Classroom Emotional Climate: Its Assessment and Associations With Student Attitudes

• In Event: The Impact of the Learning Environment on Student and Educator Outcomes

Abstract

Although integrated STEM subjects have become a feature of many education systems, the learning environment of integrated STEM classrooms has not been studied. In order to understand factors which influence students’ emotional engagement in STEM classes, we developed and validated a Classroom Emotional Climate (CEC) questionnaire. The CEC questionnaire was administered to 698 students from 57 STEM classrooms. Exploratory factor analysis led to reduction of the CEC to 41 items in seven dimensions: Consolidation, Collaboration, Control, Motivation, Care, Challenge and Clarity. Confirmatory factor and Rasch analyses indicated good model fit of items. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the degree to which students found projects engaging and positively experienced collaboration with peers most influenced attitudes towards STEM.

Authors

• Felicity McLure, Murdoch University

• Barry J. Fraser, Curtin University

• Rekha Bhan Koul, Curtin University