Psychosocial Learning Environment Research Articles

Exploring the impact of psychosocial learning environments and instructional modalities on academic achievement in blended computer science education

Exploring the impact of psychosocial learning environments and instructional modalities on academic achievement in blended computer science education

Psychosocial learning environment, learning anxiety, and learning satisfaction: evidence from distance learners in taxation during the COVID-19 period

Psychosocial learning environment, learning anxiety, and learning satisfaction: evidence from distance learners in taxation during the COVID-19 period

Seeking higher order construction of cognitive abilities in a psychosocial learning environment

<span lang="EN-US">In this study, we created a psychosocial learning environment consisting of five types of interaction, namely: student collaboration; specific learning objectives and curriculum coherence; learning facilities; independent learning; and constructivist instruction. This research aimed to determine the scope in which the five modes of contact improved students’ learning outcomes in higher order cognitive abilities. This quantitative study involved form four accounting students (N=352) in Malaysia who completed a self-administered questionnaire that included the higher order cognitive abilities (HOCA) test, the instruments of students’ perceived learning environment, and zone-specific demographic data. The results showed two of the five inventory of students’ perceived learning environment (ISPLE) scores. Specific learning objectives and curriculum coherence, were the most significant predictors and strongly correlated with higher order cognitive abilities. Even the components of the psychosocial learning environment impact HOCA in most subjects. However, researchers have obtained new findings that explain other factors that need to be studied to evaluate or encourage HOCA in accounting subjects. Thus, the researcher suggests further research using self-learning methods through modules to assess and promote HOCA in accounting</span><span lang="EN-US">.</span>

Nursing Students' Experiences on Psychosocial Learning Environment, Personal and Social Challenges and Communication in Periods of Social Isolation: A Qualitative Study.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the Norwegian government declared lockdown to stop the virus from spreading. In Norway, universities were immediately closed, and all teaching and learning were done digitally for the rest of the spring semester 2020. Our aim was to explore nursing students experience with studying and learning, as well as the psychological consequences it may incur during a period of social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. The study is a qualitative study based on a focus group with 6 nursing students. The analysis was conducted following Kvale's approach to qualitative analysis. Three main categories were identified: (1) psychosocial learning environment, (2) personal and social challenges, and (3) communication. We found that the restrictions due to social isolation and pandemic restrictions such as closing of the university campus, has impacted students` study situation significantly, both psychosocially and academically. If social isolation should be necessary in the future, universities need to use methods such as group discussions, quizzes, and short breaks in the lectures to prevent unnecessary problems among the students. Personal challenges due to the social isolation, such as anxiety or other mental health issues are more difficult to avoid or prevent, but the universities must be better prepared to give students more personal communication, have unformal meetings and providing more information to the students in times of crisis.

Psychosocial Learning Environments of English Classes and Students’ Motivational Intensity in Learning English Language

Psychosocial Learning Environments of English Classes and Students’ Motivational Intensity in Learning English Language

Revisiting the Definition of Bullying in the Context of Higher Education

AbstractThis study used a qualitative method to verify the interpersonal interactions that students consider to constitute bullying in higher education. The data came from 58 semi-structured interviews with students and administrators from two public universities in Ghana and one in Norway to show how national differences influence bullying. The broad range of behaviours identified highlighted themes like “inconveniencing”, “exclusion”, “intimidation”, “shaming”, “booing, gossiping, and teasing”, “sexual harassment and unwanted touching, fondling, and kissing”, and “ignoring or facing hostile reactions”. The study found that behaviours students identified as bullying are subtler and are intertwined with everyday interpersonal encounters, making identifying, reporting, and redressing them elusive. Students identified their limited awareness of anti-bullying structures, insufficient deterrence due to a lack of transparency in rule implementation, and noncommitment by authorities as favouring bullying. The study suggests the use of communication about behaviour expectations and a commitment to creating consciousness against bullying to ensure a positive psychosocial learning environment.

Completion of upper secondary education: Predictions of the psychosocial learning environment and academic achievement

BackgroundLack of upper secondary school completion (dropout) is a serious concern. Psychosocial factors of the learning environment, such as perceived emotional support from teachers and loneliness among peers remain largely unstudied as predictors of completion. AimsThe main aim of this five-year longitudinal study was to investigate whether psychosocial learning environment factors experienced early in upper secondary school contribute to the likelihood of school completion; either directly, or indirectly via academic achievement. SampleParticipants were 1241 upper secondary school students in Norway. MethodsA longitudinal panel design combining register data and student self-reports was implemented. Register data included GPA from the end of lower secondary school, GPA from the end of first of year of upper secondary school, and upper secondary school completion. Self-reports included perception of emotional support from teachers and loneliness among peers in the first year of upper secondary school. Control variables were gender, study track, and immigrant background. A structural equation model with completion (vs. dropout) as the outcome was estimated in Mplus. ResultsAn indirect positive effect on completion was found for emotional support from teachers, mediated by subsequent academic achievement. A direct negative effect on completion was found for loneliness among peers. Among students with pronounced loneliness, completion rate was 10 percentage points lower than among those reporting no loneliness. ConclusionsLoneliness among peers was identified as a substantial risk factor for school dropout. On the other hand, findings indicate that sufficient perceived emotional support from teachers can promote completion.

Scoping Review of Positive Mental Health Research for Students in Vocational Education and Training

Context: In this scoping review, we examine the knowledge base concerning positive mental health studies for students in vocational education and training (VET). The VET student population embraces approximately 30-52% of secondary school students in the Nordic countries, and 40% of the global student population. The risk of early school leaving (ESL) is substantially higher in VET than in general education and mental health may be a relevant factor in this matter. Yet, an overview of mental health studies in VET is lacking and therefore, this article aims to map empirical research studies that have explored positive mental health in VET students. The positive mental health framework, with its origin in Antonovsky's (2002) salutogenesis and positive psychology, focuses on factors that promote mental health and wellbeing rather than taking on a pathological perspective. Methods: For our scoping review, we searched four databases, and 19 articles were found eligible for inclusion. These articles were systematically screened by means of a coding scheme to identify the following information: Country of origin of the study, its aim, research design, measures, conceptualization of mental health, and main findings. Results: The evidence suggests that positive mental health is understood as a multifaceted concept, and wellbeing is the dimension that is explored most often, followed by resilience and quality of life. The majority of the included studies used a validated questionnaire to assess various aspects of positive mental health, and most of them sought to explore correlations between different dimensions of positive mental health. Main findings of the studies suggest that a supportive school environment, physical activity, and a strong vocational identity may contribute to positive mental health for students in VET. Furthermore, correlations have also been identified between environmental factors and positive mental health. Finally, findings from the review illustrate how even small-scale interventions may have far-reaching effects, due to the interrelatedness of the different dimensions within the positive mental health construct. Conclusion: Findings from this review illustrate that numerous factors may affect the wellbeing of students in VET. In particular, a strong vocational identity, a supportive school environment, and physical activity may contribute to positive mental health. These findings suggest that VET teachers may promote the wellbeing of their students by providing a supportive psychosocial learning environment at school.

‘Botho’ African Philosophy as an Indigenous Resource for developing Resilience and Wellbeing Protective factors in schools: towards Psychosocial Learning Environments in Lesotho

‘Botho’ African Philosophy as an Indigenous Resource for developing Resilience and Wellbeing Protective factors in schools: towards Psychosocial Learning Environments in Lesotho

How school culture affects teachers’ classroom implementation of learning from professional development

A core element of almost all educational improvement efforts is an intention to improve teacher practice in order to enhance student- and system-level outcomes. To this end, a range of strategies are deployed to facilitate teacher professional learning and development, with great investments of time, financial, and human resources. However, the environments in which teachers learn and their impact on teachers’ implementation of new learning remain underexamined. By considering how the psychosocial learning environments present in schools affect the teacher development process, there is scope to enhance the impacts of professional development. This study explored how aspects of school climate and culture (that is, the learning environments that teachers experience) affect teachers’ classroom implementation of their professional learning. Qualitative data were gathered from 36 teachers in New Zealand through focus groups and analysed via reflexive thematic analysis following a latent inductive approach. Five areas of school climate and culture were identified that, according to the teachers, affected their implementation of new professional learning. These areas were: leadership engagement/actions; the change environment; relationships; beliefs and attitudes related to TPLD; and all being on the same page. Understanding the roles these five areas play provides insights into how school leaders and policymakers can seek to shape the learning environments that surround teachers’ daily classroom practice in order to facilitate learning and improvement for all.

Elementary school children’s perceptions of geometry classroom as a psychosocial learning environment: an analysis of participant-produced drawings

A growing literature points to the importance of classroom social climate as one of the determinants of students’ academic performance and motivation, engagement, participation, and attitude towards school and teaching. However, little attention is given to social climate in the context of the mathematics classroom as a learning environment, with studies providing only insights into its specific aspects. The present study addressed these problems by investigating classroom social climate in the context of geometry lessons in Grades 3–6 with the goal of providing comprehensive insight into students’ perceptions of their geometry classroom climate by identifying its psychosocial aspects. In total, 114 primary-grade students participated in the qualitative cross-sectional study. To capture students’ perceptions of their geometry classroom, participant-produced drawings were used as a research method. These were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results reflected a teacher-centered image of a geometry learning environment which was driven by frontal work with a broad spectrum of participatory activities, but with very little student–student communication. Additionally, the lesson goals were transparent which were supported by using different teaching tools and materials. Lastly, the lessons were organized in an orderly manner. The findings offer potential opportunities for educators to plan and implement effective pedagogical strategies at the university that would reflect the teaching practices conducive to geometry learning. Likewise, the research method can be used in classroom learning environments as a tool to promote a dialogue between students and their teachers.

Physical learning environments’ supportiveness to innovative pedagogies: students’ and teachers’ experiences

Research into the relationship between innovative physical learning environments (PLEs) and innovative psychosocial learning environments (PSLEs) indicates that it must be understood as a network of relationships between multiple psychosocial and physical aspects. Actors shape this network by attaching meanings to these aspects and their relationships in a continuous process of gaining and exchanging experiences. This study used a psychosocial-physical, relational approach for exploring teachers’ and students’ experiences with six innovative PLEs in a higher educational institute, with the application of a psychosocial-physical relationship (PPR) framework. This framework, which brings together the multitude of PLE and PSLE aspects, was used to map and analyse teachers’ and students’ experiences that were gathered in focus group interviews. The PPR framework proved useful in analysing the results and comparing them with previous research. Previously-identified relationships were confirmed, clarified, and nuanced. The results underline the importance of the attunement of system aspects to pedagogical and spatial changes, and of a psychosocial-physical relational approach in designing and implementing new learning environments, including the involvement of actors in the discourse within and between the different system levels. Interventions can be less invasive, resistance to processes could be reduced, and innovative PLEs could be used more effectively.

ASSESSMENT OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR BIOLOGY LEARNING IN AKOKO SOUTH WEST IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

The role of psychosocial factors in improving students learning is well documented in literature, as well as its prospects and benefits in addressing educational problems. Hence the need to assess the psychosocial learning environment for biology learning. This study revealed biology students’ anxiety level, their sense of belonging and the classroom climate as perceived by the students. The descriptive survey research was conducted with 391 biology students selected randomly from a population of all senior secondary school biology students in Akoko South West, Ondo State, Nigeria. A four-sectioned validated questionnaire, with reliability index of 0.72, 0.82, and 0.77, served data collection purpose. Findings revealed that students’ anxiety level is moderate (mean score=1.49). Although, students often get depressed if they don’t perform up to expectation (1.27), they are not anxious whenever test is approaching (1.54), and they are unsure of their anxiety level with respect to failing (1.50). Also, students exhibit a moderately high sense of belongingness in school (mean=1.68) but students feel ignored in most extra-curricular activities (1.31) and believe that their teachers are often too busy to attend to their personal needs (1.28). Students accepts their classroom climate as conducive for learning (1.76), organized (1.74), and not disoriented (1.59). The result also reveals that the classroom atmosphere is moderately positive (mean=1.66). It was recommended that educational stakeholder and curriculum implementers should employ techniques that will further decrease students’ anxiety and boost their sense of belonging. The classroom climate should be supplemented with psychosocial enrichment.
 Keywords: Psychosocial Learning Environment, Anxiety, Sense of Belonging, Biology

How the Learning Environment Influences Bullying: The Case of Two Universities in Ghana

Organisational climates determine the experiences, well-being, and output of people. In response to a growing concern about bullying and victimisation at universities, this study examined students’ perception of the university learning environment concerning their experience of various negative behaviours and victimisation at two public universities in Ghana. The study is a cross-sectional survey of 751 respondents. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and regression analysis indicate how perceptions of the universities’ learning environment are related to students’ experiences. With an inverse relationship between students’ perception of the learning environment and their experience of various negative behaviours and victimisation, the study suggests that awareness of anti-bullying rules, which are strictly, fairly, and consistently enforced through participatory democratic principles, will be essential to ensure a positive psychosocial learning environment.

Grade 10 Students’ Perception of Learning Environment: Prospects for K to12 Science Teaching Enhancement

Creating a positive psychosocial learning environment (PsLE) that holistically considers the learners’ needs is vital to optimizing learning productivity in Science. This study investigates the Science learning environment as perceived by the students in actual Science classes. Anchored on the three PsLE dimensions namely: relationship, personal development, and systems maintenance and change, it tracks for alignment of the current Science teaching and learning practices to the expectations of the Kto12 Science curriculum standards. A survey method was done to gather the students’ perception ratings based on a 5-point Likert scale (with 5 as most indicative) using the adapted established learning environment instruments, namely, the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey, the Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire, and the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory. The data was collected from 105 Grade 10 students in one of the provinces in Central Visayas, Philippines, and treated statistically using descriptive statistics to get the mean percentage score and standard deviation. Results showed a high perception rating of the scales in the relationship dimension with a mean perception score (MPS = 3.7, SD= 0.36) and least in the personal development dimension. The specific scales that are of low perception include independence, open-endedness, shared control, and differentiation. These findings bear implications for potential interventions for the improvement of Kto12 Science teaching. Re-tooling the teachers with professional development training is a practical move that can be undertaken by the school leadership. Some concrete teaching practices anchored on the PsLE framework are discussed for the enhancement of Kto12 Science teaching.

Analysis of the Relationship Between the Psychosocial Learning Environment and Learning Styles to The Achievement of Form Four Additional Mathematics

This study was aimed to determine the relationship of psychosocial learning environment, learning styles with the Additional Mathematics achievement besides to identify psychosocial differences in the learning environments and learning styles by gender and school type in achievement. Quantitative approaches with a survey design used for this study. About 205 form four Additional Mathematics students from 13 secondary schools in Setiu district were chosen using strata sampling methods. Research instrument are ‘What is Happening in This Classroom’ (WIHIC) and Dunn and Dunn learning styles. Data analysed using descriptive to describe the level of perception about psychosocial learning environment and the most dominant learning style while inferential analysis involved the MANOVA and Spearman’s Rho correlation test. The findings showed that the students’ familiarity had the highest level of perception while the emotional category learning styles was the dominant of the students. The conclusion that students from Boarding Schools are concerned with the aspects of relationship with each other compared the students in other schools. The learning style in three types of schools showed no significant differences in gender and school type. Spearman’s Rho correlation analysis showed that was significant relationship between psychosocial learning environments with achievement while no significant relationship between learning styles with achievement. The conclusion, psychosocial learning environment and learning style are elements that need to be attention to enhance the achievement. The implicates of the study are the psychosocial need to be focus to improve the achievement of this subjects.

Distance education psychosocial learning environment and graduate students' academic satisfaction during the pandemic

The closure of universities in the year caused by the pandemic that originated the COVID- determined the Peruvian government to impose distance The closure of the universities in the year caused by the pandemic that originated the COVID determined the Peruvian government to impose distance education. This required the enactment of regulations to ensure continuity of services and access to quality education adaptable to the distance learning modality. However, the psychosocial learning environment of this study modality has a social structure that differs from that of a face-to-face class, which could have a considerable impact on learning outcomes and therefore on students' academic satisfaction. For this reason, the objective of the study was to determine the relationship between the psychosocial learning environment of distance education and the academic satisfaction of graduate students during the pandemic. The methodology used was a quantitative approach with correlational design. The sample consisted of The sample consisted of graduate students of a public university, who were administered two questionnaires; the first to measure their perception of the psychosocial factors affecting their psychosocial learning environment of distance education during the pandemic, using the Sp-DELES scale; and the second to measure academic satisfaction using the SA scale.

Psychosocial learning environments: EFL learners’ voices during a pandemic

Psychosocial learning environments: EFL learners’ voices during a pandemic

A Review of Psychosocial Learning Environment

The education field is one of the aspects that have been linked to the economic field. Based on the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013–2025, the learning environment is one of the aspects that should be improved in order to achieve the best academic performance. The aim of this study is to review a learning environment that influences achievement in the education field. This paper explores the meaning of the psychosocial learning environment by various researchers and even explores one of the most popular dimensions of the psychosocial learning environment, such as teacher and student relationships that is believed to be capable of affecting the academic performance. A good relationship between the teacher and student can leave positive impacts on the student’s level of motivation and attitude towards their learning. The findings of previous researchers were also included to support the arguments used in this study.

Investigating Relationships Between Learning Environment Perceptions, Motivation and Self-Regulation for Female Science Students in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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.