Students’ perceptions of the learning environment and attitudes in game-based mathematics classrooms

We investigated whether the introduction of games into college-level mathematics classes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was effective in terms of improving students’ perceptions of the learning environment and their attitudes towards of mathematics. A pre–post design involved the administration of English and Arabic versions of two surveys (one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and the other to assess their attitudes) after modification to ensure their relevance for college-level mathematics students in the UAE. For a sample of 33 classes (352 students), eight of which (90 students) were exposed to mathematics games, students involved in mathematics games perceived statistically significantly more teacher support, involvement, personal relevance, enjoyment of mathematics lessons and academic efficacy.     

Environment–attitude relationships: girls in inquiry-based mathematics classrooms in the United Arab Emirates

Girls’ attitudes towards mathematics can impact their achievement and career choices in STEM fields. Can the introduction of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in mathematics classes generate positive associations between girls’ perceptions of the learning environment and their attitudes towards mathematics? Based in the United Arab Emirates, this study provided important information about the relationships between learning environment factors central to an inquiry method and student engagement. Data collection involved administering two surveys to female mathematics students (N?=?291) in four schools: one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and another to assess students’ attitudes towards mathematics. Positive and statistically-significant (p?<?.01) associations emerged between learning environment factors important to an inquiry approach and students’ attitudes. These findings provide important information about how IBL might improve girls’ attitudes towards mathematics classes and whether IBL environments are related to their attitudes.

     

高中英语课堂环境与学习成果的关系研究

课堂环境与学习成果的关系一直是西方课堂环境研究的热点。本研究运用《中学英语课堂环境量表》作为测量工具,测量了高中生对英语课堂环境的感知与其英语学习态度和学习成绩之间的关系。研究结果表明:课堂环境是影响二语学习成果的主要因素之一,积极的课堂环境可以改善和提高学生的二语学习成果。课堂环境通过直接效应和中介效应共同影响二语学习成果,其中任务取向对二语学习成果的预测力最大。     

A cross-national mixed-method study of reality pedagogy

This mixed-methods cross-national study investigated the effectiveness of reality pedagogy (an approach in which teachers become part of students’ activities, practices and rituals) in terms of changes in student perceptions of their learning environment and attitudes towards science. A questionnaire was administered to 142 students in grades 8–10 in the Bronx, New York City and Dresden, Germany. The questionnaire combines learning environment scales from the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey and the What Is Happening In this Class? Questionnaire with attitude scales from the Test of Science-Related Attitudes. Student interviews were used to support questionnaire findings. Quantitative data analyses revealed that reality pedagogy had a greater impact on students in the Bronx than in Dresden, with qualitative data clarifying differences in how reality pedagogy was enacted in each geographic area. Overall, our findings add to the body of evidence concerning the effectiveness of reality pedagogy as an approach to teaching and learning science across a variety of contexts.     

Impact of multimedia on students’ perceptions of the learning environment in mathematics classrooms

We investigated (1) whether the learning environment perceptions of students in classes frequently exposed to multimedia differed from those of students in classes that were not, (2) whether exposure to multimedia was differentially effective for males and females and (3) relationships between students’ perceptions of the learning environment and student engagement in classes that were exposed to multimedia. The sample involved 365 high-school students in 16 classes, nine that were frequently exposed to multimedia and seven that were not. Two instruments were administered to students: one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and another to assess student engagement. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups for all of the learning environment scales, as well as statistically significant interactions between exposure to multimedia and sex for three learning environment scales (Involvement, Task Orientation and Equity). Finally, the learning environment in mathematics classes that involved multimedia was related to student engagement. These results offer potentially important insights into how student exposure to multimedia could promote more positive learning environments and improve student engagement in mathematics.     

Learning Environment, Attitudes and Achievement among Middle-school Science Students Using Inquiry-based Laboratory Activities

This study compared inquiry and non-inquiry laboratory teaching in terms of students’ perceptions of the classroom learning environment, attitudes toward science, and achievement among middle-school physical science students. Learning environment and attitude scales were found to be valid and related to each other for a sample of 1,434 students in 71 classes. For a subsample of 165 students in 8 classes, inquiry instruction promoted more student cohesiveness than non-inquiry instruction (effect size of one-third of a standard deviation), and inquiry-based laboratory activities were found to be differentially effective for male and female students.     

Learning environment, attitudes and conceptual development associated with innovative strategies in middle-school mathematics

This study of middle-school students in California focused on the effectiveness of using innovative teaching strategies for enhancing the classroom environment, students’ attitudes and conceptual development. A sample of 661 students from 22 classrooms in four inner city schools completed modified forms of the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire and Test of Mathematics Related Attitudes (TOMRA). Data analyses supported the factor structure, internal consistency reliability, discriminant validity and the ability to distinguish between different classes for these questionnaires when used with middle-school mathematics students in California. The effectiveness of the innovative instructional strategy was evaluated in terms of classroom environment and attitudes to mathematics for the whole sample, as well as for mathematics achievement for a subgroup of 101 students. A comparison of an experimental group which experienced the innovative strategy with a control group supported the efficacy of the innovative teaching methods in terms of learning environment, attitudes and mathematics concept development. Also associations were found between perceptions of classroom learning environment and students’ attitudes to mathematics and conceptual development.     

Relationships between learning environment and mathematics anxiety

We investigated relationships between the learning environment and students’ mathematics anxiety, as well as differences between the sexes in perceptions of learning environment and anxiety. A sample of 745 high-school students in 34 different mathematics classrooms in four high schools in Southern California was used to cross-validate the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) learning environment instrument, together with an updated Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating scale. Mathematics anxiety was found to have two factorially-distinct dimensions (namely, learning mathematics anxiety and mathematics evaluation anxiety) which yielded different patterns of results for sex differences and anxiety–environment associations. Relative to males, females perceived a more positive classroom environment and more anxiety about mathematics evaluation, but less anxiety about mathematics learning. Some statistically significant associations were found between anxiety and learning environment scales for learning mathematics anxiety but not for mathematics evaluation anxiety.     

Science laboratory classroom environments in Korean high schools

In order to investigate the learning environment of senior high school science laboratory classrooms in Korea, the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) was translated into Korean and administered to 439 students (99 science-independent stream students, 195 science-oriented stream students and 145 humanities stream students). Data analyses attested to the sound factorial validity and internal consistency reliability of the SLEI, as well as its ability to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. Students in the science-independent stream generally perceived their science laboratory classroom environment more favourably than did students in either the humanities or science-oriented stream. Associations were found between various measures of students’ attitudes to science and their perceptions on SLEI scales; in particular, as in past research in other countries, integration between theory and practical classes was a statistically significant predictor of all attitude criteria when the other SLEI scales were mutually controlled.     

The learning environment associated with information technology education in Taiwan: Combining psychosocial and physical aspects

This study investigated perceptions of senior high school students towards the Taiwanese information technology (IT) classroom with the What Is Happening in this Class? (WIHIC) survey and explored the physical learning environment of the IT classroom using the Computerised Classroom Environment Inventory (CCEI). The participants included 2,869 students from 80 classes of senior high schools, vocational high schools and comprehensive high schools in Taiwan. This study had a mixed-method design in which both quantitative (WIHIC and CCEI scales) and qualitative (classroom observations and interview) methods were used. In order to have a cross-cultural perspective, the results of this study were also compared with the earlier findings of Zandvliet and Straker (Ergonomics 44:838?C857, 2001) and Zandvliet and Fraser (Learn Environ Res 8:1?C17, 2005), which involved Canadian and Australian students in IT settings. Further, we attempted to understand the influence of different gender compositions (all boys, all girls and mixed-gender classes) on students?? perceptions of the IT learning environment and students?? satisfaction with the IT course. Both the ??Spatial environment?? of physical environments and ??Autonomy/Independence?? of psychosocial environments were found to be indicators of students?? satisfaction with learning in IT courses, but physical variables as measured with the CCEI scales were not able to predict students?? perceptions of the psychosocial environment. Furthermore, relationships among students?? satisfaction, psychosocial environment and physical environment were quite different among students from classes with different gender compositions.     

Disentangling the Nexus: Attitudes to Mathematics and Technology in a Computer Learning Environment

Gaining insights into students' attitudes and beliefs is a crucial step in understanding how the learning environment for mathematics is affected by the introduction of computers and other technology. We review research into the impact of technology on the teaching and learning of mathematics, although systematic evaluations are sparse. We discuss the relationship between affective variables and performance and having constructed appropriate measures of attitude, we present results from an extensive initial study. The study disentangles affects relating to mathematics and to computing and in doing so identifies attributes which are important where mathematics and computing interact. We report on the application of six Galbraith–Haines scales to 156 students, we discuss the implications of confidence, motivation, engagement and interaction with the technology in the learning environment and we demonstrate that the computing and mathematics attitude scales capture distinctive properties of student behaviour in this respect.     

Field-study science classrooms as positive and enjoyable learning environments

We investigated differences between field-study classrooms and traditional science classrooms in terms of the learning environment and students’ attitudes to science, as well as the differential effectiveness of field-study classrooms for students differing in sex and English proficiency. A modified version of selected scales from the What Is Happening In this Class? questionnaire was used to assess the learning environment, whereas students’ attitudes were assessed with a shortened version of a scale from the Test of Science Related Attitudes. A sample of 765 grade 5 students from 17 schools responded to the learning environment and attitude scales in terms of both their traditional science classrooms and classrooms at a field-study centre in Florida. Large effect sizes supported the effectiveness of the field-studies classroom in terms of both the learning environment and student attitudes. Relative to the home school science class, the field-study class was considerably more effective for students with limited English proficiency than for native English speakers.     

Learning Environment and its Association with Student Satisfaction Among Mathematics Students in Brunei Darussalam

This article reports a study of lower secondary mathematics classroom learning environment in Brunei Darussalam and its association with students' satisfaction with learning mathematics among a sample of 1565 students from 81 classes in 15 government secondary schools. Students' perceptions of the classroom learning environments were assessed with a version of the My Class Inventory (MCI) that had been modified for the Brunei context. The study revealed a satisfactory factor structure for a refined three-scale version of the MCI assessing cohesiveness, difficulty and competition. This finding is noteworthy because the factorial validity of the MCI has not previously been established in past research in other countries. Also each scale displayed satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity and was able to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classes. A one-way MANOVA revealed that students generally perceived a positive learning environment in mathematics classes. Also the study supported earlier research suggesting that boys and girls hold different perceptions of the same classroom learning environments. Relationships between student satisfaction and classroom environment were investigated using simple and multiple correlation analyses, using both the individual student and class mean as units of analysis. Associations between satisfaction and the learning environment were statistically significant both at student and class levels for most MCI scales. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fun and games in higher education: an analysis of UK student perspectives

ABSTRACT

In an increasingly neoliberal Higher Education sector, there is increased pressure on institutions to enhance learner engagement and student satisfaction. Many academics believe that students expect their university learning experiences to be enjoyable, and discourses of game-based learning reflect this, with a dominant narrative highlighting the fun of educational games. Whether students expect learning to be fun or see a relationship between fun and games is under-explored. To address this, we investigated student perceptions of fun in Higher Education using a thematic network analysis based on data from 37 in-depth interviews with undergraduate students. Here, we highlight five themes that encapsulate what students perceive to be a fun learning experience: stimulating pedagogy; lecturer engagement; a safe learning space; shared experience; and a low-stress environment. These aspects are not unique to games, and we conclude by considering the relationship between educational games and fun, and alternative playful approaches.     

Classroom learning environment and motivation towards mathematics among secondary school students in Uganda

This article reports a study of secondary students’ perceptions of mathematics classroom learning environment and their associations with their motivation towards mathematics. A sample of 81 students (19 male and 62 female) in two schools were used. Student perceptions of the classroom environment were assessed using a modified What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire. Associations between student perceptions of the learning environment and motivation towards mathematics were examined using simple correlation and multiple regression analyses. The results of the t tests for independent samples indicated a statistically significant difference in student perceptions between different school types. Student perceptions on some of the modified WIHIC scales were statistically significantly associated with student motivation. The results suggest that teachers wishing to improve student motivation towards mathematics, in general, should emphasise the learning environment dimensions that are assessed by the WIHIC. The findings have implications for teachers of mathematics and head teachers, particularly those in secondary schools.     

Impact of online flexible games on students’ attitude towards mathematics

This study examined the effects of using an online flexible educational game on students’ attitude towards mathematics as compared to the traditional method of solving mathematical problems. Moreover, the study assessed the learning effectiveness of the game and investigated potential gender differences in the game’s effectiveness on changing students’ attitude. The participants of the study were 79 students who were randomly assigned to a control and treatment group, as well as four coordinator teachers. The game was configurable and it was used as a supplementary teaching method. The intervention lasted 14 weeks and the data collection was based on quantitative measures and interviews. The results of the analysis indicated that the game approach was effective on improving students’ attitude towards mathematics and that it also resulted in better learning outcomes in the treatment group as compared to that of the control group. Furthermore, it was shown that the gender of the students did not influence the positive effect of the game on students’ attitude. These results suggest that the incorporation of flexible games into the traditional teaching of mathematics could possibly bring beneficial effects.     

Factors influencing early adolescents’ mathematics achievement: High-quality teaching rather than relationships

This study used data from the Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning project, which involved data on the academic performance of more than 90,000 New Zealand students in six subjects (i.e. reading, writing and mathematics in two languages). Two sub-samples of this dataset were included for detailed re-analysis to test the general applicability of the Australian model of Quality of School Life (Ainley et al. 1986) in the New Zealand context. The first sample comprised 336 year 8 students from elementary schools and the second sample consisted of 272 year 10 students from high schools. Furthermore, two structural equation models were developed and tested, expressing relationships between students’ quality of school life perceptions, students’ attitudes to mathematics, and their effects on mathematics achievement. The quality of school life questionnaires scales [Ainley and Bourke, in Res Pap Educ 7(2):107–128, 1992] were used as indicators of students’ perceptions regarding learning, teachers and peer relationships. The model proposed that perceived quality of school life would affect students’ attitudes of liking and confidence in mathematics, which would in turn affect their academic performance. After controlling for other variables in the model, students’ perception about their self-efficacy to learn mathematics was more directly related to outcomes than to perceptions of teacher quality or peer involvement. Data analyses revealed no apparent relationships of these factors to mathematics achievement. Moreover, results for both samples led to the conclusion that the perceived quality of learning is connected with ‘confidence in’ and ‘liking mathematics’, which in turn predict students’ mathematics achievement.     

Technology-supported learning environments in science classrooms in India

The adoption of technology has created a major impact in the field of education at all levels. Technology-supported classroom learning environments, involving modern information and communication technologies, are also entering the Indian educational system in general and the schools in Jammu region (Jammu & Kashmir State, India) in particular. This study, which is the first of its kind in India, reports the use of a modified form of Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory (TROFLEI) for assessing students?? perceptions of their learning environments in technology-supported science classrooms. Analysis of data from 705 students from 15 classes provided evidence for the reliability and validity of the questionnaire in Indian science classroom settings. The same data also were used for studying gender differences and associations between students?? perceptions of their technology-supported learning environments and three learner outcomes (attitude towards science, academic efficacy and academic achievement).     

A Multilevel Analysis of Learning Environments and Student Attitudes

An investigation of relationships between students’ attitudes towards chemistry and their perceived laboratory environments was carried out using a sample of 1592 final year secondary school students in 56 chemistry classes in 28 randomly selected co‐educational government schools. This study is distinctive in that it marks the beginning of science classroom environment research in Singapore and because it pioneers the use of the Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) in learning environment research. The Chemistry Laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI), a modified version of the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory, was used to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment in chemistry laboratory classes. Students’ chemistry‐related attitudes were assessed using the Questionnaire on Chemistry‐related Attitudes (QOCRA), which is based on the Test of Science‐related Attitudes. Environment‐attitude relationships were examined using conventional multiple regression analysis and the more rigorous HLM. Positive associations emerged between the nature of the chemistry laboratory classroom environment and the students’ attitudinal outcomes     

Evaluation of a K–5 Mathematics Program Which Integrates Children’s Literature: Classroom Environment and Attitudes

This article describes a one-year study of 120 fifth grade students whose teachers participated in a program entitled Project SMILE (Science and Mathematics Integrated with Literary Experiences). The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the classroom implementation of Project SMILE positively influenced the classroom environment and student attitudes toward reading, writing and mathematics. This was accomplished by, first, facilitating a series of professional development workshops with the teachers and, subsequently, asking these teachers to use the strategies with their students in their elementary school classrooms. The research represents one of the relatively few studies that have employed learning environment dimensions as criteria of effectiveness in the evaluation of educational innovations. Methodologically, our study supported previous research that successfully combined qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The learning environment and attitude scales exhibited satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity and, additionally, the actual form of most learning environment scales was capable of differentiating between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. The implementation of SMILE was found to have a positive impact on the students of the teachers who participated in the inservice program in that students attitudes to mathematics and reading improved and there was congruence between students actual and preferred classroom environment on the scales of satisfaction and difficulty. As well, prior research was replicated in that students satisfaction was greater in classrooms with a more positive learning environment, especially in terms of student cohesiveness. Finally, qualitative data-gathering methods were used to construct a case study of the mathematics classes of a teacher who attended the SMILE professional development. This case study supported and illuminated the results from the questionnaire survey concerning the effectiveness of Project SMILE in terms of student attitudes and classroom environment.