Perceptions Of Classroom Environment Research Articles

Identifying Chinese students’ perceptions of smart classrooms and their relationships with design features

ABSTRACT Taking classes in a smart classroom is a novel experience for most college students in China, and comprehensive research on how Chinese students perceive smart classroom environments is limited. This study explored students’ perceptions of smart classroom environments in plain language through a survey involving 358 students. The semantic difference and Kansei Engineering methods were employed to investigate students’ perceptions of learning and physical environments and their relationships with the design features of smart classrooms. Statistical analysis revealed six factors of subjective assessments with a total interpretation rate of 66.29% and five design features of smart classrooms with a total interpretation rate of 59.40%. No significant differences were found across all the factors based on gender, but there were significant differences in students’ technology self-efficacy according to each factor of subjective evaluation and design feature. All factors of the subjective assessments and design features exhibited significant correlations. Furthermore, regression models revealed a significant relationship between affective perception and other dimensions of subjective assessments and an important connection between the active learning environment and all design features. Thus, this study provides an empirical foundation for understanding students’ perceptions of smart classrooms and offers a user-based perspective for designing smart classrooms.

Understanding university students’ perceptions of classroom environment: A synergistic approach integrating grounded theory (GT) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP)

University classrooms play a crucial role in students' educational experience, as they spend a significant amount of time in these spaces. Understanding students' perceptions of the classroom environment is essential for improving classroom design and management. Adopting a user-centric approach, a novel research design combining both qualitative and quantitative research methods is employed to develop and validate an evaluation framework for classroom environment evaluation. Specifically, this study utilises grounded theory (GT) methodology to identify and prioritises the indoor environment parameters that students consider important. A classroom environment performance evaluation framework for the classrooms within a Hong Kong university was then developed based on the qualitative findings using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The framework was then used to examine students' perceived importance of the university classroom performance among different sub-groups. The findings reveal that “facilities and services” emerged as the most critical parameter, emphasizing the importance of effective post-occupancy management. Intriguingly, there are minor differences in importance rankings between genders and education levels, with males emphasizing “indoor air quality” and females prioritizing “thermal comfort”. Moreover, distinct priorities are observed between various classroom types; students in lecture theatres focus on “seating plans” and “temperature”, while those in general classrooms prioritise “seating layout” and “fire safety”. These findings emphasise the need for effective post-occupancy management, while also highlight nuanced preferences based on gender, education levels, and classroom types, thereby offer crucial insights for designers to tailor indoor environments that better align with diverse student needs and preferences. Furthermore, a human-built environment interaction model is developed to summarise the research findings and provide insights for future research directions. This comprehensive approach enhances understanding of students’ preferences and experiences in university classrooms.

The Correlations Between Perceived Classroom Environment, Foreign Language Learning Boredom and EFL Achievement: A Full Mediation Model

Abstract The present study adopted a mixed-methods approach to investigate the relationships between EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ perceived classroom environment (PCE), foreign language learning boredom (FLLB), and English achievement. Two hundred and seventy Chinese high school students participated in a questionnaire survey and 9 students participated in a semistructured interview. The results revealed that: 1) General PCE was negatively correlated with FLLB and positively correlated with achievement. Task orientation was the only component of PCE that significantly related to achievement; all components of PCE except student cohesiveness were significantly related to FLLB; 2) Teacher support, task orientation, and class order negatively influenced FLLB, which negatively influenced English achievement. None of the components of PCE directly influenced English achievement; 3) FLLB fully mediated the influence of teacher support and task orientation on achievement. Responses from the participants triangulated our findings in the quantitative part. According to the research findings, English teachers should adequately support their students and appropriately orient learning tasks to reduce students’ boredom levels and improve their English achievement.

Spanish heritage language learners’ motivational profile in the postsecondary classroom: Insights from psychological network modeling

AbstractThis study sought to investigate the psychological network structure of adult Spanish heritage language (HL) learners’ motivational profile by considering interconnections among the following variables: the possible HL selves, family influence, intended HL learning effort, HL achievement goal orientations, HL enjoyment, HL anxiety, perceived classroom environment, and critical language awareness. In line with a complex systems perspective, mutually interdependent connections among variables were estimated using psychological network modeling. The analysis revealed a majority of positive associations among the system constituents, with nodes representing the possible HL selves, HL enjoyment, and intended HL learning effort holding the most central influence on the network. Results also shed light on the unexplored relevance of critical language awareness in understanding HL learners’ motivational and emotional dispositions. We discuss the theoretical, pedagogical, and methodological implications of the study, highlighting the potential of network analysis for providing insights into complex psychological phenomena.

Learner Perceptions of Saudi Arabian EFL College Classroom Environments

Studies in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) have recently become more prominent at universities in Saudi Arabia. This research explores the perspectives of EFL college students in Saudi Arabia on the various classroom settings they experience there. students' perceptions of EFL college classroom environments in Saudi Arabia. It employs questionnaires and observation techniques for data collection. The questionnaire is structured on the basis of four major research dimensions, including physical, teaching, learning, and motivational dimensions. These are thought to be the most important factors, so the questionnaire is based on them. A ample of 205 male and female students who are currently enrolled in EFL programs has been chosen. According to the findings, both male and female students have similar perceptions of the environments in which they learn EF. Despite this, there are differences that can be seen in certain aspects of the learning dimension. For example, female participants have a higher satisfaction score than male participants do. The learning and motivational dimensions have received lower satisfaction ratings from both parties in comparison to the physical and instructional aspects of the program. Students are not only unhappy with the textbooks that are currently being used, but they also lack interest in the cultural context in which the language is used. The relationship that exists between instructors and pupils was given the highest rating by both sets of respondents. The findings of the study imply that the environment of an EFL classroom should place a greater emphasis on teaching and motivational aspects in order to achieve a higher level of perception on the part of the students.

Exploring the influence of perceived classroom environment on learner autonomy in a Chinese EFL learning context.

Developing learner autonomy has been a critical task in English teaching that requires a clear understanding of the feature of classroom environment. This study aims to examine how senior high school students perceive classroom environment and learner autonomy, and how classroom environment exerts its influence on learner autonomy in Chinese EFL learning context. Participants (N = 565) from 15 classes located in northeast of China were selected to fill in an adapted version of What is Happening in This Class (WIHIC) and English Autonomous Learning Ability scale. Interview was conducted to confirm and illustrate the quantitative findings. The results revealed that senior high students had favorable perceptions of English classroom environment and learner autonomy. Grade differences existed in their perceptions. Moreover, we found that 53.7% of the variance in learner autonomy was accounted for by students' perceptions of English classroom environment, which indicated that English classroom environment had significantly positive effects on learner autonomy. Specifically, task orientation, student involvement, teacher support and finding references were strong predictors to learner autonomy. The possible reasons for the findings were discussed and recommendations for future research were given.

Examining in-service and pre-service science teachers’ learning environment perceptions and their sense of efficacy beliefs

ABSTRACT This study investigated the predictive effect of in-service and pre-service science teachers’ perceptions of the learning environment on their self-efficacy beliefs on science teaching. The same self-report questionnaires were used to collect data from in-service and pre-service science teachers. Of the participants, 142 in-service science teachers and 281 pre-service science teachers completed the Constructivist Learning Environment Scale and the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale. Canonical analysis was used to investigate the relationships between variables. The analyses of the findings revealed a reciprocal relationship between variables. Both in – and pre-service science teachers’ classroom environment perceptions were significantly related to their self-efficacy beliefs. Additionally, in-service science teachers scored significantly higher than pre-service ones for all variables and in-service science teachers’ classroom environment perceptions were more strongly correlated with their self-efficacy beliefs than pre-service science teachers’. This study suggests that creating a more effective learning environment affects science teachers’ sense of efficacy or science teachers with high efficacy beliefs create more constructivist classroom environment.

Clustering perceived learning environment as antecedents of willingness to communicate in a second language

This study was designed to explore patterns of student perceptions of second language (L2) classroom environments and the relationships between such perceptions and L2 willingness to communicate (WTC). A sample of 845 first-year undergraduate students of English as a foreign language (EFL) participated in the study and reported their perceptions of the L2 classroom environment and their WTC. Using cluster analysis, this study aggregated students’ perceptions of the classroom environment into four clusters: High support, Rapport, Input, and Low support classes. These four clusters of classes differed significantly in the student perceived support of interpersonal relationships and instructional input. A one-way ANOVA further showed that L2 WTC was positively related to student perceptions of interpersonal relationships and instructional input. More specifically, students’ positive perceptions of interpersonal relationships tended to facilitate WTC in meaning-focused activities, while students’ positive perceptions of instructional input tended to facilitate WTC in form-focused activities. This study finally proposed a model to depict perceived situation cues as antecedents (interpersonal relationship and instructional input) of L2 WTC. Implications for L2 instruction and learning were also discussed.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between English Classroom Environment in Rural Junior Middle School and Students’ English Learning Boredom

Learning boredom is a negative sense of experience caused by students' lack of interest in learning. For rural junior high school students, English learning is often limited to English classroom. Although a consensus has been reached that the classroom environment has an impact on the process and outcome of second/foreign language learning, it’s still unclear how the classroom environment is related to the process of breeding negative emotions such as boredom among learners. Under such a circumstance, this study adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, taking 480 students from rural junior high schools as subjects, using methods with a combination of questionnaire survey and interview to study the current situation and correlation between English classroom environment and English learning boredom in rural junior high schools. And the results show that rural junior high school students' overall perception of English classroom environment is at a high level and the overall English learning boredom among rural junior high school students is at a medium level. Also, there is a negative correlation between English classroom environment and English learning boredom. The English classroom environment has the function of negative prediction of boredom in students’ learning process.

A synergetic perspective on students’ perception of classroom environment, expectancy value belief, and engagement in an EFL context

Engaging students in the second language (L2) classroom is a critical task that requires a clear understanding of the multilayered characteristics of the L2 classroom and the motivational mechanisms through which these characteristics influence student engagement. This study contributes to the L2 engagement literature in this regard by examining the relationship among students’ expectancy and task value belief, their perception of the three L2 classroom conditions, namely classroom structure, teaching relevance, and peer support, and their engagement in an instructed L2 learning setting. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyse self-report data collected from 413 first year students of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Vietnam. Results suggest that teaching relevance and peer support significantly predicted students’ expectancy and task value belief, which in turn enhanced all dimensions of engagement. On the other hand, classroom structure was found to have no effect on students’ expectancy value belief and their engagement in the L2 classroom. Multi-group analyses further revealed that the effect of teaching relevance on expectancy belief was significant and strong only for high-proficiency students while peer support predicted task value belief more strongly among English major students than non-English major students. The findings offer important implications for the development of an engaging L2 classroom that caters to students with different L2 proficiency levels and academic majors.

Perceptions of nursing students on the effect of cooperative learning on academic achievement and learning environment

ABSTRACT Although previous studies have highlighted the positive effects of cooperative learning (CL) on academic achievement as well as the learning environment, they have not shown how this happens. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of CL in the field of nursing, as well as to identify students’ perceptions of how these effects occur. In this mixed methods, sequential explanatory design data were collected through achievement test, WIHIC questionnaire, and in-depth interviews. There was a significant difference between the academic achievement of students and also their perception of classroom environment in the experimental and control groups in favor of CL. The students’ experience indicated that CL not only creates a secure environment and enhances the deep learning and motivational process, but also increases instructor support and provides equal opportunities for student involvement in the patient education classroom. The findings of this study illuminated the role of social interdependence theory played in helping students connected with each other to promote learning. This study can increase the willingness of instructors to implement CL. It encourage administrators to meet the prerequisites for implementing CL.

Student perceptions of the classroom environment, student characteristics, and motivation for music lessons at secondary school

The literature suggests that there is often no alignment between student preferences and what and how it is taught in the music classroom. A total of 749 Cypriot secondary school students, aged 12 to 14 years, responded to a survey addressing enjoyment of music, motivation for school music lessons, and perceptions of the music classroom environment. The survey included a questionnaire with six subscales: Involvement, Affiliation, Teacher Support, Task Orientation, Order and Organization, and Rule Clarity. High ratings for Affiliation, Teacher Support, and Rule Clarity suggest that, overall, students’ perceptions of the classroom environment were positive. They were not uniform, but varied on the basis of student characteristics. Girls rated Rule Clarity higher than boys. Younger students tended to rate Task Orientation, Order and Organization, and Rule Clarity higher than older students. Higher-achieving students tended to rate Affiliation and Teacher Support higher. Older boys rated Involvement lower than younger boys, whereas older girls rated Involvement higher than younger girls. It can be inferred that boys experienced a gradual increase in perceived Affiliation as their achievement improved, although the pattern was less consistent for girls. Girls tended to report higher motivation for school music lessons than boys. Motivation was enhanced by classroom environments in which students experienced higher levels of enjoyment of music, engagement, and support from teachers. The findings show that the music classroom environment should be characterized by student engagement, clarity of rules, good organization, clear goals, teacher support, and affiliation between classmates.

Perceptions of Classroom Environment, Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs, and Academic Emotions: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of basic psychological needs in the relationship between students’ perceptions of classroom environment and their academic emotions. A total of 268 students (137 males and 131 females) were selected from high schools located in Yasouj (Iran) via multistage cluster sampling. The participants filled out the Pekrun, Goetz, and Frenzel’s (2005) Achievement Emotions Questionnaire, Learning Environment Inventory, and Basic Needs Satisfaction. The proposed model was assessed by Structural Equation Model (SEM) using AMOS. Results indicated that the suggested model had a good fit with the empirical data. Furthermore, students’ perceptions of classroom environment had a positive and significant relationship with psychological needs satisfaction and academic emotions. In addition, satisfaction of basic psychological needs significantly and positively influenced academic emotions. Overall, findings demonstrated that satisfaction of basic psychological needs played a mediating role in the relationship between students’ perceptions of classroom environment and academic emotions.

The Mediating Role of Mathematics Self-concept in the Association of Self-esteem and Classroom Environment Perceptions with Math Anxiety in Students

Background: Math anxiety (MA) emerges as a state of discomfort and anxiety when a student is faced with a math problem. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the association between self-esteem and classroom environment perceptions with math anxiety through the mediating role of mathematics self-concept (MSC) in female high school students. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on all the female high school students in Ahvaz, Iran in the academic year 2020 - 2021. In total, 237 students were selected as the sample population via single-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Math Anxiety questionnaire (MAQ), Self-esteem questionnaire (SEQ), Dundee Ready Educational Environment measure (DREEM), and Mathematical Self-concept questionnaire (MSCQ). The proposed research model was evaluated using structural equation modeling. Results: With the exception of self-esteem and classroom environment perceptions (CEPs), all the direct paths were significantly correlated with MA (P = 0.001). Moreover, the indirect paths of self-esteem were significantly correlated with MA considering the mediating role of MSC (β = -0.240; P = 0.002). Furthermore, a significant association was observed between CEP and MA, mediated by MSC (β = -0.129; P = 0.001). Conclusions: According to the results, the proposed model had a good fit and could be an important step in identifying the influential factors in the MA of students.

The Downstream Effects of Teacher Well-Being Programs: Improvements in Teachers' Stress, Cognition and Well-Being Benefit Their Students.

Quality interventions addressing the important issue of teacher stress and burnout have shown promising outcomes for participating teachers in terms of decreased distress, improved well-being and increased commitment to their jobs. Less is known however about whether such interventions also benefit students. The present study investigated the downstream effects for a completer sample of 226 primary and high school students after their teachers (n = 17) completed one of two 8-week stress reduction interventions. The relationships between change in teacher self-reported distress and burnout after completing the interventions, and change in students' self-reported well-being, academic self-perceptions, and perceptions of classroom environment were explored. A secondary aim of this study was to assess whether changes in teachers' cognitive flexibility mediated the relationship between teacher and student self-report outcomes. Results of correlational and multi-level mediation analyses showed that changes to teachers' self-reported distress and burnout affected multiple facets of students' well-being and the academic environment. Specifically, reductions in teachers' self-reported distress and burnout were related to students' improved perceptions of their teachers' support in the classroom. Reductions in teachers' personal and work-related burnout correlated with greater increases of academic self-perception in students. Contrary to predictions, cognitive flexibility in teachers did not mediate the relationship between these student and teacher measures. These findings indicate important downstream benefits for students and highlight the broader value of stress-reduction and well-being programs for teachers.

Assessment of Academic Adaptation based on Classroom Environment Perceptions, Family Functioning in High School Students in in Sari, Iran

Background: Many psychological factors can arise during a student's school years that can have a positive or negative effect on their academic life as well as their learning process. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the structural model for predicting academic adaptation based on perception of classroom environment and family functioning in girl students of high school. Materials & Methods: The approach used in this analysis was the structural equation modeling correlation. The statistical population of this study included all female high school students in the 2 Sari districts in the academic year of 2019-2020 in the second year of high school. Based on the table by Jesse and Morgan, multi-stage sampling was used to select 450 individuals. They were answered Baker and Siryk’s the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), Classroom Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ), The Developmental Family Functioning Assessment Scale (DFFAQ). Using SPSS software version 26.0. to analyze data. Results: The highest percentage of participants were 16-year-old students, with 211 (46.4%), and the lowest number of participants were 17-year-old students, with 78 (17.1%). According to the results, the perception of the classroom environment (β= 0.561, P=0.01) and the measure of family functioning (β= 0.747, P=0.01) was both positively influenced by academic adaptation. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that classroom environment and family functioning for progress significantly predict students' academic adjustment of Sari high school's second-year female students.

Exploring the comparison between bilingual and monolingual students perception of classroom environment

Bilingualism is a phenomenon, visible in most of the countries all over the world. According to statistics, released in 2017, they make up 42% of the whole country’s population in Iran. The statistical population of this research includes 70 bilinguals and monolinguals, from among BA students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Through random cluster sampling, these individuals were selected, among whom 38 students were monolingual (Farsi), 18 students bilingual (Farsi-Kurdish), and 14 students bilingual (Farsi-Turkish). Perceptions of classroom environment questionnaire (WIHIC) has been used as a research tool. The result shows that all the subscales are significant. In fact, the comprehensiveness variable is significant at P<0/01 and support variables are significant at P<0/001. To determine the groups’ priorities, Post Hoc Test has been used and the results represented the fact that there is significant difference be-tween the perception of classroom environment in the bilingual groups (Turkish and Kurdish) and monolingual group (P<0.001), yet there was no significant difference between the two bi-lingual groups (P>0.05). Thus, the perception of classroom environment and its subscales in the bilinguals’ group has been significantly higher than the monolingual group; however, there is no significant difference between the bilingual groups (Farsi-Kurdish and Farsi- Turkish).

Assessing the Psychosocial Classroom Environment of Teacher Training Classrooms

This study aimed to investigate the classroom environment perceptions of pre-service teachers enrolled in different departments of a Faculty of Education and to investigate the relations among classroom environment perceptions of pre-service teachers and their course achievement. It was conducted in an education course in the fall semester of the academic year 2017-2018 at a state university. The study was designed according to survey research design and 277 pre-service teachers were chosen according to the convenience sampling method. The data were collected through the “Classroom Environment Perceptions Scale of Pre-Service Teachers (CEPSPT)” analyzed by using descriptive and inferential analysis techniques. The results of the study showed that the departments of pre-service teachers had a significant effect on the perceptions of the classroom environment. Pre-service teachers who enrolled in Classroom Teaching Department perceived classroom environment favorable than those who enrolled in other departments. Moreover, pre-service teachers who enrolled in Elementary School Mathematics Teaching Department perceived the difficulty property of the classroom environment at highest. Finally, several correlations were obtained among the dimensions of the classroom environment and also between the achievement scores of pre-service teachers and their classroom environment perceptions. The findings were discussed in detail concerning classroom environment literature.

An investigation into the relationship between willingness to communicate and classroom environment in a Turkish EFL context

Theories of second/foreign language (L2) learning attach great significance to meaningful communication both inside and outside the language classrooms. In this respect, it is vital that language learners use the target language. However, they substantially differ from one another with regard to how much they talk. This difference has been partly justified by willingness to communicate (WTC) in the second/foreign language. Over the past years, WTC and its relation with a number of social, personal and affective factors have been researched in various settings. Nonetheless, little research has been carried out to investigate L2 WTC in speaking inside the classrooms, specifically in Turkey. Besides, though language classrooms are the main platforms for the majority of learners, WTC has gone unnoticed in conjunction with classroom environmental factors thus far. Thus, this study aimed at investigating Turkish preparatory school students’ WTC levels, their perceptions of language classrooms and the relationship between the two variables. In addition to that, gender differences were investigated to find out how male and female students differ in terms of their WTC and their perceptions of classroom environments. To these ends, two different questionnaires were employed. The results unraveled that the students were somewhat willing to communicate in English. Besides, regarding classroom environments, the students reported having positive perceptions. As for gender, females were found slightly more willing to communicate than their male counterparts; however, no significant difference was obtained concerning perceptions of classroom environments. Lastly, correlation analyses indicated that the level of L2 WTC was significantly and strongly related to the classroom environment. In other words, the more positively the students perceive their language classrooms, the more willing they are to communicate.

Relationships between learning environments and self-efficacy in primary schools and differing perceptions of at-risk students

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.