Class Climate Research Articles

Relationships among perceived motivational climate, motivational regulations, enjoyment, and PA participation among Finnish physical education students

The influence of teacher-initiated motivational climate on cognitive, affective, and behavioural student outcomes has been highlighted as an area of future research. This study, grounded in self-determination and achievement goal theories, examined how teacher-initiated motivational climate can increase student motivation and positive affective responses in physical education (PE) along with their physical activity (PA) participation, and whether motivational climate has a longitudinal effect across middle school. In addition, we aimed to examine the role of positive affect in explaining the relationship between motivation in PE and out-of-school PA participation. Our sample comprised 540 adolescents (277 boys, 263 girls, median age 13) and they responded to self-report questionnaires measuring their perception of motivational climate in PE classes (Motivation Climate in Physical Education Questionnaire), motivational regulations (Physical Education Motivation Scale), enjoyment (Sport Enjoyment Scale), and PA participation (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Research Protocol) twice at both Grades 7 and 9. Structural equation model analyses produced three main findings. First, the study showed that intrinsic motivation was the vital component of motivation that transferred the effect of learning-oriented climate to long-lasting enjoyment in PE context. Second, performance-oriented climate had a long-lasting effect on introjected and extrinsic regulations and amotivation. Finally, the study showed enjoyable experiences in PE to transfer intrinsic motivation into PA participation. The findings of the study extend our understanding on how teacher-initiated motivational climate in PE can lead to an increase in PA participation during middle school.

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL BY USING COMIC STRIPS

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>This research aims at identifying how the use of Comic Strips can improve students’ writing skill on narrative text; and describing the class climate when Comic Strips are implemented in the writing class. The method used in this research is a collaborative action research which was conducted in two cycles at the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 5 Surakarta from April 15th to May 8th, in which in the first cycle there were 3 meetings and in the second cycle there were 2 meetings. Each cycle consisted of four steps: planning, implementing, evaluation, and reflection. The research data were collected by using observation, questionnaire, interviews, field notes, photographs, and tests. The qualitative data were analyzed through assembling the data, coding, comparing, building interpretations, and reporting the outcomes. The quantitative data were analyzed by comparing the mean scores of the pre-test and the post-tests. The research findings show that Comic Strips could improve students’ writing skill and classroom climate of English class. The mean score had the improvement from pretest to the post-test 2, from 64.05 to 79.93.</span></p></div></div></div>

English

This study explores the sources of variability in Mathematics achievement of Ugandan students at the student, classroom and school level. The Mathematics score and questionnaire responses of 4,819 first-year secondary school students (Grade Seven, about 14-15 years old) from 78 classrooms of 49 schools were analysed. A three-level linear model was used. The results indicate that out of the total variance in Mathematics achievement 68.8%, 14.2% and 17.0% are situated at student, classroom and school level, respectively. Of all the considered explanatory variables at the three levels, i.e. socio-economic status, gender, prior Mathematics achievement, parental support, peer influence, class mean of prior Mathematics achievement and of students’ perception of good classroom assessment, school mean of class climate (class mean of attitude toward mathematics) and of parental support were significant predictors of Mathematics achievement. The relevant factors could explain 7.6%, 73.1% and 84.3%, respectively, of student-, classroom- and school-level differences. Implications of our study are considered. Keywords : mathematics achievement, multilevel analysis, secondary school, Uganda

Moderation, mediation — or even both? School climate and the association between peer and adolescent alcohol use

IntroductionAmple studies discuss the enhancing effects of peer drinking on student alcohol use. In addition, there is vast research on school climate impact on student alcohol use. Though these two areas are intertwined for most young adolescents, it is heretofore not completely clear, in what way these characteristics functionally interact and affect drinking behavior. MethodsIn a longitudinal study, we analyzed a sample of 2490 German adolescents (Mage=13.32, SD=0.57, range=8–13) from 5th (fall 2010) to 8th (fall 2013) grade. We discerned mediating (class climate) and moderating (school organization variables) functions of school on the association between peer and adolescent alcohol use, and finally combined them in direct effect moderated mediation models for a variety of outcomes (lifetime alcohol use, frequency and amount of drinking, binge drinking), adjusting for possible confounders. ResultsClass climate mediated a small significant part of the association between peer and adolescent alcohol use (1.8–2.4%), with the exception of lifetime drinking. Student–teacher ratio and percentage of at-risk students significantly moderated the peer–adolescent association, with the latter having an enhancing and the first having a buffering effect. ConclusionsSchool life serves as an important context of adolescent development and as such, seems to have direct and indirect effects on behavior and health. Future research should pay attention to differentiating effects of school climate and include both forms of operationalization when analyzing school effects on student behavior.

Mathematically gifted students and high achievement: the role of motivation and classroom structure

One of the most intriguing questions for those who study intellectually gifted students is why some of them reach peak performances at school and others don’t. Moderator theories of giftedness assume that domain-specific gifts are transformed into achievement in a process influenced by non-cognitive and environmental variables. Thus, the current study investigates differences in the non-cognitive construct motivation (achievement goals, interest, self-concept, self-efficacy, implicit theories) and perception of classroom environment (classroom structure, class climate) between mathematically gifted high achievers (n = 66) and mathematically gifted students with non-high achievement (n = 144) using a latent variable approach. Gifted high achievers expressed higher levels of motivation than non-high achievers. Furthermore, they perceived a classroom structure that provides more tasks with a focus on learning and more autonomy.

Experiences among women with shame and self-compassion in cardio-based exercise classes

Although significant research has explored self-conscious emotions, including shame, little has been done to examine shame in specific exercise settings, such as cardio-based exercise classes, that may actually promote the experience of shame. Therefore, using Shame Resilience Theory (SRT) as a guiding framework, the purpose of this study was to examine experiences among women with shame, and the shame-resistant attribute of self-compassion, in exercise, as well as identify possible strategies for creating a climate in cardio-based exercise classes that emphasises self-compassion over shame. An interpretative phenomenological analysis epistemology and methodology was used to analyse, understand, and interpret the meaning and lived experiences of shame and self-compassion among 15 women in cardio-based exercise classes. From the data collected during individual interviews, three superordinate themes emerged for both shame (‘I’m just not enough’, ‘There’s something wrong with me; I don’t belong here’, and ‘Shame moves in and takes over’) and self-compassion (‘The importance of relationships’, ‘Self-compassion makes me feel whole’, and ‘Self-compassion is so hard, but it’s worth it’), and four superordinate themes emerged representing the proposed strategies for creating a self-compassionate climate in cardio-based exercise classes (‘Talk about shame in the classroom’, ‘Create the right climate’, ‘Establish guidelines for instructors’, and ‘Learn to help yourself’). The findings of this study identify the elements in an exercise class setting that promote shame experiences, are consistent with SRT and Neff’s conceptualisation of self-compassion, and provide support for the role of self-compassion as a protective and shame-resilient mechanism.

Relaciones entre el clima motivacional, las experiencias en educación física y la motivación intrínseca de los alumnos (Relationships among motivational climate, physical education experiences and pupils’ intrinsic motivation)

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido analizar las relaciones entre la percepción del clima motivacional de la clase, las experiencias en educación física y la motivación intrínseca de los alumnos. Una muestra de 2189 alumnos de 13 a 17 años de edad completó las versiones españolas de la Escala de Percepción del Clima Motivacional (PMCS) y el Cuestionario de Motivación Intrínseca (IMI). Además, los alumnos aportaron una valoración de sus experiencias en educación física. Los resultados han mostrado que los factores más relacionados con la motivación intrínseca de los alumnos han sido la percepción del clima de maestría y las experiencias en educación física. Por el contrario, la percepción del clima de ejecución se ha mostrado más relacionada con la tensión-presión de los alumnos. Estos resultados se han discutido en el marco de la teoría de las orientaciones de meta y de la teoría de la autodeterminación y en términos de su contribución a potenciar la motivación de los adolescentes en educación física, de cara al compromiso con la práctica física y la instauración de estilos de vida activos y perdurables a lo largo del tiempo.Palabras clave: Adolescentes, clima de maestría, clima de ejecución, educación física, motivación intrínseca.Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze relationships among perceived motivational class climate, physical education experiences and pupils’ intrinsic motivation in physical education lessons. A sample of 2189 pupils, ages 13 to 17 years, completed the Spanish versions of the Perception of Motivational Climate Scale (PMCS) and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI). Furthermore, pupils reported an assessment of their experiences in physical education. Results showed that the factors most related with pupils’ intrinsic motivation were the perception of mastery climate and the physical education experiences. On the contrary, the perception of performance climate was related with pupils’ tension-pressure. These results were discussed within the framework of achievement goal theory, the self-determination theory and in terms of their contribution to increase adolescents’ motivation in physical education, in order to engagement in physical practices and longtime healthy lifestyles. Key words: Adolescents, mastery climate, performance climate, physical education, intrinsic motivation

Class Inequality and Climate Change Resilience: Exploring the Nexus in Liberalised India

In this paper, we develop an index for climate change resilience in post reform India across different classes using a set of variables that connotes the co-evolutionary relations of the social, economic and ecological realms. Contrary to the dominant paradigms of climate change resilience we focus on the much neglected question in resilience studies, “resilience for whom?”. Our results indicate that, there exist substantial inequalities in the resilience parameters of the classes with the urban elites remaining the most resilient and powerful group over the years. The resilience index of the urban elites and the agricultural labourers remain at both the ends of the spectrum with a value of 1.8 for the former and -1.5 for the latter in the year 2009-2010. A comparison of the resilience index of the classes with their respective share of carbon dioxide emissions gives a clear evidence of risk transfer where the benefits of high emissions rest with the elites while the ecological cost of emissions in the form of vulnerabilities associated with the climate crisis is passed on to the least polluters, who happen to be the rural working classes and small peasants in our analysis.

Teaching high-expectation strategies to teachers through an intervention process

This study describes the outcomes of an intervention focused on the strategies and practices of high-expectation teachers. Specifically, the intervention involved 84 teachers who were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. The research methodology was primarily qualitative, grounded in the interpretive tradition. Data collected from workshop evaluations, cluster meeting reports and pen-and-paper evaluations were analyzed using a thematic approach. Findings revealed that teachers involved in the intervention refined and changed their practices by creating flexible grouping, enhancing the class climate and supporting students’ goal-setting. The teachers reported benefits as well as challenges and barriers to intervention implementation.

Perceptions of Pupils and Teachers on Class Climate

Class climate is an important component that influences teaching effectiveness as well as pupils’ learning achievement. Based on generated data by frequencies according to pupils and teachers perceptions research we may state that generally in 4th, 5th, 6th grades of compulsory school predominates positive constructivist climate, inclusive, cooperative, but there is also instructive climate where the teacher is in the center and where the pupil is a little involved in restructuring of knowledge, abilities or attitudes. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n6p161

College Exercise Class Climates, Physical Self-Concept, and Psychological Well-Being

This study examined the relationship between college students’ perceptions of the motivational climate (i.e., caring, task- and ego-involving) in physical activity courses to their physical self-concept, hope, and happiness. Midwestern university undergraduates (N = 412), enrolled in group physical activity classes, completed the following measures: class climate, physical self-concept, hope, and happiness. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that students who perceived a caring, task-involving climate were more likely to report high physical self-concept, hope, and happiness. A gender comparison found that while perceptions of the ego-involving climate were significantly higher for males, the ego climate did not significantly contribute to the males’ canonical correlation. In addition, while physical self-concept was positively associated with climate for both genders, males were more likely to experience higher physical self-concept than females. Results suggest positive and supportive exercise environments may not only help individuals reap the physical benefits of exercise but also the psychological benefits.

Professional Development on Teacher- Pupil and Pupil- Pupil Interaction in Class Based on Teachers’ Perceptions

Based on data by experimental group of teachers it has been resulted that more than half of teachers have not been part of trainings for class climate; a factor that would influence on increasing of positivist and cooperative climate level in class and as a result would influence on pupils’s achievements. Research data generated gave us deduction that about the half of teachers have not been part of trainings for interaction in class, a factor that would influence on the level of interaction in class and as a result would influence on pupils’ achievements. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1327

How ‘other people matter’ in a classroom-based strengths intervention: Exploring interpersonal strategies and classroom outcomes

Interventions that identify and develop character strengths have been shown to benefit well-being, academic engagement and achievement. Strengths research within positive psychology has focused primarily on individual outcomes with less attention on group or relationships effects. This study (N = 193) examined the effect of a classroom-based strengths intervention on class cohesion and friction, relatedness, engagement, well-being and strengths use. A six-session programme was trialled with 9–12-year-old students. Students learned to recognise strengths and practised strengths-related goal setting. At three-months post-test, multi-level modelling indicated that intervention group participants scored significantly higher on class cohesion and relatedness need satisfaction, and lower on class friction than the non-randomised control group. Programme participants also reported higher levels of positive affect, classroom engagement, autonomy need satisfaction and strengths use. School-based strengths interventions may influence individual perceptions of class climate, engagement and student relatedness in addition to individual well-being.

The relation between bullying and subclinical psychotic experiences and the influence of the bully climate of school classes

This study aims to examine the association between the bully climate of school classes and the prevalence of subclinical psychotic experiences among students who are involved in bullying (either as bully or as victim). Data were derived from the Dutch health behavior in school-aged children survey of 2005, a nationally representative cross-sectional study with a total of 5,509 adolescents between the age of 12 and 16. The data were analyzed using a multilevel regression analysis. The study revealed that both bullying and being bullied in school classes was associated with an increased level of subclinical psychotic experiences. The bully climate of a school class moderates this effect, i.e., the higher risk for bully-victims on subclinical psychotic experiences was less strong in classes with a higher percentage of classmates involved in bullying. Thus, bully climate has to be taken into account when studying the psychological experiences associated with being bullied.

교수자의 교수 스타일(Teaching Style)과 교육경험이 수업 분석에 미치는 영향

본 연구의 목적은 교수자의 교수 스타일과 교육경험이 수업분석에 미치는 영향을 확인해 보는데 있다. 이를 통해 해당 요인들이 수업을 바라보는 관점에 차이가 있는지 확인할 수 있으며, 교육현장에서 교사들이 수업비평과 수업분석을 바라보는 분석관점의 차이를 확인할 수 있다. 연구대상은 초등학교에 근무하는 교사 198명을 대상으로, 교수 스타일을 분류하였다. 자료처리는 교육경험에 해당하는 교직경력을 확인하여 공변인으로 두고, 각각 교수 스타일에 따라 수업 분위기를 분석하는 관점의 차이를 확인하였다. 연구결과 수업분위기 분석의 요인인 창의성, 활기성, 치밀성, 온화성의 4가지 항목에서 유의한 차이를 나타냈다. 수업분위기 분석에서 교수 스타일 중 전문성은 동일한 수업에서 창의성에 높은 점수를 부여했으며, 촉진자 스타일은 활기성에 가장 높은 점수를, 역할모델은 치밀성에 가장 높은 점수를, 촉진자와 역할모델은 온화성에 가장 높은 점수를 부여했다. 반면 권위적인 스타일과 위임자 스타일은 전체적인 수업분위기에서 가장 낮은 점수를 부여하는 것으로 나타났다. 이는 교수 스타일에 따라 수업을 분석하는 관점이 다르며, 전문가, 역할모델, 촉진자 스타일이 수업분석에 있어 반성적인 성찰과 허용적인 인식을 통해 분석하려는 의도가 비교적 강한 것으로 볼 수 있다. This research aims is to confirm the influence of a teacher's teaching style and teaching career on instructional analysis. Through this, the differences in the relevant elements' view points on a class and those in teachers' analysis view points on class criticism and instructional analysis at the education field can be investigated. For this study, the teaching styles of 198 elementary school teachers were categorized, their teaching careers were checked as teaching career and set them as covariate, and the differences in the view points on the analysis of the class climates were verified depending on each teaching style. As the research result, meaningful differences were found in four areas of the elements of class climates analysis, that is, creativity, vitality, precision, and gentleness. In the analysis of the class climates, the teachers with a professional style among the teaching styles gave the highest grades to creativity in the same class, those with a facilitating style to vitality, those with a role model style to precision, and those with a facilitating and role model style to gentleness. On the other hand, those with an authoritative and a delegating style were proved to give the lowest grades in general class climates. It means that teachers with different teaching styles have different viewpoints when analyzing a class, and those with a professional, a role model and a facilitating style have a relatively stronger intention to analyze a class through reflective introspection and permissive recognition.

A cluster analysis on students' perceived motivational climate. Implications on psycho-social variables.

The aim of this study was to examine how students' perceptions of the class climate influence their basic psychological needs, motivational regulations, social goals and outcomes such as boredom, enjoyment, effort, and pressure/tension. 507 (267 males, 240 females) secondary education students agreed to participate. They completed a questionnaire that included the Spanish validated versions of Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2), Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise (BPNES), Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC), Social Goal Scale-Physical Education (SGS-PE), and several subscales of the IMI. A hierarchical cluster analysis uncovered four independent class climate profiles that were confirmed by a K-Means cluster analysis: "high ego", "low ego-task", "high ego-medium task", and "high task". Several MANOVAs were performed using these clusters as independent variables and the different outcomes as dependent variables (p < .01). Results linked high mastery class climates to positive consequences such as higher students' autonomy, competence, relatedness, intrinsic motivation, effort, enjoyment, responsibility and relationship, as well as low levels of amotivation, boredom and pressure/tension. Students' perceptions of a performance class climate made the positive scores decrease significantly. Cluster 3 revealed that a mastery oriented class structure undermines the negative behavioral and psychological effects of a performance class climate. This finding supports the buffering hypothesis of the achievement goal theory.

Classical Music at a German Inner-City School: The German Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Bremen at Comprehensive School Bremen East

The German Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Bremen , a world famous orchestra for classical music, and the Comprehensive School Bremen East , a school in a deprived area, in North American terms an inner-city school, are cooperating since 2007. A three-year follow-up evaluation study was conducted to find out, if projects facilitated by the presence of the orchestra have a positive impact on the self-reported well-being and the grades of students. Results showed that involvement in the projects distinctly benefited boys: They experience a better class climate and a higher satisfaction with school as well as improved German grades.

The Relationship between Externalizing Behavior Problem and Collective Moral Emotion and Responsibility: The Moderate Effects of Class Climate

Externalizing behavior problem is a set of behaviors that represent negative response to the social environment.Externalizing behavior problems are moderately stable,yet changeable.Researchers and professionals have considered how parenting styles,parent involvement,and children's social skills and peer relationships are associated with externalizing problems,but little is known about the relations between children's academic environment – class climate – and externalizing problems.According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory,positive class climate may help reduce children's behavior problems.Class is an important environment for students' social and academic activities.Class climate influences not only students' academic achievement,but also their social attitudes and functioning including behaviors,moral emotions,social responsibility,and their relations.The purpose of the study was to examine the moderating effect of class climate on the relations between externalizing behavior problem and collective moral emotion and collective responsibility.Participants included 755 students sampled from 4th,6th,8thand 10thgrade of three schools in Shanghai.The students were asked to fill several questionnaires concerning the perceptions of class climate,collective moral emotions,and collective responsibility.In this study,class climate was a group-level variable,indexed by standardized total scores of the scale.Students' externalizing behavior problems were rated,on a 5-point scale,by their head teacher,the scores were standardized within the class to allow for appropriate comparisons.The results first indicated that boys had higher scores than girls on the measure of externalizing behavior problems,but lower scores than girls on perceived classroom climate.No significant gender differences were found on either collective moral emotion or collective responsibility.Second,externalizing behavior problems were moderately stable.No significant grade differences were found.Students in 8thgrade had the lowest scores on perceived class climate.Scores on collective moral emotion and collective responsibility decreased with age.Third,class climate moderated the relations between externalizing behavior problems and collective moral emotion and collective responsibility.Positive class climate weakened the negative relations between externalizing behavior problem and collective moral emotion and collective responsibility.The results indicate that positive class climate is a protective factor for children who have externalizing behavior problems.Developing a positive class climate helps children to experience collective moral emotion and display responsible behavior,which in turn may improve their social functioning in school.

Cooperative oriented learning in inclusive physical education

In this study the implementation of cooperation directed learning of peer tutoring in elementary general inclusive physical education (GPE) setting in three elementary city schools in Sweden was studied. The purpose was to assess the impact of peer tutoring on the interaction behaviours between students with and without disabilities in GPE. A design of multiple case study with elementary school age students with moderate disabilities (n = 4) was used. Peer tutors (n = 37) were students without disabilities who voluntary participated in a peer tutor training programme. The programme included the collaborative learning values, teaching instructions and communication skills served as the independent measure. Dependent measures were multiple interactions between students with and without disabilities. Data to the case studies were collected through a design of mixed methods, containing both quantitative and qualitative data. Totally 43 observation sessions of inclusive GPE settings were collected on videotapes and analysed using the Computerized Evaluation Protocol of Interactions in Physical Education (CEPI-PE). In addition, interviews with school personnel and children served as a complementary study outcome. The percentage of interactions between target students and peer tutors significantly increased (3.2–11.8%, respectively, p < .05) during peer tutor intervention. This study indicated that peer tutor arrangements can contribute the successful cooperation between students with and without disabilities in inclusive GPE in Swedish elementary school. All four students with moderate disabilities maintained high percentage of activities done independently throughout baseline and intervention phase (50.5 and 57.6%, accordingly). Qualitative data throughout field notes and interviews with school personnel and pupils confirmed a positive class climate change and improvement in peer relation culture.

Peer Acceptance in the School Class and Subjective Health Complaints: A Multilevel Approach

Feeling accepted by peers is important for young people's health but few studies have examined the overall degree of acceptance in school and its health consequences. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether health complaints among Swedish students can be attributed to the acceptance climate in their school class even when the health effects of their own (individual) acceptance score have been taken into account. The data used were from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study for the years 2001 to 2002, 2005 to 2006, and 2009 to 2010, consisting of 13,902 5th-, 7th-, and 9th-grade Swedish students nested into 742 school classes. The statistical analyses were performed by means of linear regression multilevel analysis. The results indicated that the variation in subjective health complaints could be ascribed partly to the school-class level (boys: 5.0%; girls: 13.5%). Peer acceptance at the individual level demonstrated a clear association with health: the lower the acceptance, the higher the complaint scores. For girls, but not for boys, the overall degree of peer acceptance in the school class demonstrated a contextual effect on health, net of acceptance at the student level. Interaction analyses also revealed an increasingly favorable health among poorly accepted girls as the acceptance climate in the school class declined. A lower overall degree of peer acceptance in the school class is associated with poorer health among girls. However, girls who themselves feel poorly accepted are not as negatively affected health-wise by a poor acceptance climate, as are well-accepted girls.