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STUDENTS’
PERCEPTION OF THE CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN BIOLOGY EDUCATION
ABSTRACT
Beginning
from the initial use of classroom environment, the field of learning
environment has undergone remarkable development and growth. Learning environment has been used as a
source of dependent and independent variables in a rich variety of research
applications spanning many countries. This research has made available a
variety of economical, valid and widely-applicable instruments for assessing
students' perceptions of their classroom learning environment. In Oke- Afa high school Ejigbo Lagos, the study
investigated factors influencing elective science students’ perception of
theirBiology classroom environment in low and high academic achieving senior
secondary schoolsin Nigeria. Data were obtained using the Biology Classroom
EnvironmentQuestionnaire (BCEQ). This was after the senior secondary schools
that offer elective scienceprogram had been categorized into low and high
academic achieving schools based on theirperformance in Senior Secondary School
Certificate Examination/West Africa SeniorSecondary School Examinations for
five years. Two third-year intact classes were randomlyselected from four
schools under each category. Data analysis includes Sample and sample
technique. From the questionnaire
administered that four factors influence elective science students’ perception
of their Biology classroom environment. The findings further suggested that
elective science students in both school categories had a low perception of
their Biology classroom environment but significantly different in favor of the
elective science students in low academic achieving schools in teacher support,
cooperation,
and equity.
Implications of the study are discussed and recommendations given.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The
classroom environment as applied to educational setting is viewed as a place
where learners and teachers interact with each other and use a variety of tools
and information resources in their pursuit of learning activities (Fout &
Myers, 1998; Mucherah, 2008). Classrooms
are specific places in schools where results of education, that is,
understanding and application of knowledge in our lives are expected to be
achieved, and these places have lots of influence on students in respect of
achieving these noble goals (Fraser, 1981). Creating favorable classroom
environments should therefore be of great importance to science educators since
evidence suggests that classroom environment influences students’ learning.
Perception as noted by Teh (as cited in Ampiah, 2006) influences human behavior
in science related issues and this has been found to exist worldwide. An
individual student’s perception of the class as a whole, as distinct from a
student’s perception of his/her own role within the classroom. For example,
males could find a class less difficult than females. Yet males and females
still could agree when asked for their opinions about the class a whole.
Student have a good advantage point to make judgments about classroom because
they have encountered several learning environments and have enough time in a
class to form accurate impressions. One of the major aims of education is the
development of wholesome personality. Family is the socio-biological unit that
exerts the greatest influence on the development and perpetuation of the
individuals’ behavior. Next to home, school is the most important experience in
the process of development of children. Both the environments, share
influential place in child’s life and also contribute to the development of the
children. Classroom learning environment is the second home to students.
Teachers and parents have greater responsibility to foster mental health status
of the students. At times in adverse conditions the classroom may also
substitute the home situations and meets the emotional needs of those neglected
in the home. Students’ perception or attitude towards the classroom environment
has got considerable influence over their mental health. Classroom atmosphere,
includes favourable attitude towards teacher, co-students, Curriculum, method
of teaching, facilities available in the classroom and teacher-student
interaction.
In the
school system, Classroom learning environment is the most vital one for the
transactional business going on between school and the society. The uniqueness
of the classroom is due to the type of membership enjoyed by its members. The
membership is not only mandatory but members are also more or less similar in
age and achievement level. As a work group, the classroom group assembles
together for the purpose of learning which is held deliberately and in a
planned manner. Naturally in that teaching learning situation, there is social
interaction. The main theme behind the formation of any group occurs
compulsorily as well as accidentally. The process of social interaction implies
that type of relationship between persons where the behavior of one is the
stimulus to the behavior of other thus it becomes reciprocal. Students’
immediate environment is the classroom. Classroom is a place where unique
face-to-face group marked by interpersonal relationships among its members.
These interpersonal relationships essentially include teacher-student
relationship and peer relationship. The general atmosphere within the academic
activities that take place influences the social relationships. Two types of
social interactions occur in the classroom. Teacher-students and
students-students. First one is the most referred one in educational context.
However, the interaction going on amongst students is equally significant from
a psycho-social view point. The success or the failure of the students also
depends on the quality of classroom’s social climate. The classroom learning
environment aid the development and effective achievement of student
Socially,
the student is the product of environment. The type of classroom leaning
environment is dictated by the way majority of the students perceive their
experiences in the classroom. These perceptions or experiences may be negative
or positive, pleasant or unpleasant. When the environment is conducive, it is
perceived to be stimulating, pleasant, peaceful and exciting; there is good
moral, solidarity or cohesiveness among the students. The students feel that
they belong to the class and are recognized by their mates and teachers. They
are enthusiastic to take part in the class activities because of communication
in the class is good and encouraging. Student does not feel embarrassed, guilty
or ashamed to say something in the class because no matter what one says,
whether it is stupid, clever, correct or wrong one is made to feel he has
contributed something. There is firmness from the teacher to make everyone work
when it is time to work, play and laugh if necessary. In such learning
environment student are encouraged to learn and they eagerly do so. When the
learning environment is not conducive it is perceived to be hostile, tense,
unpleasant, and loose without direction. In a tense punitive hostile classroom
student may learn out of fear, for the punishment they may receive. The students
do not feel free to express themselves. They are afraid to give wrong answers
because they may receive punitive remarks from their teachers. Slow learners in
such a classroom fall off because instead of being encouraged, they are
discouraged. The teacher who is found to be democratic tends to produce a
conducive environment which is exciting and pleasant and stimulates students.
Learning while autocratic teacher may create a rigid, tense environment with
too much direction to scare students from being themselves. If the classroom is
able to create a congenital, pleasant and favourable climate for learning, the
student is likely to enjoy the schooling experience. A supporting institutional
learning climate is likely to create a positive attitude and facilitate
learning. Whereas a non-supportive climate is likely to create a negative
attitude and impede learning. To facilitate effective learning and to avoid
social problems that may arise out of failures, it would be expedient to
include the development of a positive and healthy attitude in students towards
classroom and learning. It is important therefore to investigate the way
students perceive their Biology classroom environment because of its effect on
their achievement in the subject as has been reported in the literature
(Taylor, 2004). Classroom environment which are found to be conducive tend to
enhance the development of positive attitude towards Biology and thereby
leading to higher achievement in it. The classroom learning environment, which
include the classrooms, libraries, laboratories, teachers’ quality, school
management, teaching methods, peers, etc are variables that affect students’
academic achievement (Ajayi, 2001 and Oluchukwu, 2000). Asiyai(2006) defines
physical facilities as the entire school plant or educational facilities such
as classrooms, staffrooms, laboratories, library, audio-visual aids,
electricity, water, desk, chairs, tables, storage space and others which school
administrators, teachers and students may need and utilize for the smooth and
efficient classroom learning environment.
Hence, the school environment remains an important area that should be
studied and well managed to enhance students’ academic performance.
The issue of
academic performance of students in Nigeria has been of much concern to the
government, parents, teachers and even student themselves. The quality of
education not only depends on the teachers as reflected in the performance of
their duties, but also in the effective coordination of the classroom
environment (Ajao 2001). Classroom learning environment which include
instructional spaces planning, administrative places planning, circulation
spaces planning, spaces for conveniences planning, accessories planning, the
teachers as well as the students themselves are essential in teaching-learning
process. The extent to which student learning could be enhanced depends on
their location within the school compound, the structure of their classroom,
availability of instructional facilities and accessories. It is believed that a
well planned classroom will gear up expected outcomes of education that will
facilitate good social, political and economic emancipation, effective teaching
and learning process and academic performance of the students.
Relating
this study to international occurrences are the assertions of Williams,
Persaud, and Turner (2008), quoting Marsden (2005), which reported that safe
and orderly classroom environment (aspect of instructional space), School
facilities (accessories) were significantly related to students’ academic
performance in schools. The three researchers, also quoted Glassman (1994),
asserting that a comfortable and caring environment among other treatments
helped to contribute to students` academic performance. The work on the
relative effectiveness of cooperative, competitive and individualistic goal
structure stands out because the volume of studies completed (Johnson 1991).
Although many past studies of student achievement is illustrated by cooperative
learning is more successful than either competitive or individualistic
learning, the evidence is not always consistent.
The physical characteristics of the school
have a variety of effects on teachers, students, and the learning process. Poor
lighting, noise, high levels of carbon dioxide in classrooms, and inconsistent
temperatures make teaching and learning difficult. Poor maintenance and
ineffective ventilation systems lead to poor health among students as well as
teachers, which leads to poor performance and higher absentee rates (Frazier,
2002 Lyons, 2001; and Ostendorf, 2001). These factors can adversely affect
student behavior and lead to higher levels of frustration among teachers, and
poor learning attitude among student. Beyond the direct effects that poor
facilities have on students’ ability to learn, the combination of poor
facilities, which create an uncomfortable and uninviting workplace for
teachers, combined with frustrating behavior by students including poor
concentration and hyperactivity, lethargy, or apathy, creates a stressful set
of working conditions for teachers. Because stress and job dissatisfaction are
common pre-cursors to lowered teacher enthusiasm, it is possible that the
aforementioned characteristics of school facilities have an effect upon the
academic performance of students. Previous studies have investigated the
relationship of poor school environment including problems with student-teacher
ratio, school location, school population, classroom ventilation, poor lighting
in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures in the classroom with student
health problems, student behavior, and student achievement (Crandell &
Smaldino, 2000). Over the past two decades, considerable interest has been
shown internationally in the conceptualization, measurement, and investigation
of perceptions of psychosocial characteristics of the learning environment of
secondary schools. The use of student perceptions can be contrasted with two
other major approaches for assessing and studying classroom environment. One approach
involves direct observation and systematic coding of classroom communication
and events according to some category system (Dunkin & Biddle, 1974). In
contrast to methods which rely on outside observers, the approach described
here defines classroom environment in terms of the shared perceptions of the
students and sometimes the teachers in that environment. This has the dual
advantage of characterizing the class through the eyes of the actual
participants and capturing data which the observer could miss or consider
unimportant. Students are at a good vantage point to make judgments about
classrooms because they have encountered many different learning environments
and have enough time in a class to form accurate impressions. Also, even if
teachers are inconsistent in their day-to-day behavior, they usually project a
consistent image of the long-standing attributes of classroom environment.
Recently,
despite the obvious leading roles teachers play in the classroom learning
environment towards attaining educational objectives, teachers work environment
in terms of provision of physical facilities remained a serious problem. Today
the teaching variables are neither sufficient nor adequate for positive
teaching and learning outcomes. The teachers at times had to work under the
most unsafe and unhealthy conditions like dilapidated physical buildings,
out-dated libraries, stinking abandoned classroom and broken furniture.
Nwachukwu (1988) and Ogundipe (2002) in their studies pointed out that those
poorly motivated teachers have less concern for effective classroom learning
environment and consequently the school goods and objectives are not wholly
achieved. According to Ofoegu (2004) the problems cause by delays consistencies
and errors in paying teachers salaries and other remuneration has seriously
conflicted with teacher classroom activities. In any conducive work
environment, teachers must be good listeners, available, approachable, source
of information, paying adequate attention to student activities and trustworthy
in performing their roles to yield a highly effective teacher capable of
igniting a spark in the classroom (Maxwell 1998). According to Adegun (2002)
most of the persistence problems and complications that bedeviled classroom
learning environment arises from either lack of information and poor capacity
for information management. Whenever activities are not organized, there will
be confusion and chaos. Such activities include mastery of the subject matter,
making the classroom environment conducive for learning, using appropriate
teaching method, provision of physical facilities, information services,
motivation teacher- student relationship etc. According to Afe(1995), teaching
taste is done through conscious and deliberate effort, but for a teacher to
carry out this conscious and deliberate effort called teaching he needs a
conducive environment. However good the school performances may be if necessary
resources are not there the teacher cannot perform, no matter how much they
induced. Teachers also complain of students’ low performance at both internal
and external examination. The annual releases of Senior Secondary Certificate
Examination results (SSCE) conducted by West African Examination Council (WAEC)
justified the problematic nature and generalization of poor secondary school
students’ performance in different school subjects. For instance, the
percentage of failure compared with students who passed Biology and Mathematics
between 2007 to 2010 is shown below.
Table 1: The
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Performance in the Senior School
Certificate Examinations: May/June, 2007-2010: Mathematics
YEAR
TOTAL NO OF
CANDIDATES
CREDIT A1 -
C6 %
PASS P7 - P8
%
FAIL F9 %
2007
1019524
33.97
28.16
34.47
2008
1054853
38.20
25.36
34.41
2009
1149277
41.12
31.09
24.95
2010
1249028
46.75
26.72
24.24
Table 1: The
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Performance in the Senior School
CertificateExaminations: May/June, 2007-2010: Biology
YEAR
CREDIT A1 -
C6 %
FAIL F9 %
2007
29.53
37.61
2008
25.36
36.93
2009
34.48
29.65
2010
29.94
26.54
Poor
academic performance according to Aremu (2003) is a performance that is
adjudged by the examinee/testee and some other significant as falling below an
expected standard. Aremu (2000) stresses that academic failure is not only
frustrating to the students and the parents, its effects are equally grave on
the society in terms of dearth of manpower in all spheres of the economy and
politics. Education at secondary school level is supposed to be the bedrock and
the foundation towards higher knowledge in tertiary institutions. It is an
investment as well as an instrument that can be used to achieve a more rapid
economic, social, political, technological, scientific and cultural development
in the country. The role of secondary education is to lay the foundation for
further education and if a good foundation is laid at this level, there are
likely to be no problem at subsequent levels. However, different people at
different times have passed the blame of poor performance in secondary school
to students because of their low retention, parental factors, association with
wrong peers, low achievement, low retention, l
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