Multiage Education: An Exploration of Advantages and Disadvantages through a

Systematic Review of the Literature

Background

The purpose of this systematic review of the literature is to present reliable data on
multiage education. It especially discusses curriculum and pedagogy, including the
benefits and drawbacks of multiage education in small school environments. However, it
is critical to define the language being used in the field before doing a systematic
quantitative literature evaluation on multiage schooling to establish an understanding of
the issue. Thereby, numerous words and concepts are used in the literature to define
and discuss multiage schooling. These terminology, which confuse research in this
area, include multi-age (multiage), multi-grade (multigrade), composite courses, stage
classes, mixed-grade/age classes, non-graded schooling, and multi-classes.

According to Cornish (2010), the term "multiage" refers to any mixed-grade class that is
typically established through philosophical decisions. "Traditional grade designations do
not apply" when it comes to mixed-age children, according to Mulryan-Kyne (2007, p.
501). While multi-grade courses are typically developed out of necessity, such as when
school enrollment is low. For the purposes of this paper, the phrase "multiage classes"
is selected because it is typically used in the literature to refer to a class that was
created based on philosophical preference for non-graded, non-age-based classes
(Cornish, 2010). The researchers believe that multi-age education has important
academic and pedagogical effects that educators in settings like small schools should
carefully examine. This includes considering whether multiage would be beneficial or
detrimental in various contexts, such as those restricted by, for instance, culture and/or
location.

Therefore, the goal of this systematic quantitative literature review is to examine the
empirical study that already exists with a focus on curriculum and pedagogy with an
interest in multi-age education in a small school setting. Additionally, to determine the
primary advantages and disadvantages of a multiage approach in small school
situations, curriculum, and instructional practices are investigated.

Challenges Of Multiage Education

Parallel Curriculum
Teachers used what was known as a parallel curriculum at these small, rural schools in
Austria and Finland, focusing their instruction on the grade (year) level of each student
in their classrooms while having students study the curriculum designed for their
specific grade. The students' work was all based on the same theme, although they
were all studying material from their respective grade levels' syllabi.

This presented a challenge because the teachers had to create distinctive lesson plans
and materials for each grade level in their multi-grade class (Barber, 2015). According to
Kalaoja and Pietarinen (2009), this resulted in a significant workload for many of these
multi-grade teachers and frequently hurried and challenging planning. Furthermore,
there was typically time wasted as the practice was on teachers working with one
grade-level group while the other grade levels were waiting for their turn. (Barber,
2015).

Outcome-Based Curriculum

Multi-age classrooms were encouraged in schools by a curriculum that was

outcomes-based. The syllabus was arranged by stages rather than by ages (Curriculum
Directorate, 1997). As it is organized out in stages, supported by efficient assessment
and reporting systems, and thus provides a clear vision of students' academic growth,
the outcomes-based curriculum is claimed to considerably contribute to successful
multiage operations.

Cornish (2011) noted that the introduction of the national curriculum, which is firmly
based on grades and connected to national testing and reporting for each grade, may
mean that mixed-age teachers would be compelled to separate grades to ensure that
grade requirements and national testing requirements would be met, as well as to
ensure that their students would not be at a disadvantage when it came to national
testing. This implies that multiage classes would become less popular as the curriculum
would shift its emphasis to ages rather than stages.

Pedagogy and the Teacher’s Role in Multiage Schooling

The literature describes a variety of teaching roles in mixed-age settings, primarily as a

result of the rationale used to design the specific class arrangements, including
administrative, philosophical, and/or economic factors. The studies generally agreed
that teachers needed to have experience, be well-trained in pedagogical practices
specific to these settings (e.g., grouping practices; differentiation), be well-supported (by
schools and communities), be able and willing to work collaboratively (such as team
teaching and group planning), be flexible, and be able to provide safe, supportive, and
nurturing classroom environments in order to teach successfully in mixed-age settings.
(Barber, 2015)

Best Practices

Spiral curriculum

In multi-grade teaching approaches, a spiral curriculum approach is when courses from

different classes have the same topics but higher grades have more in-depth materials.
By undertaking this curriculum practice students in mixed-age settings are able to work
on the same theme/subject, however, the content is organized to address the individual
stages of the students (Barber, 2015).

Integrated Curriculum

In a mixed-age and multi-age environment, integrated curriculum approaches are

discussed by Smit, Hyry-Beihammer, and Raggl (2015). They argued that these kinds of
settings were the same with an integrated curriculum as a strategy when it comes to
teaching and learning environments, rather than using a different curriculum for each
grade. For them, an integrated curricular approach resulted in a more cohesive
perspective of managing a diverse classroom and meeting the requirements of the
students.

Furthermore, In the study of Hoffman (2015) the organizational and instructional

strategies used by four multiage instructors in intermediate elementary classes three to
five, he found that teachers developed an integrated curriculum in which students
learned as they were taught because subjects and content areas were integrated and
had strong linkages made between them.

Inquiry Cycles

At Oregon University, Davenport (1998) conducted a qualitative lab school research that
looked at the teaching strategies used in seven multiage classrooms with intermediate
classes of seven, eight, and nine-year-old pupils. Teachers in this environment
organized a curriculum that was primarily student-driven using inquiry cycles. According
to him, this inquiry cycle provided a framework for curriculum development, consistent
standards for students' work, and more time for deep, self-directed learning.
Additionally, he made the argument that inquiry-based learning in this environment of
mixed ages allowed children to make discoveries alongside peers who were older or
younger, allowing each student the chance to succeed in their learning while proceeding
at their own speed.

Pedagogical Practices

Grouping Practices Approach

The study found that when it comes to managing differences, by age, and other factors,
the grouping practices method works well. A philosophical underpinning for teaching to
many age groups, grouping practice fosters social, emotional, and cognitive
development while also reducing behavioral issues. (Hoffman, 2003). Additionally,
according to Mulryan-Kyne (2004; 2005), when students are arranged in this way and
their specific interests are taken into consideration in the curriculum, their on-task
conduct improves.

Collaborative Practice Approach

Although many mono-grade classrooms engage in this kind of activity, one of the
distinguishing characteristics of multiage classrooms is the practices between the ages
and stages of students. These activities have been associated with enhanced social
and emotional development in students who actively engage in these activities as well
as the development of shared ethics across potential age barriers. (Barber, 2015;
Veenman, 1995)

In Hoffman's (2003) study, this kind of collaboration was facilitated by teachers, who
seated and organized the students into diverse groups to promote collaboration and
cooperative learning. According to Hoffman, this setup not only encouraged interaction
and collaboration but also made it expected. According to Heins et al. (2000), this
method includes holistic constructivist learning approaches where the focus is on
educating students rather than imparting knowledge about the curriculum.

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this research study, the literature does not fully agree on the
advantages and disadvantages of multiage schooling. However, there was widespread
agreement that social and emotional opportunities in mixed-age environments
encourage this. It is via collaborative activities that foster cross-age understanding and
collaboration that students' skills, regardless of age or stage, are developed.
From a thorough review of the literature, the quality of instructional strategies used in
individual settings, and few teachers use the unique aspects of multi-age settings to
their advantage in the mixed-age classroom to actively cross-grade/age levels using
integrated curriculum strategies. However, the conceptual foundation of multi-age
teaching approaches includes mixed-age teaching, although it is unknown whether this
strategy will be effective in all sorts of small schools. As a result, it has had some
problems with parents and teachers, because multi-age courses are sometimes
regarded as undesirable, which varies based on cultural norms.

Furthermore, there is some agreement in the multiage education literature that the
social and emotional qualities of multiage settings produce high-quality classroom
environments while also supporting the community. However, the majority of the
literature indicates that there is a need for pre-service skills, particularly multiage
pedagogical skills to better support teachers in their employment.

More study that differentiates between the cognitive results of multi-age classrooms is
needed, rather than looking solely at mixed-age or multi-grade classes. Academics
have had limited opportunities to examine and comprehend teaching approaches in
multi-age settings, so additional research is needed in this area. Also, more information
and professional development on how to use the curriculum to accommodate student
variability in multi-age courses are required. And, in order for this mixed-age learning to
be successful, there must be a consistent alignment between planning and teaching
time. As a result, we may anticipate that small rural and urban multi-age schools will be
able to increase students' cognitive capacities and academic achievements while also
completely supporting pupil's social-emotional development.

In the final analysis, according to this literature study, the terms multi-age and
multi-grade must be used with accuracy due to the differences in contexts in which they
are used. It is also crucial that the definitions be clear and accurate so that teachers
may use them consistently and coherently. This clarification is meant to be transmitted
to future researchers so that definitions are uniform and clear. Exploring these will aid in
avoiding confusion in the field.

As a result of merging these terms from learning other contexts, there has been a lot of
confusion and misinformation on the possible advantages and disadvantages of
multi-age schooling. Therefore, more focused studies in specific contexts around the
world are needed to adequately address some of these issues. In fact, this literature
review serves as a foundation for schools to demonstrate educational results in order to
become world-class education facilities.