This study involved the attitudes towards science of elementary preservice teachers at a large public university in Texas. A version of the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) was used to assess teachers' attitudes before and after completing a teaching methods course. The coursework involved an integrated science curriculum and centered on…

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…

This article reports research into associations between students' perceptions of the school climate and self-reports of ethnic and moral identity in high schools in Western Australia. An instrument was developed to assess students' perceptions of their school climate (as a means of monitoring and guiding schools as they are challenged to become…

The researchers developed the Questionnaire Assessing Connections to Science (QuACS) to assess students' perceptions of their learning environment, their attitudes toward science, and their engagement with science content through narratives and place-based learning opportunities. When the QuACS was field-tested with a sample of 495 undergraduate…

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…

We evaluated the effectiveness of two alternative middle-school science curriculum sequences, namely, a general science model and a topic-specific model (i.e., physics, chemistry, etc.). We also investigated the differential effectiveness of the alternative sequences for two ethnic groups. The sample consisted of 367 grade 8 science students from…

Learning environment research provides a well-established approach for describing and understanding what goes on in classrooms and has attracted considerable interest in Singapore. This article reports the first study of science classroom environments in Singapore primary schools. Ten scales from the What Is Happening In this Class?,…

Reviews of past research on psychosocial learning environments show that relatively few studies have involved the use of environment dimensions either as criterion variables in the evaluation computer education programs or with adult learners (in contrast to elementary and secondary school students). This study is distinctive in that it used a…

Describes improvements and extensions made to a battery of the five attitude scales for science teaching to form a seven-scale Test of Science-Related Attitudes (TOSRA). (GA)

Presents evidence that attests to the potential usefulness of the MCI in science education research. Describes the first use of the MCI specifically in science education research and current research efforts that reveal satisfactory internal consistency, discriminant validity, and predictive validity of the MCI scales. (CS)

Short forms containing 24 or 25 items each were developed for the Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire, the My Class Inventory, and the Classroom Environment Scale. Reliability and validity data are reported. (Author/BW)

An exploratory study involving the use of the Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ) in relating learning outcomes to student perceptions of classroom individualization and actual-preferred congruence is reported. Findings suggest actual-preferred interaction was important in predicting cognitive outcomes. (Author/RL)

The relationships between students' learning outcomes and their perceptions on a modified version of the My Class Inventory (MCI) were examined. MCI scales displayed satisfactory internal consistency and discriminant validity, and each MCI scale differentiated significantly between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. (Author/LC)

Describes a recently developed test for measuring law-related attitudes among students at the junior high level and suggests ways in which teachers might employ this test in their own classrooms. The test includes all features of a satisfactory test for social studies outlined by Hunkel (1976). (Author/KC)

Relationships between levels of classroom individualization (personalization, participation, independence, investigation, and differentiation) and seven science-related attitudes of junior high school students (N=712) were examined. The study also provided support for the reliability and validity of the two instruments used and for their general…