understand pedagogical practices within multiage settings (Ritland & Eighmy, 2012) and consequently more research is needed in this area.…”