Challenges and Opportunities of Multi-Grade Teaching: A Systematic Review of Recent International Studies

Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article presented offers an updated overview of research published in the last five years (2019–2024) in two databases of similar quality (Scopus and ERIC), through a selection based on PRISMA guidelines. The use of PRISMA ensures an appropriate screening methodology, although it limits the results according to the effectiveness of the keywords. The finding of geographical diversity ends up being, therefore, an unforeseen element without effective geographical representation, given that many people in the countries consulted do not have the capacity to publish and are therefore excluded from this study.
This element may seem minor, but in an area as relevant as multigrade classroom education, limited in the context of this research to rural classrooms, each of the educational contexts takes on greater relevance.
Even so, considering that the work carried out does not cover all the countries that implement this modality, it does offer a sufficient framework for researchers who wish to delve into this reality and understand the challenges of rural education at the international level.
As for its body and development, it does not explain how the materials are processed or analysed after their selection, an element that would help to understand the criteria for analysis and conceptual groupings generated.
The bibliography cited is that used in both the PRISMA process and other analytical foundations and is appropriate.
Between lines 104 and 105, it mentions: ‘A systematic review strategy was adopted in accordance with the recommendations of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement (Page et al., 2021), adapted to the field of educational sciences’, however, the source supporting the statement ‘adapted to the field of educational sciences’ does not appear in the text. Supporting authors are required.
Author Response
Comments:
The article presented offers an updated overview of research published in the last five years (2019–2024) in two databases of similar quality (Scopus and ERIC), through a selection based on PRISMA guidelines. The use of PRISMA ensures an appropriate screening methodology, although it limits the results according to the effectiveness of the keywords. The finding of geographical diversity ends up being, therefore, an unforeseen element without effective geographical representation, given that many people in the countries consulted do not have the capacity to publish and are therefore excluded from this study.
This element may seem minor, but in an area as relevant as multigrade classroom education, limited in the context of this research to rural classrooms, each of the educational contexts takes on greater relevance.
Even so, considering that the work carried out does not cover all the countries that implement this modality, it does offer a sufficient framework for researchers who wish to delve into this reality and understand the challenges of rural education at the international level.
Response: Thank you very much for your assessment. The representation of all countries is indeed a relevant issue. However, if there is no research on them, this is an issue that we cannot address. However, we will point it out in the limitations of the study
Comments: As for its body and development, it does not explain how the materials are processed or analysed after their selection, an element that would help to understand the criteria for analysis and conceptual groupings generated.
Response: Thank you very much for your appreciation. Section 2.3 develops the data analysis and explains how it has been implemented. A more in-depth explanation has also been added
Comments: Between lines 104 and 105, it mentions: ‘A systematic review strategy was adopted in accordance with the recommendations of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement (Page et al., 2021), adapted to the field of educational sciences’, however, the source supporting the statement ‘adapted to the field of educational sciences’ does not appear in the text. Supporting authors are required
Response: The quoted reference actually includes the text you point to as missing reference. The citation has been moved to include all the text noted
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article presents, through a systematic review, an analysis of the multigrade education system, in which students belonging to different educational levels share the same classroom. With an international focus, it addresses cases in different countries and continents. From a pedagogical point of view, it raises some relevant and interesting initial questions about the topic, which may reveal the benefits, intrinsic characteristics or strengths and limitations of what, in certain environments, is done out of necessity or lack of sufficient students to have more than one group, and in others, by educational choice. The recent nature of the studies reviewed, from the last six years, makes the publication of this systematic review relevant, as it provides relevant data and conclusions on this type of school method and/or organisation.
Author Response
Comments: The article presents, through a systematic review, an analysis of the multigrade education system, in which students belonging to different educational levels share the same classroom. With an international focus, it addresses cases in different countries and continents. From a pedagogical point of view, it raises some relevant and interesting initial questions about the topic, which may reveal the benefits, intrinsic characteristics or strengths and limitations of what, in certain environments, is done out of necessity or lack of sufficient students to have more than one group, and in others, by educational choice. The recent nature of the studies reviewed, from the last six years, makes the publication of this systematic review relevant, as it provides relevant data and conclusions on this type of school method and/or organisation
Response: Thank you very much for your positive assessment of the research, we appreciate your highlighting the different strengths of the manuscript
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear Authors,
The paper's theme is highly relevant. However, for a systematic review, it is unusual to limit it to open-access papers. Additionally, only two databases were used, and finally, the search term used to identify relevant papers may not have captured all potentially eligible papers for the systematic review. For example, multi-age, composite classes (especially in Australian/UK literature), combined classes, mixed-age classrooms, split-grade or split-level classes.
Kindest regards
Author Response
Comments: The paper's theme is highly relevant. However, for a systematic review, it is unusual to limit it to open-access papers. Additionally, only two databases were used, and finally, the search term used to identify relevant papers may not have captured all potentially eligible papers for the systematic review. For example, multi-age, composite classes (especially in Australian/UK literature), combined classes, mixed-age classrooms, split-grade or split-level classes
Response: Thank you for noting that the research topic is relevant. As it is a systematic review in which the content of the texts is examined in depth, it can only be carried out on open access texts. We believe that this gives quality to the research as it provides a deeper conceptual understanding of the subject matter. Otherwise, we would not be able to carry out such an in-depth analysis. |
The two databases used are the ones with the largest number of articles in the field of education. Both Scopus and ERIC are the most representative databases in education; there would be no significant difference in the results if other databases had been included
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsI am grateful for the opportunity to read your article. I think it is a well-designed study that will contribute to the field. I have a few minor suggestions. First, the study only covers publications from 2019 to 2024. This may make it difficult to understand the historical development and long-term trends of multi-grade teaching. Therefore, a literature review covering a broader time frame could be conducted, or the historical context of older studies could be briefly discussed. You can write this in a concise manner. I believe the methodology section is sufficient, but the methodological diversity of the studies examined makes it difficult to compare results and hinders the attainment of homogeneous findings. For this reason, you could add a subsection that categorizes the methodological approaches of the studies in more detail and analyzes which methods are more effective in which contexts (if possible).
Your study highlights the lack of longitudinal studies evaluating the long-term effects of multi-grade classes, but I see that you have not written a concrete research proposal to address this gap. Among future research proposals, you could provide a more specific roadmap for designing and implementing longitudinal studies. In the study, you have successfully identified structural issues such as teacher training and resource shortages. I appreciate this, but I recommend that you provide concrete, actionable solutions to these issues.
Author Response
Comments: I am grateful for the opportunity to read your article. I think it is a well-designed study that will contribute to the field. I have a few minor suggestions. First, the study only covers publications from 2019 to 2024. This may make it difficult to understand the historical development and long-term trends of multi-grade teaching. Therefore, a literature review covering a broader time frame could be conducted, or the historical context of older studies could be briefly discussed. You can write this in a concise manner
Response: Thank you very much for your positive assessment of the article. The range of years has been chosen based on the need to explain how this type of research is understood in recent years, taking into account the different social changes that have occurred in the last five years. However, a brief explanation of the research background has been added in order to understand the historical development of the research
Comments: I believe the methodology section is sufficient, but the methodological diversity of the studies examined makes it difficult to compare results and hinders the attainment of homogeneous findings. For this reason, you could add a subsection that categorizes the methodological approaches of the studies in more detail and analyzes which methods are more effective in which contexts (if possible).
Response: Indeed, this is one of the limitations that we have noted in the study and which could be of interest. However, such an analysis would extend the article too far, and another one could even be carried out from this perspective
Comments: Your study highlights the lack of longitudinal studies evaluating the long-term effects of multi-grade classes, but I see that you have not written a concrete research proposal to address this gap. Among future research proposals, you could provide a more specific roadmap for designing and implementing longitudinal studies. In the study, you have successfully identified structural issues such as teacher training and resource shortages. I appreciate this, but I recommend that you provide concrete, actionable solutions to these issues
Response: Thank you for appreciating the gaps identified by the researchers. As you will see in the conclusions section, they have been proposed in brief and could be developed in this respect.
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear authors,
Thank you for updating the paper as per suggestions.
Kindest regards