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Girls’ attitudes towards mathematics can impact their achievement and career choices in STEM fields. Can the introduction of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in mathematics classes generate positive associations between girls’ perceptions of the learning environment and their attitudes towards mathematics? Based in the United Arab Emirates, this study provided important information about the relationships between learning environment factors central to an inquiry method and student engagement. Data collection involved administering two surveys to female mathematics students (N = 291) in four schools: one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and another to assess students’ attitudes towards mathematics. Positive and statistically-significant (p

The context in which learning takes place, or learning environment, is pivotal to a positive learning experience for students. Although numerous studies have established strong links between a positive learning environment and a range of student outcomes, far less research has examined how teachers might establish such an environment. Amidst growing acknowledgment that opportunities for the co-construction of learning and assessment design could provide a means of developing a more positive learning environment, this case study examined one such journey. Using a case study approach, we argue that student feedback involving a learning environment survey provides a valuable starting point for including students in co-construction and classroom improvement. Our findings indicate that teachers can improve the learning environment by involving students in meaningful co-construction through open tasks.

The global lack of student motivation towards learning science and gender imbalance in STEM careers provided the impetus for this study, which had two key aims: (1) to examine the influence of female students’ perceptions of the psychosocial learning environment on their motivation towards and self-regulation in science learning,; and (2) to investigate the influence of their reported motivation on their self-regulation of effort. Data were collected from 338 female students in grades 6 to 9 science classes across 16 government schools in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Structural equation modelling was used to explore the hypothesised relationships, which indicated that there were statistically significant relationships between learning environment perceptions, motivation and self-regulation. The results provide exigent information to both teachers, policy-makers and researchers with regard to the influences of the psychosocial learning environment on female students’ motivation towards science, as well as the influence of motivation towards science on their self-regulatory behaviour within science classroom settings.

The research reported in this article was part of a larger study which took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The large-scale education reform, being carried out at the time of the study, required paradigm shifts in practice; from a traditional to a constructivist approach. The education reform posed on-going challenges and posed questions regarding the future impact for teachers, particularly with respect to their beliefs with respect to classroom practice. This article describes the development and validation of a survey to assess teachers’ beliefs in this new context. The survey assesses teachers’ beliefs about their role in the classroom and philosophy of teaching and learning and their classroom practice. The translation validity of the survey was supported by examining the content and face validity. Further, analysis of the data collected 182 Arab teachers was used to provide support for the reliability and validity of the newly developed Teacher Belief Survey in terms of factor structure, internal consistency reliability, discriminant and concurrent validity. This instrument has the potential to be useful for ascertaining teachers’ professional development needs and for understanding the beliefs of student teachers. In regions of cross-cultural diversity the findings may assist in creating understanding and sensitivity of the cultural differences between people, their knowledge, perspectives and practices.

Learning environment research has a long history of significant relationships between the learning environment and student outcomes. This study investigated relationships between the learning environments of mathematics courses in a teacher education program and two outcomes, mathematics teaching self-efficacy and beliefs about mathematics. These two outcomes have been repeatedly shown to influence the future teaching practices of preservice teachers but, to date, their relationships with learning environment have been investigated neither with preservice teachers nor at all in the United Arab Emirates or wider Gulf region. The learning environment was found to be significantly related to preservice teachers’ mathematics teaching self-efficacy and beliefs about mathematics. Learning environments perceived more favourably by preservice teachers were associated with higher self-efficacy for teaching mathematics, but also with more-traditional beliefs, making these findings important for higher education institutes and teacher educators.

Because students who are considered to be at-risk of academic failure are more likely to experience a range of serious outcomes both at school and later in life, it is important for educators to provide a learning environment that supports these students. The aims of the study were two-fold. First, to better understand how educators might support students considered to be at-risk, we examined whether they perceived their learning environment and self-efficacy differently from their counterparts. Second, to provide insight into how teachers can improve their students’ self-efficacy, we investigated relationships between students’ perceptions of classroom environment and their self-efficacy. A survey was administered to a sample of 609 primary-school students in 31 classes. Practical insights from the results can assist teachers to create supportive learning environments that enhance self-efficacy and learning outcomes for all students, particularly those academically at-risk.

The focus of professional learning on activities has changed to internal growth or change among teachers. Our 3-year whole-school collaborative action research was based on student feedback from a learning environment survey at a secondary school. Quantitative data were obtained by administering a survey in 2012, 2013 and 2014 to 2673 students in 171 classes to assess perceptions of the learning environment. Qualitative information, involving classroom observations and interviews with the principal and professional development coordinator, illuminated how the school incorporated this collaborative action research approach. Statistically-significant differences for numerous aspects of the learning environment were found between the 2012, 2013 and 2014 student groups.

School climates are known to be associated with a range of student outcomes (including academic, social, behavioural and affective), and much work to date has focused on gathering students’ perceptions of their school climate to inform ongoing improvement efforts. However, parents and caregivers, as well as students, are also influenced by the psychosocial school climate. Although less attention has been given to capturing parents’ and caregivers’ perceptions, the way parents and caregivers feel about a school can affect their children’s attitudes towards the school as well as the parents’ and caregivers’ engagement with the school. Therefore, the perceptions of parents and caregivers with respect to the school climate offer critical information about both strengths and areas for improvement in terms of ensuring that schools are places that foster students’ wellbeing and achievement. In this article, we report the development and validation of the Parent and Caregiver Survey (PaCS) for gathering parents’ and caregivers’ perceptions of the socioemotional school climate. The PaCS is underpinned by strength-based and culturally-responsive perspectives on parent and caregiver engagement, as well as a socioecological perspective of child and adolescent development. Responses to the PaCS from 1276 parents and caregivers at 23 Australian schools confirmed the validity and reliability of the instrument. Given its theoretical underpinnings and successful validation, the PaCS could be useful for researchers and practitioners seeking to support parent engagement and school improvement.

The learning environment has been found to be related to mathematics anxiety at a variety of educational levels, including higher education, but to date has not been investigated in relation to preservice teachers. It has been previously found that preservice teachers often harbour high levels of mathematics anxiety, and that mathematics-anxious teachers devote less time to the subject area, teach in less effective ways, and can even transmit anxiety to their students. Mathematics teaching anxiety is a construct separate from mathematics anxiety, and the relationship between the two has shown very mixed results. To date, the relationship between the learning environment and mathematics teaching anxiety has not been examined. This cross-sectional study in the UAE examined the relationship between 157 preservice teachers’ perceptions of their mathematics learning environments in a teacher education programme and reports of their mathematics anxiety and mathematics teaching anxiety. The learning environment was predominantly negatively related to mathematics anxiety across a number of scales, but predominantly positively related to mathematics teaching anxiety, indicating that the learning environment is of utmost importance in teacher education and must be carefully attended to.

Although school and education system leaders can mandate teachers’ participation in professional development activities, various school-related, teacher-related and student-related factors influenc...

Because adolescent life satisfaction is associated with important affective, behavioural and health-related outcomes during both adolescence and later life, strategies for promoting adolescent life satisfaction have potential social value. In the study reported in this article, associations are reported between perceptions of the school climate and reports of bullying, resilience and life satisfaction for 6120 Australian adolescents. The study extended past research, which has given little attention to either the relationships between these variables or the relative roles of various school climate sub-constructs. Aspects of the school climate explained 41% of the variance in adolescents’ resilience, 16% of the variance in bully victimisation, and 54% of the variance in life satisfaction. Further, resilience was positively associated with life satisfaction. These results affirm the importance of the psychosocial school climate as a mechanism for improving adolescent (and life-course) outcomes, strengthening calls for schools to give greater attention to improving their psychosocial climates.

A recurring debate in mixed methods research involves the relationship between research methods and research paradigms. Whereas some scholars appear to assume that qualitative and quantitative rese...

As part of major education reform efforts underway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), teachers have been introducing cooperative teaching methods in their science classes. Given the limited research carried out in this context, we aimed to: first, provide evidence to support a modified and translated (Arabic/English) version of a well-known learning environment instrument; and, second, to examine whether relationships exist between the learning environment and students’ attitudes, engagement and science career aspirations in science classes in the unique context of the UAE. The sample included 784 students in 34 lower-secondary science classes in eight public schools in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The findings supported the validity of the dual-language Arabic/English version of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) when used in this context. Also all five learning environment scales were statistically significantly (p

The central role of teacher professional development in educational improvement is well-documented, and the investments of time and money into teacher professional development across the globe are ...

Promoting adolescent mental health is a global priority, and schools have an important role to play. This systematic mixed- methods literature review examined relationships between the psychosocial school climate and adolescents’ mental health, mapping the scope and quality of recent research. Forty-eight relevant primary studies published in 2000–2017 were identified and analysed. These studies highlight associations between the school climate and student mental health, although the lack of experimental and longitudinal studies precludes causal claims. Future research directions include: further investigation of the roles of school safety and the psychosocial academic environment on adolescent mental health; greater consistency in the conceptualisation of both school climate and mental health; and clarification of the influence of demographic variables on individual students’ experiences.

Schools and education systems are being challenged to improve the evaluation of teacher professional development, yet there is a lack of practical tools for doing so. This article describes the development and validation of a new instrument to assess teachers’ perceptions of the impact of professional development. This instrument, designed to be time- and cost-effective, was theoretically grounded and, as evidenced by the results reported in this article, psychometrically sound. The instrument was completed twice (examining different types of professional development) by 393 teachers. The results for both data-sets demonstrated a strong factor structure with good internal consistency for all scales. Further data analysis indicated that the scales could effectively distinguish between the experiences of different groups of teachers. The finalised instrument, named the Impact of Teacher Professional Development Questionnaire, is presented in full, and the practical advantages and limitations of the ...

The current push for principals’ to be accountable for student outcomes has led to a renewed interest in the role of leadership in instructional improvement. This article describes the development ...

Given that schools are, potentially, powerful sites for influencing adolescent behaviour, it is important that there is greater understanding of the psychosocial aspects of the school climate that can be leveraged for this purpose. The research reported in this article used structural equation modelling (with data from a sample of 6120 students at Australian high schools) to examine the influence of the psychosocial school-level environment on students’ self-reported experiences of bully victimisation (i.e. being victims of bullying) and engagement in delinquent behaviours. Further, we examined whether bully victimisation mediated the relationships between school climate variables and delinquent behaviours. School connectedness and rule clarity were negatively associated with both bully victimisation and delinquency (p

Over the past 40 years, numerous instruments have been developed to assess the learning environment for a variety of purposes. Despite this plethora of available surveys, there are few that have been developed for use at the primary school level, and even fewer that have been comprehensively validated. This article describes the development of a long-overdue learning environment survey that is suited to primary school students. Evidence to support the validity of the survey, in terms of translation and criterion validity, was guided by Trochim and Donnelly’s (2006) construct validity framework. A pilot test involving one class of 30 students and interviews with six students was used to examine the face validity of individual items. Analyses of data collected from 609 students in 31 classes supported the convergent, concurrent, discriminant and predictive validity, the results of which were all satisfactory. This article is significant in that it provides educators and researchers with a valid tool to assess the learning environment. The instrument, named the Classroom Climate Questionnaire—Primary (CCQ-P), is described and its practical advantages and limitations are discussed.

This study examined the relationships between principals’ leadership, school climate, and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy. Drawing on existing scales, this study examined six aspects of principal leadership (professional interaction, participatory decision-making, individual support, intellectual stimulation and moral perspective) and four school climate factors (staff collegiality, goal consensus, work pressure, resource adequacy, and staff freedom). The participants included 604 Indonesian teachers drawn from 27 high schools. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results indicated statistically significant and positive relationships between leadership style, school climate, and teacher self-efficacy. With the exception of individual support, the relationships between principal leadership and teacher self-efficacy were largely indirect, mediated through staff collegiality and goal consensus.

We investigated (1) whether the learning environment perceptions of students in classes frequently exposed to multimedia differed from those of students in classes that were not, (2) whether exposure to multimedia was differentially effective for males and females and (3) relationships between students’ perceptions of the learning environment and student engagement in classes that were exposed to multimedia. The sample involved 365 high-school students in 16 classes, nine that were frequently exposed to multimedia and seven that were not. Two instruments were administered to students: one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and another to assess student engagement. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups for all of the learning environment scales, as well as statistically significant interactions between exposure to multimedia and sex for three learning environment scales (Involvement, Task Orientation and Equity). Finally, the learning environment in mathematics classes that involved multimedia was related to student engagement. These results offer potentially important insights into how student exposure to multimedia could promote more positive learning environments and improve student engagement in mathematics.

This article reports on the differential effectiveness of a teacher professional development programme for teachers in urban and rural schools in Indonesia. The study employed an embedded mixed methods design that involved the concurrent collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative component involved a pre–post design in which two surveys were administered to a sample of 2417 students drawn from 66 classes in 32 lower secondary schools (960 from urban schools and 1457 from rural schools). The qualitative component involved six case study teachers and two students from each of their classes. Qualitative information was gathered using teacher and student interviews, classroom observations and teacher reflective journals. The quantitative results suggested that there were disparities between the usefulness of the knowledge and skills imparted during the programme for teachers in urban and rural schools. The themes that emerged from the data gathered using qualitative methods helped ...

This study examined the relations between school climate variables and students’ feeling of wellbeing, life satisfaction, ethnic identity, moral identity and resilience. Furthermore, the study also examined the interrelationships between these five outcome variables. Six aspects of the school climate were measured: teacher support, peer connectedness, school connectedness, affirming diversity, rule clarity and reporting and seeking help. The participants included 2202 students, the data from whom included 2122 cases that were complete and usable (1058 boys and 1059 girls) from six public high schools in Perth, Western Australia. These data were analysed by means of structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis. All six school climate factors were related to student wellbeing. These relations were primarily indirect (with the exception of teacher support, school connectedness and affirming diversity which had a direct influence), mediated through the students’ sense of ethnic and moral identity, resilience and life satisfaction.

The purpose of this study, in part, was to confirm the factor structure of the School-Level Environment Questionnaire, which assesses six school climate factors that can be considered important for improving schools. The study also tested a research model of the relationships between the school climate, teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction. The participants included 781 Western Australian high-school teachers in 29 schools. When the data were analysed by means of structural equation modelling, teacher self-efficacy and teacher job satisfaction were both related to school climate dimensions and there was also a relationship between teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction. These results provide practical information for improving school climate and suggest that it is worthwhile for school principals to consider factors within the school climate and how they might be enhanced.

This article reports research into associations between students’ perceptions of the school climate and self-reports of ethnic and moral identity in high schools in Western Australia. An instrument was developed to assess students’ perceptions of their school climate (as a means of monitoring and guiding schools as they are challenged to become more inclusive and grapple with increasingly diverse populations) and administered to 4067 students, 63 % of whom were aged between 12 and 17 years, in eight schools. The same students also responded to a survey developed to assess ethnic and moral identity. Analysis of the data indicated strong, positive associations between the school climate and students’ ethnic and moral identity. The results suggest that, for schools wishing to promote students’ ethnic and moral identity, it would be beneficial to consider important elements of the school climate identified in the new survey.

The focus of this article is two-fold. First, it describes a model that can be used to guide the evaluation of teacher professional development. The model combines important components of existing models and incorporates the use of students’ perceptions for examining teacher change. Second, the article reports the evaluation of a teacher development programme that incorporated this model. In particular, this article focuses on the phases of the model that involved student perceptual measures. Using a pre-post design, the evaluation involved quantitative (students’ perceptions of the learning environment) and qualitative (observation and interview) data in investigating whether teaching practices changed over the course of a 1-year professional development programme. Data were collected before the commencement of the professional development programme and at the end of the programme from students in two classes of each of 33 teachers who attended the professional development programme (N = 2,417). These data were analysed using one-way MANOVA to provide a large-scale overview of the pre-post differences in students’ perceptions of their learning experience. Although there were statistically significant changes for six of the seven WIHIC scales (with all statistically significant differences showing an improvement), the effect sizes for all scales were too small (according to Cohen’s criteria) to be considered educationally important. These findings, that the success of the teacher professional development programme could have been limited, were corroborated by observations. Further, interviews with teachers provided information about contextual factors that influenced the translation of the professional development ideas into practice.

The overarching aim of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions of the learning environment and whether these influenced their motivation and self-regulation in learning English as a second language at the university level in Jordan. Our sample involved 994 students, drawn from 13 schools, within three faculties (humanities, health sciences and engineering) of one university. The collection of data involved the administration of two surveys: one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and another to assess students’ motivation and self-regulation in learning English as a second language. The results of analyses strongly supported the reliability and validity of the surveys when used at the university level in Jordan, thereby providing confidence in the results of the present study. Simple correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the influence of students’ perceptions of the learning environment of English language classes on self-reports of motivation and self-regulation. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) simple correlations were found between students’ perceptions of their learning environment and their motivation and self-regulation. The regression weights (β) indicated that scales of the learning environment were positively, statistically significantly (p < 0.05) and independently related to the motivation and self-regulation outcomes.

This article reports a study involving: (1) developing and validating a learning environment instrument, (2) investigating whether reflection on feedback generated using the instrument led to improvements in the learning environment and (3) examining how teachers used the feedback. For the new learning environment instrument, validity was supported for a sample of 10,345 secondary students over 3 years (2,042 students in 2008, 4,467 in 2009 and 3,836 in 2010). To investigate whether reflection on feedback from this instrument led to improvements in the learning environment, multivariate analysis of variance and effect sizes were used to examine pre–post differences. Statistically significant improvements in students’ views of the learning environment were found for 8 of the 11 scales. Finally, we examined how teachers used the student feedback. Of the 459 teachers, 45 focus teachers used the feedback as part of a formal action research approach involving entries in reflective journals, written reports, discussions and participation at a forum. These data were analysed to provide an overview of the ways in which the information was used, and to provide a more detailed account of the journey of one of the teachers.

This article describes the development and validation of a six-scale survey to assess school climate in terms of students’ perceptions of the degree to which they feel welcome and connected, together with a scale to assess students’ perceptions of bullying. The development of each survey involved a multi-stage approach, including: 1) an extensive review of research related to school climate to identify components that can be considered important for effective schools made up of diverse students; 2) elucidating the scales identified in step one; and 3) writing individual items within the scales. Items from previously validated questionnaires were examined and, if appropriate, adapted. We used Trochim and Donnelly’s (2006) framework for construct validity to guide the validation of the new questionnaire. When the questionnaire was administered to a sample of 4067 high school students from eight schools, various statistical analyses ensured the questionnaire’s discriminant, convergent, concurrent and predictive validity.

The primary focus of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of games when used in tertiary-level mathematics classes in the United Arab Emirates. Our study incorporated a mixed-method approach that involved surveys (to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and attitudes towards mathematics), interviews, observations of classes and narrative stories. A sample of 90 students from 3 tertiary-level institutions in Abu Dhabi participated in the study. In-depth qualitative data provided information about the introduction and use of games in mathematics. A narrative, based on classroom observations of students playing Jeopardy!-type mathematics games, provided insights into games in action in the classrooms. The data were analysed to examine students’ interactions during the games and to triangulate, clarify and explain students’ responses to the learning environment and attitude questionnaires. To examine pre–post differences in students perceptions of the learning environment and their attitudes, 2 questionnaires were administered to students before and after the introduction of games. Pre–post differences for 3 of the 6 learning environment scales (Teacher Support, Involvement, Personal Relevance) and both attitude scales (Enjoyment of Mathematics Lessons and Academic Efficacy scales) were statistically significant. Information obtained from interviews with students and teachers were used to explain the pre–post differences.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of students’ motivational beliefs (learning goal orientation, task value and self-efficacy) in science learning on students’ self-regulation in the science classroom. The study also examines the moderating effect of gender on the proposed relationships. Data were collected from 719 boys and 641 girls across grades 8, 9 and 10 in 5 public schools in Perth, Western Australia. Results from structural equation modeling analysis indicated that all 3 motivational constructs were strong predictors of students’ self-regulation in science learning. The multi-group analysis to examine gender differences revealed that the influence of task value on self-regulation was statistically significant for boys only. The findings present possible opportunities for educators to plan, and to put into practice, effective intervention strategies aimed at increasing students’ self-regulation in science learning. The core feature would be to target and develop students’ motivational beliefs of learning goal orientation and self-efficacy in science learning. Additionally, for boys, the intervention strategies would be to elevate boys’ perspectives of science task value.

This article reports the development, validation and use of an instrument designed to provide teachers with feedback information, based on students’ perceptions, about their classroom environments. The instrument was developed to provide teachers with feedback that they could use to reflect on their teaching practices and, in turn, guide the implementation of strategies to improve their learning environments. To determine the validity and reliability of the new instrument, data from 2043 grade 11 and 12 students from 147 classes in 9 schools were analysed. The Rasch model was used to convert data collected using a frequency response scale into interval data that are suitable for parametric analyses. During an action research process, reflective journals, written feedback, discussions at a forum and interviews with eight teachers helped to illuminate the processes used by teachers during action research. This article reports the views of these teachers in general and examines more closely how one of the teachers used student responses to the learning environment questionnaire as a tool for reflection and as a guide in transforming her classroom environment. This case study helped us to gauge the extent to which action research based on students’ perceptions of the learning environment was useful in guiding teachers’ improvements of their classroom learning environments.

The primary aim of this study was two-fold: 1) to identify salient psychosocial features of the classroom environment that influence students’ motivation and self-regulation in science learning; and 2) to examine the effect of the motivational constructs of learning goal orientation, science task value and self-efficacy in science learning on students’ self-regulation in science classrooms. Data collected from 1360 science students in grades 8, 9 and 10 in five public schools in Perth, Western Australia were utilized to validate the questionnaires and to investigate the hypothesized relationships. Structural Equation Modeling analysis suggested that student cohesiveness, investigation and task orientation were the most influential predictors of student motivation and self-regulation in science learning. In addition, learning goal orientation, task value and self-efficacy significantly influenced students’ self-regulation in science. The findings offer potential opportunities for educators to plan and implement effective pedagogical strategies aimed at increasing students’ motivation and self-regulation in science learning.

Students’ motivational beliefs and self‐regulatory practices have been identified as instrumental in influencing the engagement of students in the learning process. An important aim of science education is to empower students by nurturing the belief that they can succeed in science learning and to cultivate the adaptive learning strategies required to help to bring about that success. This article reports the development and validation of an instrument to measure salient factors related to the motivation and self‐regulation of students in lower secondary science classrooms. The development of the instrument involved identifying key determinants of students’ motivation and self‐regulation in science learning based on theoretical and research underpinnings. Once the instrument was developed, a pilot study involving 52 students from two Grade 8 science classes was undertaken. Quantitative data were collected from 1,360 students in 78 classes across Grades 8, 9, and 10, in addition to in‐depth qualitative inf...

A common line of past learning environment research has involved associations between the learning environment and student outcomes (i.e. the effects of learning environment). It is one thing to advocate that teachers establish outcomes-focused learning environments, but it is important to know whether the creation of such learning environments are associated with more positive student attitudes and higher achievement. Consequently, the first aim of this article is to report our investigation of associations between emphases in outcomes-focused classroom learning environments (as assessed by the Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory, TROFLEI, and the student outcomes of attitudes and achievement. Because many past learning environment studies focused on determinants of classroom environments, our study of outcomes-focused classroom environments also employed the scales of the TROFLEI as dependent variables in investigating whether differences exist in perceived learning environment, preferred learning environment and attitudes between: (a) males and females and (b) students enrolled in university-entrance examination subjects and wholly school-assessed subjects.

This article reports a cross-national study of classroom environments in Australia and Indonesia. A modified version of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire was used simultaneously in these two countries to: 1) crossvalidate the modified WIHIC; 2) investigate differences between countries and sexes in perceptions of classroom environment; and 3) investigate associations between students’ attitudes to science and their perceptions of classroom environment. The sample consisted of 1,161 students (594 students from 18 classes in Indonesia and 567 students from 18 classes in Australia). Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation supported the validity of a revised structure for the WIHIC. Two-way MANOVA revealed some differences between countries and between sexes in students’ perceptions of their classroom environments. Simple correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed generally positive associations between the classroom environment and student attitudes to science in both countries.

Education reform, in particular, curriculum reform, of the magnitude being implemented in Abu Dhabi and involving such different cultural contexts and expected paradigm shifts, poses a number of questions with respect to implementation, on-going challenges, and future impact for teachers, students and the community. This paper focuses on the relationship between the results of the Teacher Belief’s Survey and the teachers’ classroom practice. The research reported in this paper took place in Abu Dhabi where the Arab teachers had been entrenched in mostly traditional approaches to teaching. The large-scale education reform, being carried out at the time of writing this paper, required the teachers to shift to a constructivist approach. The study involved a mixed methods approach in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected sequentially. As a first step, the newly-developed Teacher Belief Survey was administered to 198 teachers across the emirate. The second step involved a case-study approach, involving 15 teachers, that was used to further examine teacher beliefs and observed practice. Lesson observations were conducted with each of the case study teachers that were preceded by a semi-structured interview with each teacher and a post lesson observation interview. The results indicated that the teachers were willing to comply with the reform initiatives; however, they continued to hold more traditional beliefs about their role in the classroom and their philosophy of teaching and learning acquisition. Observations corroborated these findings, indicating that the teachers choice of delivery, use of student collaboration and the physical environment, were not what they believed it to be. Interviews and observations showed that culture, fear, a lack of knowledge and understanding by teachers and incongruent interpretations of terminology were strong mitigating factors that were impeding the Arab teachers’ implementation of curriculum reform initiatives. Keywords: Abu Dhabi, Teacher belief, curriculum reform initiatives, Abu Dabi’de eğitimde- özellikle programlarla ilgili kapsamlı reform çalışmaları uygulanmaktadır. Farklı kültürel bağlamları ve paradigma kaymalarını içeren reform hareketinin gelecekte, öğretmenler, öğrenciler ve toplum için uygulamalarda bir dizi zorlukları, soruları ve mücadeleleri içerebilecektir. Bu makale öğretmenlerin inançları ile sınıf uygulamaları arasındaki ilişkilere odaklanmıştır. Bu araştırma, Abu Dabi’deki çoğunlukla öğretimde geleneksel yaklaşımın yerleşmiş olduğu Arap öğretmenlerle gerçekleşmiştir. Büyük ölçekli eğitim reformunda öğretmenlerin yapılandırmacı yaklaşıma geçmelerinin gerekli olduğu belirtilmiştir. Bu çalışma, nitel ve nicel verilerin birlikte kullanıldığı karma yöntemin kullanıldığı bir çalışmadır. Çalışmada ilk basamakta Emirlik genelinde 198 öğretemen üzerinde yürütülen yeni öğretmen inançları anketi uygulanmıştır. İkinci basamakta 15 öğretmen ile durum çalışması yapılmıştır. Bu durum çalışmasında öğretmen inançları ve uygulamaları incelenmiştir. Durum çalışmalarına katılan öğretmenlere yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile mulakatlar yapılmıştır. Sonuçlar öğretmenlerin reform girişimlerine uymada istekli olduklarını göstermektedir. Buna karşın sınıftaki rollerinde ve öğrenme ve öğretmeye yönelik kendi felsefelerinin daha geleneksel inançlara devam ettikleri görüldü. Öğretmenlerin öğrencilerle işbirliği ve fiziki çevrenin kullanımında inandıklarını gerçekleştiremediklerin gözlenmiştir. Görüşmeler ve gözlemler Arap öğretmenlerinin kültür, korku, öğretmenlerin terminolojiyele uyumsuz bilgi ve anlayış eksikliğinin reform girişimlerindeki gücü azaltıcı faktörler olarak görülmektedir

In this study, we developed and validated a questionnaire to assess teachers’ perceptions of their actual and preferred school-level environment, investigated whether teachers involved with Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) perceive the school-level environment differently from those who are not, and investigated factors in the school-level environment (such as resources and staff freedom) linked with a school’s likelihood of successfully implementing OBE. The study involved modifying and validating an existing questionnaire to make it suitable for assessing the school-level environment in South Africa, as well as adding to the School-Level Environment Survey (SLEQ) the scales of Familiarity with OBE and Parental Involvement. Analysis of data collected from 403 teachers provides evidence for the validity and reliability of the new SLEQ-SA. MANOVA for repeated measures revealed a statistically significant (p < 0.01) difference between teacher perceptions of their actual school environment and the one that they would prefer for all seven SLEQ-SA dimensions. When MANOVA was used to examine whether teachers involved in OBE perceive their school-level environments differently from those who are not, statistically significant differences emerged for two of the seven school-level environment scales, with teachers involved with OBE perceiving significantly more Familiarity with OBE and Work Pressure. The constraints faced by teachers are wide ranging and include a number of factors such as a lack of material resources and large class sizes. The results provide valuable information to policy-makers, principals and researchers that potentially could help to guide the implementation of OBE.

This article describes the development and validation of an instrument that can be used to assess students’ perceptions of their learning environment as a means of monitoring and guiding changes towards outcomes‐based education. In the first phase, data collected from 2638 Grade 8 science students from 50 classes in 50 schools in the Limpopo Province of South Africa were analysed to provide evidence about the reliability and validity of the new instrument. In the second phase, two case studies were used to investigate whether profiles of class mean scores on the new instrument could provide an accurate and “trustworthy” description of the learning environment of individual science classes. The study makes significant contributions to the field of learning environments in that it is one of the first major studies of its kind in South Africa and because the instrument developed captures important aspects of the learning environment associated with outcomes‐based education.

This article reports a study of lower secondary mathematics classroom learning environment in Brunei Darussalam and its association with students' satisfaction with learning mathematics among a sample of 1565 students from 81 classes in 15 government secondary schools. Students' perceptions of the classroom learning environments were assessed with a version of the My Class Inventory (MCI) that had been modified for the Brunei context. The study revealed a satisfactory factor structure for a refined three-scale version of the MCI assessing cohesiveness, difficulty and competition. This finding is noteworthy because the factorial validity of the MCI has not previously been established in past research in other countries. Also each scale displayed satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity and was able to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classes. A one-way MANOVA revealed that students generally perceived a positive learning environment in mathematics classes. Also the study supported earlier research suggesting that boys and girls hold different perceptions of the same classroom learning environments. Relationships between student satisfaction and classroom environment were investigated using simple and multiple correlation analyses, using both the individual student and class mean as units of analysis. Associations between satisfaction and the learning environment were statistically significant both at student and class levels for most MCI scales.

This research is distinctive in that it not only provides an example of one of the few cross-cultural studies in science education, but also it used multiple research methods from different paradigms in exploring classroom learning environments in Taiwan and Australia. This article describes the validation and use of an English and Mandarin version of the What is Happening in this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire in junior high school science classes in Australia and Taiwan. When the WIHIC was administered to 1,081 students in 50 classes in Australia and to 1,879 students in 50 classes in Taiwan, data analysis supported the reliability and factorial validity of the questionnaire, and revealed differences between Taiwanese and Australian classrooms. Although the study commenced from a more positivistic framework, favouring a more objectivist view, as the study progressed, it employed an interpretative framework and drew on elements of constructivist and critical theory paradigms. This article outlines the researchers' use of multiple research methods including classroom observations, in-depth interviews and narratives. The themes which emerged from the data gathered using these methods helped to make sense of classroom environments that were created in each country.