Session Information
ERG SES G12, Education, Management and Teachers' Practice
Paper Session
Contribution
One of the main focuses of educational research is students’ behaviors and perceptions in classroom. The last 35-year literature indicated valuable findings regarding the importance of learning environment perception in the teaching and learning process. Related research revealed that the perception of classroom learning environment can be a good predictor of students’ academic achievement (Baek, & Choi, 2002; Dorman, 2001; Fraser, 1994; Margianti, Fraser & Aldridge, 2002). According to these studies, if students perceive their classroom learning environment positively, they learn better and have better academic achievement.
In the area of educational psychology, studies have focused on the development and validation of instruments to measure participants’ learning environment perceptions (Fraser, 1998). Among these instruments, Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) (Tylor & Fraser, 1991; Taylor, Fraser, & Fisher, 1997) was developed to measure students’ perceptions of learning environment in their student-centered classrooms. It was originally developed by Taylor and Fraser (1991) and revised by (Taylor, Dawson & Fraser, 1995; Taylor, Fraser & Fisher, 1997, Johnson & McClure, 2004). After revision of original one, the final scale had 20 items under 5 sub-scales that are Personal Relevance, Uncertainty, Critical Voice, Shared Control, and Student Negotiation.
The literature stated that classroom learning environment that was shaped by teachers’ behaviors and practices have effects on students’ outcomes like academic achievement. Teacher sense of efficacy, achievement goals, and epistemological beliefs are powerful predictors that affects teachers’ behaviors and practices (Butler and Shibaz, 2008; Hashweh, 1996; Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, & Hoy, 1998). Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, and Hoy (1998) defined teacher efficacy as “the teacher’s belief in her and his ability to organize and execute the courses of action required to successfully accomplish a specific teaching task in a particular context” (p. 233). Since sense of efficacy is a powerful belief to shape or to guide their behaviors, thoughts, and instructional practices while acting as a teacher, their classroom learning environment is affected from them (Guo, McDonald Connor, Yang, Roehring, & Morrison, 2012). Butler and Shibaz (2008) found that teachers’ goals are in a relationship with students’ perception of teachers’ instructional practices as well. Students’ reports indicated that students’ perception of instructional practices were positively related with teachers’ mastery goals and negatively related with teachers’ ability-avoidance goals. Additionally, Hashweh (1996) investigated the role of science teachers’ epistemological beliefs in their teaching practices. The study indicated that teachers that have more sophisticated beliefs used more effective teaching strategies and practices in their classroom. Considering the abovementioned literature, the current study proposes that teachers’ sense of efficacy, achievement goals, and epistemological beliefs may predict students’ perception of their learning environment.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Baek, S., & Choi, H. (2002). The relationship between students’ perceptions of classroom environment and their academic achievement in Korea. Asia Pacific Education Review, 3, 125–135. Butler R. (2007). Teachers’ achievement goal orientations and associations with teachers’ help seeking: Examination of a novel approach to teacher motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(2), 241-52. Butler, R., & Shibaz, L. (2008). Achievement goals for teaching as predictors of students’ perceptions of instructional practices and students’ help seeking and cheating. Learning and Instruction, 18(5), 453-467. Conley, A.M., Pintrich, P.R., Vekiri, I., & Harrison, D. (2004). Changes in epistemological beliefs in elementary science students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 29, 186-204. Dorman, J. P. (2001). Associations between classroom environment and academic efficacy. Learning Environments Research, 4, 243-257. Fraser, B. J. (1994). Research on classroom and school climate. In D. Gabel (Ed.), Handbook of research on science teaching and learning (493-541). New York: Macmillan. Guo, Y., Connor, C. M., Yang, Y., Roehrig, A. D., & Morrison, F. J. (2012). The effects of teacher qualification, teacher self-efficacy and classroom practices on fifth graders' literacy outcomes. Elementary School Journal, 113, 3-24. Hashweh, M. Z. (1996). Effects of science teachers' epistemological beliefs in teaching. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(1), 47-63. Johnson, B, & McClure R. (2004). Validity and reliability of a shortened, revised version of the constructivist learning environment survey (CLES). Learning Environments Research, Spring 2004. Margianti, E. S., Fraser, B. J. & Aldridge, J. M. (2001). Classroom environment and students' outcomes among university computing students in Indonesia. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, WA. Taylor, P. C., Dawson, V., & Fraser, B. J. (1995). Classroom learning environments under transformation: A constructivist perspective. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA. Taylor, P. C., & Fraser, B. J. (1991). Development of an instrument for assessing constructivist learning environments. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. Taylor, P. C., Fraser, B. J., & Fisher, D. L. (1997). Monitoring constructivist classroom learning environments. International Journal of Educational Research, 27, 293-302. Tschannen-Moran, M., Woolfolk Hoy, A., & Hoy, W. K. (1998). Teacher efficacy: Its meaning and measure. Review of Educational Research, 68(2), 202-248. Tschannen-Moran, M., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2001). Teacher efficacy: Capturing and elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17, 783–805.
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