Classroom environment; Student perceptions

Research and evaluation within the context of science education traditionally relies on assessment of academic achievement and other valued learning outcomes. However, these educational measures do not give a complete view of students’ educational experience. In particular, students’ perceptions of their school experience are also significant. Researchers have made considerable progress over the past 40 years in both conceptualizing and assessing determinants of the psychosocial learning environment in classrooms and schools (see Fraser 2012). This has in turn led to development and validation of a variety of robust instruments that measure the learning environment in a range of contexts. Early learning environment instruments include the Learning Environment Inventory (LEI) developed by Herbert Walberg (1979) and the Classroom Environment Scale developed by Rudolf Moos (1979).

Using students’ perceptions to describe educational...