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Assessing students’ perceptions about classroom learning environments: the New What Is Happening In this Class (NWIHIC) instrument

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Abstract

The New What Is Happening In this Class questionnaire (NWIHIC) was constructed based on Moos’s scheme for human environments. The sample consisted of 2280 students from elementary and secondary schools (grades 5–9). The data were analyzed using SPSS26 and AMOS software version 25. Principal components factor analysis with oblique rotation, as well as convergent and discriminant validity analyses, revealed a strong structure of the questionnaire (χ2 = 3104.307; χ2/dƒ = 2.69; RMR = 0.038; RMSEA = 0.027; GFI = 0.947; AGFI = 0.937; NFI = 0.956; TLI = 0.968; IFI = 0.972; CFI = 0.972). As a result, eight factors emerged: student cohesiveness, teacher support, involvement, task orientation, cooperation, equity, differentiated instruction, and ongoing assessment. Moreover, significant gender and grade differences were also found.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

    Juan Cai

  2. Department of Sports Science, Guangzhou College of Applied Science and Technology, 511370, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Qingyun Wen

  3. Department of Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

    Koen Lombaerts

  4. Literacy Action of Central Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA

    Irma Jaime

  5. Arkansas Neuroscience Institute, St.Vincent North, Little Rock, AR, USA

    Li Cai

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  1. Juan Cai
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  2. Qingyun Wen
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  3. Koen Lombaerts
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  4. Irma Jaime
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  5. Li Cai
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Correspondence to Juan Cai.

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Cai, J., Wen, Q., Lombaerts, K. et al. Assessing students’ perceptions about classroom learning environments: the New What Is Happening In this Class (NWIHIC) instrument. Learning Environ Res 25, 601–618 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-021-09383-w

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