Search

There has been little research into the work environments of teachers at the subject department level. Understanding and investigating the work environment at this level could provide insight into the type of work environment that might lead teachers to remain in the teaching profession. This article reports the development, validation and use of a work environment instrument at the subject department level. The department-level environment questionnaire (DLEQ) was developed using the school-level environment questionnaire as the parent instrument. Both Actual and Preferred Forms of the DLEQ were used. Early-career secondary school science teachers' perceptions of the actual and preferred science department environment in New Zealand were sought. In addition, interviews with 17 % of the participants were conducted in order to find out why the teachers answered the questionnaire in the way that they did. The findings highlight the needs of this particular group of teachers. Future research opportunities for further instrument development and use of the instrument are suggested.

This paper reports on part of a large-scale study aimed at examining students' perceptions of assessment. This paper will report on a study utilising mixed methodology in 150 Australian middle school classrooms. The purpose of the study described in this paper was to use the Students' Perceptions of Assessment Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (SPAQ) to identify and describe exemplary science teachers. With a sample of over 3000 science students, the reliability of the SPAQ scales ranged from 0.62 to 0.82. The exemplary teachers were identified as those whose students' perceptions were more than one standard deviation above the mean on three of the five scales of Congruence with planned learning, Transparency, Authenticity, Student consultation, and Diversity. The construct validity of the SPAQ to identify these exemplary teachers was confirmed through interviews with students and these views are reported in the article. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

The enhanced accessibility, affordability and capability of the Internet has created enormous possibilities in terms of designing, developing and implementing innovative teaching methods in the classroom. As existing pedagogies are revamped and new ones are added, there is a need to assess the effectiveness of these approaches from the students' perspective. For more than three decades, proven qualitative and quantitative research methods associated with learning environments research have yielded productive results for educators. This article presents the findings of a study in which Getsmart, a teacher-designed website, was blended into science and physics lessons at an Australian high school. Students' perceptions of this environment were investigated, together with differences in the perceptions of students in junior and senior years of schooling. The article also explores the impact of teachers in such an environment. The investigation undertaken in this study also gave an indication of how effective Getsmart was as a teaching model in such environments.

The purpose of this study was to examine students' psychosocial perceptions of their science classroom learning environment in order to identify exemplary teachers. This mixed-method study used the valid and reliable What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire with over 3,000 middle school students in 150 classrooms in Australia. Exemplary teachers were defined as those whose students' perceptions were more than one standard deviation above the mean for three of the five scales of Student Cohesiveness, Teacher Support, Involvement, Task Orientation and Equity. The reliability of the WIHIC scales ranged from 0.75 to 0.87. Eta[superscript 2] showed that the WIHIC was able to distinguish between the perceptions of the students in the classroom. The construct validity of the WIHIC for identifying these exemplary teachers was confirmed through interviews with students and these views are reported in the article.

This study centred on students enrolled in Work Studies, a vocational education course offered to post-compulsory (Years 11-12) students in Western Australian high schools. Because of the strong emphasis on the teacher providing pastoral care in Work Studies classes, the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI), which assesses students' perceptions of their teacher's interpersonal behaviour, was seen as the most appropriate learning environment instrument to use in this study. Following a description of the purpose of this research study during a professional development day, Work Studies teachers were invited to participate in the study. A total of 157 students in nine Work Studies classes completed the QTI and two attitude scales. Work Studies students in the sample had quite favourable views of their course and there were strong associations between certain aspects of teacher interpersonal behaviour and student attitudinal outcomes. Results indicated the pivotal role that teacher interpersonal behaviour can play in such a vocational education course. Gender-related differences between perceptions of students were found to be minimal, but there were differences in the perceptions of university-bound students and other students.

This paper reports the findings from a study of 2,176 students in 103 science classrooms in Western Australia and Queensland. Two questionnaires, the Questionnaire of Teacher Interaction and the Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire were used with attitudinal and concept understanding measures were used to collect data from schools from geographically diverse locations, namely, metropolitan, rural and remote areas. The paper provides information on the differences that occur between these locations, for example, in their understanding of science concepts, metropolitan students scored less than rural students who scored less than provincial students; and associations between students' culturally sensitive learning environment and their attitudes and student understanding of science concepts were found in that more positive student attitudes were associated with more equitable treatment, competition and congruence between school and home. (Contains 7 tables.)

This article reports research into associations between students' cultural background and their perceptions of their teacher's interpersonal behaviour and classroom learning environment. A sample of 1021 students from 31 classes in seven co-educational private schools completed a survey including the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI), the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) and a question relating to cultural background. Statistical analyses showed that the Kashmiri group of students perceived their classrooms and teacher interaction more positively than those from the other cultural groups identified in the study.

An elementary version of the "Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction" (QTI) and a scale for determining students' "Enjoyment of their Science Lessons" (ENJ) were translated into Standard Malay. This process, together with its initial validation carried out in 136 classrooms with 3,104 students, is described in this paper. Statistical analyses revealed that data from this Malay version of the QTI with these Malay-speaking elementary school students in Brunei are indeed valid and reliable. Associations between students' perceptions of their teachers' interpersonal behaviours and their end-of-year results on an external science examination were investigated. Students' perceptions of cooperative behaviours were positively correlated, while submissive behaviours were negatively correlated with their cognitive achievement. Cross-national comparisons were made between students' perceptions of teachers' classroom interaction and similar studies in Singapore, Australia, and Korea.

Reports on a study of two classroom learning environment questionnaires developed in a culturally diverse context, specifically the Pacific Islands. Concludes that females perceive their environment more favorably than males. (Contains 96 references.) (DDR)

Modifies and validates a new form of the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI) and uses it to compare students' actual and preferred perceptions of their classroom environments at the senior secondary and tertiary education levels. Examines differences in perceptions according to student gender. (Contains 50 references.) (Author/YDS)

Studied classroom learning environment and teacher behavior in 12 Korean schools through questionnaires administered to 543 eighth graders. Results, which support the cross-cultural validity of both measures, show positive relationships between classroom environment and interpersonal teacher behavior and students' attitudinal outcome. Boys generally reported more favorable attitudes toward the classroom, teacher behavior, and science classes. (SLD)

This study of Third International Mathematics and Science Study results addresses the issue of resource availability in rural and urban Australian schools, considering student attitudes toward math and science and career aspirations. Rural schools are more adequately resourced than urban ones. Students' attitudes and aspirations positively affect their achievement standards. (Contains 28 references.)

The newly developed Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire (CLEQ) and other measures were administered to 2,023 secondary students in 39 urban, provincial, rural, and mining-town schools in Western Australia. Rural students were least likely to perceive positive teacher-student interpersonal behaviors. Certain CLEQ scales were related to student attitude toward science and achievement of enquiry skills. (Contains 48 references.) (SV)

Investigates the extent to which a new general science curriculum reflecting a constructivist view has influenced the science classroom learning environment in Korea. Results from a validated Korean Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) indicate that grade 10 students perceived a more constructivist learning environment than grade 11 students who had not been exposed to the new curriculum. (Contains 35 references.) (Author/WRM)

Describes the development and validation of an instrument for assessing culturally-sensitive factors of students' learning environments and for examining associations between these factors, students' achievement of inquiry skills, students' attitudes toward science, and teacher/student interactions. Discusses findings related to instrument validity and predictors of student (n=3785) attitudes. Contains 36 references. (Author/WRM)

Students in two nursing classes completed the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory to assess the learning environment on seven dimensions. Strategies for improving the classroom in terms of student involvement, task orientation, and student cohesiveness were implemented. (SK)

Explored the issue of learning environments in college classrooms using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to determine teacher personality type and the Secondary Colleges Classroom Environment Inventory to examine student and teacher assessment of classroom environments. Both groups shared similar perceptions of classroom learning environments in association with personality type. Personality type and perceptions of classroom environment were significantly related. (SM)

Describes the development and validation of the Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire (CLEQ) which assesses eight scales of the culturally sensitive environments of secondary school students. Examines associations between students' perceptions of their culturally sensitive learning environment, their attitudes towards science, and achievement of inquiry skills. Contains 22 references. (Author/JRH)

Distinguishes between school and class environment, examining research on teachers' perception of school environment and students' perception of classroom environment. Describes the Work Environment Scale and the School-Level Environment Questionnaire, and reports on the use of these instruments in investigating differences between high school and elementary school environments. (SM)

To facilitate science teachers' use of classroom climate assessments, economical short forms of the Classroom Environment Scale, Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire, and My Class Inventory were developed. Each instrument contains only 25 items and is amenable to easy hand scoring. Developmental procedures, reliability, validity, and related matters are discussed. (JN)

Presents evidence that attests to the potential usefulness of the MCI in science education research. Describes the first use of the MCI specifically in science education research and current research efforts that reveal satisfactory internal consistency, discriminant validity, and predictive validity of the MCI scales. (CS)

Examined junior high school students' (N=2175) perceptions of actual and preferred classroom environment and teachers' (N=56) perceptions of the actual environment. Results indicated that students preferred a more favorable environment that was perceived as being actually present, and that teachers perceived their classroom environment more favorably than did their students. (Author/JN)

Describes development/validation of short forms of Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ), My Class Inventory (MCI), and Classroom Environment Scale (CES). In addition to these forms measuring perceptions of actual classroom environment, ICEQ and CES short forms measuring preferred classroom environment were also developed. Items contained in the instruments are included. (Author/JN)

Describes some of the conceptual, measurement, and methodological problems associated with evaluating science curricula in terms of their impact on students' content-free cognitive outcomes. A study of the effects of including ASEP (Australian Science Education Project) materials into a seventh-grade program revealed several significant relationships. (Author/SA)

The relationships between students' learning outcomes and their perceptions on a modified version of the My Class Inventory (MCI) were examined. MCI scales displayed satisfactory internal consistency and discriminant validity, and each MCI scale differentiated significantly between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. (Author/LC)

The present research makes an original contribution to the previously distinct fields of classroom environment and person-environment fit because it uses the Classroom Environment Scale, which assesses actual and preferred classroom environment, in a person-environment fit study. (Author/PN)

A sample of 2175 students in 116 science classes provided their perceptions of actual and preferred classroom openness along five continuous dimensions (personalization, participation, independence, investigation, differentiation) and responded to cognitive/affective measure. Among findings reported are relationships between actual classroom openness and affective (but not cognitive) achievement. (Author/JN)

Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to assess teacher-student interactions in the primary science classroom and to use it to examine associations between [...]

The research described in this paper investigated science students' perceptions of their university learning environments and associations of these perceptions with their academic engagement and satisfaction. Data were collected from 1,169 junior students majoring in science from 17 universities in Taiwan. The quantitative research incorporated factor analysis, higher order factor structure, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The results revealed science students' diverse views of various environmental aspects and identified key aspects influencing the outcome measures, after controlling for student background and institutional characteristics. Faculty-student relation was the aspect that most strongly affected both academic engagement and learning satisfaction of these science students. Perceived adequacy of library resources, student services, enhancement of science capacities and language abilities, and relations with faculty were all positively related to the overall satisfaction of science students with their universities. By exploring potential influences of academic environment, the study contributes to a better understanding of the nature and intricate impact of the learning environment on the performance of undergraduate science majors in Taiwan and the need for reflection and improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that the nature of the psychosocial environment of the classroom is an important determinant of the quality of student learning. The environment can be conceptualized and measured at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Furthermore, a methodical, economical and acceptable strategy is available to change the environment in order that it aligns more closely with environmental preferences of students, so that, in turn, student learning is enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine interpersonal behavior in psychosocial learning environments and to determine the associations between science students' perceptions of their interactions with their teachers, the cultural background of teachers and their attitudinal outcomes. A sample of 1188 students completed the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction instrument. The responses to two subscales of Test of Science-related Attitudes were used as attitudinal measures. Significant associations between students' perceptions of teacher interpersonal behaviour and the cultural background of teachers were detected. The results showed that students perceived a more favourable interpersonal relationship with Western teachers in the secondary science classrooms. The students in the classes of Western teachers indicated that they enjoyed science lessons more than those in the classes of Asian teachers. Some implications for science instruction in this context are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past work on psychosocial environments can be divided usefully into research involving students' perceptions of their classroom-level environment and studies of teachers' perceptions of their school-level environment. Of several instruments for assessing the school learning environment, Moos's Work Environment Scale (WES) is unique in its focus on the school as a work setting and it has considerable potential for use with teachers despite the fact that it was designed initially for any work milieu. Its 10 dimensions of Involvement, Peer Cohesion, Staff Support, Autonomy, Task Orientation, Work Pressure, Clarity, Control, Innovation and Physical Comfort seem quite well-suited to describing salient features of the school teacher's work environment. Administration of a slightly reworded version of the WES to a large sample of teachers responding to both an actual form (N=599) and a preferred form (N=543) attested to the internal consistence reliability and discriminant validity of both forms with either the individual teacher or the school mean as the unit of analysis. Each scale in the actual form differentiated significantly between the perceptions of teachers in different schools. A comparison of the climates of four types of government schools(Australian) revealed that elementary schools had more favorable school environments than high schools, district schools and secondary colleges on nearly all of the WES's 10 dimensions. In particular, elementary schools were most distinctive in terms of their greater innovation and physical comfort and their reduced work pressure relative to other school types. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]