The perceived school climate in Croatian elementary schools with poor, average and good school’s learning environment

Abstract

The cross-sectional research design was used to investigate differences in teachers’ perception of school climate in schools with poor, average and good school’s learning environment, and to explore to what degree is possible to explain six school climate dimensions by school’s learning environment, some teacher’s characteristics and teaching practice experience. Participants in the study were 785 teachers from 44 primary schools in northern part of Croatia, 121 males and 579 females. Participants rated school climate in school where they teach and in addition provided information about various school’s learning environment. Schools which teachers perceived as having good school’s learning environment clearly differ in the level of school climate quality - school climate is significantly better in schools with better school’s learning environment. The performed hierarchical regression analyses, demonstrated in addition, how school’s learning environment and characteristics of teachers and teaching practice (e.g. gender, age, work experience and education level) are powerful predictors of (positive) school climate. In this paper, we provide possible explanation and stress importance on school climate as an essential concept in school effectiveness concerns and activities.