Students' motivation has been identified as a critical factor for meaningful engagement and positive academic achievement in various educational settings. In particular, self-regulation strategies have been identified as important skills in online learning environments. However, applying self-regulation strategies, such as goal setting, strategic planning, and reflect performance takes significant effort. Without motivation, students will not enact these types of strategies. Autonomous self-regulation has been investigated in traditional classroom settings and there is ample empirical evidence of a significant relationship between autonomous self-regulation and engagement and academic achievement. However, such research was limited in online learning environments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affected students' autonomous or self-determined forms of regulation as defined in self-determination theory (SDT). The study examined the relations between students' self-regulated motivation and four other variables (students' interests in the course, students' perception of their instructor's interaction type, students' technology self-efficacy, and students' perception of the degree to which their online learning environment used constructivist-based pedagogy), and the interactions among these variables in college online courses. In addition, the study examined the relationship between students' autonomous forms of regulation and their engagement, learning achievement, interaction behaviors, and satisfaction in the online course. For students' interaction behaviors, the total number of authored and read messages, the total number of visits to the content page, the total number of visited topics in the content page, and total duration spent in the content page were examined. One hundred forty students in 19 online courses participated in this study. The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed: (a) Both environmental factors, instructors' autonomy-supportive interaction and learning environments using constructivist-based pedagogy predicted students' autonomous self-regulated motivation (b) Students' autonomous self-regulated motivation predicted students' self-reported engagement, achievement, and satisfaction (c) Two personal factors, interest in the course and technology self-efficacy did not predict students' autonomous self-regulation (d) Students' autonomous self-regulated motivation did not predict any interaction behaviors. The findings from this study are largely congruent with prior theory and research in the fields of academic motivation, self-determination, and online learning, which note that environmental factors, instructors' autonomy-supportive interaction and constructivist-based pedagogy significantly affect students' autonomous self-regulation in online learning environments.

The primary goal of this project has been to research and create aesthetic visual environments in distance-learning media through the application of expert criteria and to explore the effects of those environments on student satisfaction and motivation. To accomplish this three instructors with distinct courses were selected to apply aesthetic criteria within the process of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Courses selected were Art Appreciation -- ARTS 1100, Advanced Surveying -- ENGR 2502, and Introduction to Sociology -- SOCI 1101. The project goal was subdivided into four objectives. 1) Develop criteria for the inclusion of visual aesthetics in the online environment. 2) Design and develop online courses using guidelines for the inclusion of aesthetics. 3) Collect and compare data from students about the level of satisfaction with the aesthetic appearance of the online environment. 4) Explore the effect of an aesthetic environment on student motivation. This project has demonstrated the environments of distance learning courses can be improved through the application of aesthetic principles. The selected criteria were useful to this Instructional Designer and could prove successful in improving the appearance of other online courses.

Skolinspektionen fick i uppdrag att mellan 2015-2017 granska 82 förskolor för att se om undervisning sker i förskolan så som skollagen (SFS2010:800) föreskriver och konstaterade då att barn visserligen ges möjlighet att utvecklas och lära i förskolan men att det sällan sker genom medveten undervisning (Skolinspektionen 2016). De konstaterade också att barnens nyfikenhet och vetgirighet inte togs tillvara samt att en fjärdedel av de undersökta förskolorna inte stimulerade barnen till att samspela och lära av varandra. Läroplanen har varit tydlig, och är det även i Lpfö18 (Skolverket, 2018), med att man ska vistas både inne och ute och i skiftande miljöer. Utevistelsen ger sinnesstimulans och rörelse vilket borde innebära att möjligheterna att lära ute är väldigt bra. Det som jag vill undersöka i den här studien är om man i förskolan tycker att utevistelsen är en plats för undervisning och hur man tolkar undervisning som begrepp. Studien vill belysa hur pedagogerna i förskolan ser på begreppet undervisning och hur de förhåller sig till utevistelsen som undervisningsmiljö. Jag har använt mig av en kvalitativ design och samlat in material med hjälp av fokusgruppsintervjuer. För att analysera det insamlade materialet har Tematisk analys använts och fyra teman för respektive frågeställning har fastställts. Teman jag fått fram på frågan om vad undervisning är blev: ”Skolifiering”, ”Lärande utifrån intresse och läroplan”, ”Lek är undervisning” och ”Planerad eller oplanerad aktivitet som leder till ett lärande”. Temana för hur utomhusmiljön fungerar till undervisning blev: ”Upplevelser”, ”Utforskar”, ”Tillsammans” och ”Lek”. Resultatet av studien visar att pedagogerna först tagit emot undervisningsbegreppet med stor skepsis för att efter ett tag inse att det faktiskt var något som redan pågick i förskolan. Då det var förskolor med en utomhuspedagogisk profil så var det självklart för dem att använda sig av utevistelsen som plats för undervisning. Undervisning i förskolan har gått ifrån en rädsla att skolifiera förskolan till att man gjort en egen tolkning av undervisning i förskolan, en förskolifiering.

Academic enablers comprise a set of beliefs and skills that significantly contribute to student success. Although these skills are crucial to academic competence, gaps exist in the research related to the development of academic enablers. Namely, previous research has not investigated how these behaviors change over the kindergarten year. Moreover, there are inconsistent findings regarding the influence of experiences prior to entering kindergarten, specifically preschool attendance and the home learning environment, on the development of academic enablers in young students. Using a sample of 83 parent-child dyads, the present study investigated academic enablers in kindergarten students. A mixed between-within analysis of variance found that girls displayed greater academic enablers at the beginning of the kindergarten year, but neither gender demonstrated growth over the kindergarten year. Additionally, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were run to determine whether environmental factors predicted academic enablers at the beginning and end of kindergarten. Findings indicated the length of preschool experience did not predict adaptive academic enablers at the beginning of the kindergarten year or the end of the year, regardless of gender. Conversely, the home learning environment predicted kindergarten students' levels of academic enablers at the beginning of the year, such that those with educationally enriched home environments displayed higher levels of academic enablers, regardless of gender. This influence was not maintained over the kindergarten year. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att få kännedom om hur studiero i klassrummet är kopplat till elevers språkutveckling. Den språkliga utvecklingen är nödvändig för eleverna och för att den ständigt ska kunna utvecklas behövs en lugn och trygg klassrumsmiljö där undervisningen ska kunna bedrivas på bästa möjliga sätt. Studien har utgått ifrån frågeställningarna Vilka ledarskapskompetenser använder lärare för att främja studiero under lektionerna? och Hur reflekterar lärare kring sambandet mellan klassrumsmiljö och elevers språkutveckling? Studien har utförts med en kvalitativ ansats där lärare som varit verksamma på Umeå kommun, Botkyrka kommun, Haninge kommun samt Järfälla kommun berättat om sina tankar och tillvägagångssätt om ämnet. Syftet med att intervjua olika lärare från olika delar i landet har varit för att göra studien så nyanserad som möjligt där flera lärare från olika ställen delat med sig av sina reflektioner och tillvägagångsätt i sitt yrke. Resultatet indikerade att klassrumsmiljön är starkt kopplat till elevers språkutveckling och att det inte går att förbise detta. Ett lugnt och tryggt klassrumsklimat är nödvändigt för att eleverna ska kunna ständigt stimulera sitt språk på bästa möjliga sätt. Enligt samtliga respondenter var goda lärar- och elevrelationer avgörande för att skapa studiero och trivsel i klassrummet. Lärarna bör således ständigt sträva efter att skapa goda relationer till sina elever eftersom det ger goda förutsättningarna till att skapa ett trivsamt klimat där en ömsesidig respekt mellan alla parter blir befintlig. Sammanfattningsvis ansåg samtliga lärare att strävan för att skapa en god arbetsro kan vara komplex, men att det är ett aktivt ledarskap hos pedagogen som är nödvändig där goda och tillitsfulla relationer till eleverna är centralt. Pedagogerna delade synpunkten om att en trygg klassrumsmiljö stimulerar elevernas språkutveckling och därför är dessa delar nödvändiga för att läraren ska kunna bedriva en undervisning som ger förutsättningar för en god språkutveckling bland eleverna. / The purpose of this study has been to gain knowledge about how a good classroom environment is connected to pupils' language development. Language development is necessary for pupils and in order for it to be constantly developed, a good classroom environment is desirable. The study has been based on the questions What leadership skills do teachers use to promote a calm and good classroom environment? and How do teachers think about the connection between a good classroom environment and pupils’ language development? The study has been carried out with qualitative methods and five interviews were conducted with different teachers from the country where they have talked and discussed about their thoughts on the subject. The results showed that the teachers believed that the classroom environment is strongly linked to pupils' language development and that it is necessary for the teachers to create good relationships with their pupils in order to create a good classroom climate. Teachers should therefore constantly strive to create good relations with their pupils as it provides good conditions for creating a good learning climate. Overall, the teachers considered that the striving to create a good learning environment can be complex, but an active leadership of the teacher is necessary where good relationships with pupils are a central part. The teachers also considered that a good classroom environment bring better language development among pupils, therefore, a good classroom environment is necessary so the teacher can be able to conduct a teaching that provides the conditions for good language development.

As the need for educational reform is increasingly recognized, so too is the need for effective professional development (Guskey, 2000). Historically the evaluation of professional development experiences has been limited to exit surveys, noticeably failing to examine the long-term impact of the effort. This study assessed the impact on the classroom learning environment of a yearlong, job-embedded professional development opportunity for middle-school mathematics teachers. The application of learning environment instruments to the evaluation of professional development is a unique feature of this study. The research employed the Questionnaire on Teacher Interactions (QTI) and a modified version of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WillIC) survey with over 1000 middle-school mathematics students in 57 classrooms in the state of Washington. Both instruments were administered at the beginning and end of the school year. Teacher interviews were conducted with a sample of participants in order to further illuminate the impact of the professional development. Data from the study were examined for changes in the learning environment and to cross-validate the QTI and WIHIC with this specific population. Results indicate that the QTI and WIHIC are valid and reliable with the middle-school population is this study. Statistical analyses of learning environment data indicate that any pretest-posttest changes that were observed are mostly likely too small to be of educational significance. This study contributes to a better general understanding of the impact of this professional development, and its findings could be utilized in the preparation of future professional development opportunities.

This study involved examining differences and similarities between the learning environment perceptions of students attending the Computer Science department and the Management department at an information technology university in Jakarta, Indonesia. In doing so, the study investigated which types of learning environments were most likely to strengthen student outcomes in computer-related courses and identify ways in which the university could enhance the teaching and learning process.The study examined whether relationships exist between students' cognitive and affective outcomes and four productivity factors: the learning environment; the quality of teacher-student interactions; students' aptitude; and students' motivation to select their chosen subject. To measure the four productivity factors, 422 students from 12 classes were asked to respond to four questionnaires that were modified to suit tertiary-level computing students: (1) the What is Happening in this Class? questionnaire (WIHIC) to measure students' perceptions of the learning environment, (2) the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) to measure students' perceptions of the student-teacher interaction; (3) the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) to measure the students' aptitude; and (4) a scale that was developed to measure students' motivation towards their course. To measure students' cognitive outcomes, information was retrieved from the university database and, to measure students' attitudes towards their computer-related subjects, four modified scales from the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) were used.Each of the instruments was found to be valid and reliable in the Indonesian language for use at the university level in terms of factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and ability to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. These instruments ++ / provide a, means by which lecturers can monitor their classroom environments, their lecturer interaction behaviour and their students' logical thinking, motivation and attitudes. Generally, it was found that computer science students perceived the classroom environments more favourably than management students. These findings related to departmental differences at the university level provide insights into how students from different departments perceive the learning environment. Also, the study pointed to departmental differences in students' logical thinking which could influence the types of learning environment that suit students from different departments. Departmental differences in students' perceptions of the lecturer-student interpersonal behaviour suggest that lecturers should take note that the personal relationships which they build and the ways in which they treat students.

This study investigated students' perceptions of the generalist learning environment of the primary school compared to the same students' perceptions of the learning environments of the secondary school, with a particular focus on science learning environments. The role of student sex and school size pathways were investigated as factors Influencing changes in students' learning environment perceptions. The same students' perceptions of the learning environment were collected in the final stages of primary school and again after their initial term in secondary school. Data collected were both qualitative and quantitative in nature, with the quantitative data derived from short forms of the My Class Inventory and the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction. Insights were gained into how students' perceptions of learning environment, including the teachers' interpersonal style, changed during their first exposure to secondary learning environments and teachers, and how these changes in perceptions during transition depended upon school size and student sex. The study found that students' perceptions of the learning environments did change across transition, but that these changes on some scales varied with student sex and school size pathway.

The main purpose of this classroom action research was to improve student learning in a Health Science class in Thailand by using the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) and a constructivist learning approach. This study combined quantitative and qualitative data and was conducted over one semester in four stages: 1) assessing the students' perceptions of their constructivist learning environment and determining students' pre-instruction conceptions about AIDS; 2) constructing an intervention based on constructivism theory in order to improving learning environments and students' learning outcomes; 3) implementing the intervention; and 4) evaluating the success of the intervention by re-assessing with the CLES. The Attitude Towards AIDS Questionnaire (ATAQ) was used to assess students' attitudes about AIDS. The students' cognitive achievement was assessed with the Students' Knowledge of AIDS Test (SKAT). Qualitative data were obtained from informal observation, focus group discussions, and student journals. The results indicated that the adapted Thai version of the CLES is appropriate for use in Health Science classes in Thailand's socio-cultural context because it was shown to be valid and reliable in both Actual and Preferred Forms. The results also revealed that the CLES and a constructivist learning approach can be used as effective tools in order to improve the learning environment of a Health Science class. This approach can improve students' knowledge and students' attitudes toward AIDS. The qualitative results supported the results from the questionnaires. This study suggests that teachers and health educators in Thailand can use the CLES to improve their learning environment and use a constructivist learning model to bring about improvement in students' achievement in their classes.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the differences between upper-stream, lower-stream and mixed-ability mathematics classes in terms of student perceptions of their classroom learning environment. Both quantitative and qualitative data has been collected from students while qualitative data only was collected from pre-service teachers, practising teachers and parents. The sample for the quantitative data collection was comprised of 581 Year 9 and 10 students in 36 different classes taught by 28 different teachers in 7 schools covering 4 states of Australia. All of the schools are private schools and part of the Seventh-day Adventist school system. The questionnaire used an actual and preferred form of the 56 item version of the What is Happening in the Classroom? (WIHIC) survey along with 10 questions from the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) modified for mathematics classrooms. For the qualitative data collection 40 interviews and 8 focus groups were conducted. Apart from comparing upper and lower-streams, other variables examined were: actual and preferred perceptions of the classroom learning environment, Year 9 with Year 10, males with females, English speakers with second language students, and attitudes with perceptions of learning environments. The most significant finding of the study was not only that lower-stream students have a more negative perception of their classroom learning environment, but that they seek less change. This negative perception is seen to be worse in Year 10 than Year 9, particularly in the areas of teacher support and task orientation. This study found a positive correlation between attitude and perceptions of classroom learning environment. This study also found a tacit acceptance of streaming as a practice by most participants in the study.