Group size refers to the number of students participating in an online, computer-mediated class. It is an element of group composition and structure that should be considered when designing an online course. It derives its significance from its effects on group process and subsequent measures of class success. Size is important in any group; however, it becomes a critical factor when setting up a virtual classroom because of the limited channels of communication, loss or changing of traditional social cues, changes to characteristic boundaries of structure, time, and space, and technology constraints that differentiate this group from a face-to-face group.

Group size is an essential consideration when creating classes using either asynchronous, bulletin board, forum, or newsgroup types of technology, or synchronous, real-time, ‘chat’ types of ...