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.

Past research into defining and measuring the characteristics of learning environments in Science Education Centres and Science Museums (SECSMs) has been based upon low-inference measures, such as observations and interviews. Many searchers feel that the diversity of informal education settings in SECSMs makes it difficult to develop high-inference measures for informal learning environments. This study used the semiformal environment of the CSIRO Science Education Centres as a stepping-stone between formal and informal learning environments. A review of learning environment research identified a possible procedure for the development of, and a format for, a suitable instrument. Research in SECSMs was reviewed to identify learning environment factors that defined the CSIROSEC learning environment. A pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of developing a learning environment instrument for CSIROSECs. This led to the more formal process of developing a learning environment instrument for CSIROSECs based upon the five scales of Affect, Social Interaction, Novelty, Independence and Involvement. / A number of cycles of testing of the instrument, statistical analyses, and subsequent refinements resulted in the Learning Environment Instrument for CSIRO Science Education Centres (LEI for CSIROSECs). The instrument measures distinct, if somewhat overlapping, aspects of the learning environment. The LEI for CSIROSECs displays comparable measures for internal consistency (alpha reliability) and discriminant validity to existing learning environment instruments. The sensitivity of the instrument has been demonstrated for the comparison of different classes, comparison of teacher-student perceptions, comparison of primary and secondary classes, and the comparison of CSIROSEC programs. Suggestions have been made for applications of the LEI for CSIROSECs and its further development,as well as its potential use in research.

This study investigated the relationship between students’ perceptions of learning environments and their attitude to science in Australian secondary schools. It focussed on teacher support and equity in the lower secondary school years of 8, 9, and 10. Teacher Support and Equity are two of the five scales of the What Is Happening In this Class (WIHIC) questionnaire. The scale to measure Attitude to Science was drawn from the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA). Using the statistical package SPSS, gender differences and year level differences were examined for each of the scales. Results showed that the females rated the scales of Teacher Support and Equity more highly than did the males but the males had a more positive attitude to science than did the females. The Year 9 students were considerably less positive than those from years 8 and 10 on all three scales. Of the three scales, Equity received the highest rating across all the groups, while Attitude scored the lowest. Regression analysis showed statistically significant and positive associations between Attitude to Science and the Teacher Support and Equity scales. These results were consistent when tested separately for the male and female students, and for each of the year levels. To gain insights into science teaching and learning from a teacher’s perspective, one primary teacher, two high school teachers, and one pre-service teacher were interviewed. Their comments were found to support the quantitative results in that they agreed that teacher actions or inactions within the learning environment would affect the students’ attitude to science. / They expressed the view that students needed to feel able to ask questions without criticism and receive the help they needed to progress, which corresponded to the Teacher Support scale. They also felt that it was not appropriate for teachers to favour any group of students over any other, thus supporting the concept of the Equity scale. The findings will assist teachers to develop strategies to address the problem of students’ declining attitude to science, a problem that is viewed as a potential threat to the economic future of Australia.

In some classrooms, teaching methods have evolved little over the years. Enrolments in subjects like science have progressively declined and the persistent use of traditional teaching methods has often been held responsible for this. In less than a decade, the Internet has emerged as a potential tool to vary classroom routines, however, its use in high school science classrooms is still in its infancy. In this study, Getsmart, a website was developed and implemented in junior science and senior physics classrooms in a blended learning environment in a Queensland State High School. The study had three main objectives amongst others. The first aim was to study the impact of such an environment on students' perceptions. Secondly, the impact of such an environment on students' attitudes towards physics and junior science was studied. Finally, the research sought to investigate the effect of such an environment on their learning outcomes. Getsmart was developed on the principles of cognitive apprenticeship teaching model (Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989). During the research phase, the website was accessed by students once a week during class time. They also had the option to login in their own time at school (e.g., morning tea, lunchtime, before and after school) and at home. The research was conducted as a case study over two years and during this time, 406 students in junior science and physics participated. Students' perceptions of their learning environment were ascertained through quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were collected by using a modified version of the Web-based Learning Environment Instrument (WEBLEI) (Chang & Fisher, 2003). / Qualitative data on student's attitudes were gathered through emails and Written surveys. An Attitude to Science survey was developed to determine students' attitudes towards their subjects. Qualitative data were also gathered through written surveys. The impact of such an environment on students' learning outcomes was determined through the analysis of their exam results achieved before and after experiencing web-based learning. Their results were also compared with the results of similar cohorts in previous years. Amongst other findings, it was found that the modified version of the WEBLEI was a valid and reliable instrument for use in junior science and physics classes. The study also established that students had positive perceptions of a blended web-based learning environment and that such an approach had a positive influence on students' attitudes towards their subjects. The study also found that web-based learning improved their performance across various performance domains of junior science and senior physics assessments.

Increasingly the perceived benefits of using networked computers, software applications and computer simulations in learning activities are being exploited at all educational levels and within all curricula areas. As web-based and online software applications such as browsers, search engines, communication tools and data-bases mature, so does educator's use of this medium for teaching and learning. How we can investigate the impact of these technologies upon the educational experiences of learners was the fundamental concept addressed by this thesis. The study reports on the design, development and validation of a web-based survey instrument for use in online learning environments in tertiary education. The thesis investigated both previous psychosocial learning environment instrument development studies and the nature of environments created by the use of information and communication technologies. The research followed a two-phased instrument development process. Phase one focused on content validity, identifying salient scales and items and piloting the instrument with a limited audience. Phase two focused on construct validity, conducting an extensive field test with a web-based form and performing statistical analysis on the online data collected. Principal components analysis, with oblique and orthogonal rotations, confirmed the structure of a 35-item 7-scale instrument. The thesis concludes by confirming the new instrument, the Online Learning Environment Survey (OLLES), will allow conclusions to be drawn about student perceptions on the interactions occurring in their online environments in an economical and efficient manner.

The case study examines the outcomes of a process of re-structuring, renewal and cultural change in a school undergoing transformation from a senior high school to a middle school. The research investigates the impact of school improvement initiatives on the school and classroom culture and learning environment after 12 to 18 months of reform implementation.The research approach is a developmental mixed method investigation utilising quantitative and qualitative data collection procedures. The study proceeded through two stages: Quantitative surveying of students and parents prior to the implementation of school improvement initiatives; and quantitative and qualitative surveying of students and parents after 12 and 18 months, respectively, of reform implementation and application of the treatment.Evidence of change in the college and classroom culture and learning environment was evident after twelve months. The case study identified that students and parents identified changes in a number of elements of the classroom culture and learning environment. These included improvements in home-school communications, involvement in classroom planning and organization, relationships between teachers and students, school culture and evidence of pedagogical change. The research also identified that change had not occurred in the attainment of student learning outcomes, educational values and parent confidence to assist students in their learning.It became apparent that change in the organisational culture had occurred within the first 12 to 18 months. However, change to the deeper cultural dimensions of educational values and student learning outcomes were less in evidence.

This longitudinal study explored the extent to which mathematics education lecturers' constructivist beliefs and aligned practices were communicated to students in a New Zealand primary pre-service teacher education degree programme. An integral part of this exploration was the identification of particular aspects of lecturers' practice that had a significant impact in enhancing the adoption of constructivist ideas on learning and constructivist-aligned teaching practices by student teachers. This goal had a practical focus on more effective course teaching within the chosen philosophical framework of constructivism. At a more theoretical level, there was a focus on the development of a constructivist approach to teacher education for teacher educators through the medium of mathematics education. A potential outcome of the development and widespread adoption of such a constructivist-aligned pedagogy within teacher education could be the significant furthering of a "reform" (or transformative) agenda in school education with its potential for enhanced learning by children. The methodology comprised both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) techniques to collect information which allowed the capture of different but complementary data, so building a "rich" data set. The surveys were conducted using two leaming environment instruments underpinned by particular constructivist perspectives: one focusing on the overall nature of the learning environment at an individual level from a critical constructivist perspective, and the other focusing on the nature of interactions between teacher and student teachers at a classroom level from a socio-cultural constructivist perspective. / Surveys were conducted with the lecturers at the beginning and toward the end of the study, while the student teachers in these lecturers' classes were surveyed over a three year period. The interviews were semi-structured following an interpretative (evolving) research approach, with the "results" of ongoing data analysis being fed into later interviews. The interview data were analysed for personal perceptions and understandings rather than for generalisation and prediction with the intention of focusing on the identification of emergent themes. Interviews were conducted with lecturers at the beginning of the study and again toward its conclusion while student teachers were interviewed at the end of the study. The lecturers claimed constructivism as their underlying philosophical belief system and the initial surveys established baseline data on the actual nature of the lecturers' beliefs and how these were perceived by the student teachers. Similarly, the initial interviews explored the espoused beliefs and congruent practices of lecturers and student teachers. These two sets of data were compared to establish their congruence or otherwise. Further interviews with the lecturers focused on the survey data and my reconstruction of what the lecturers had said previously when interviewed. Later survey and interview data were also examined against the baseline data for evidence of change over the four years of the study. The data demonstrated that the student teachers perceived the existence of moderate to strong socio-cultural constructivist-aligned classroom environments when considered at a class (group) level, and a moderate alignment with critical perspectives at the individual (personal) level. / There was a high degree of consistency between staff and student teacher views, and the student teachers' views were consistent across the year groups (first, second and third years) and throughout the four years of the study. Lecturer practice(s) congruent with constructivism were the basis for student teacher change toward understanding and their adoption of constructivist ideas and aligned practices. Specific lecturer practices were identified as particularly effective in achieving such change. These effective lecturer practices may assist in establishing the foundations of a constructivist-aligned pedagogy for teacher education. The lecturers' modeling of the practices they were promoting for student teachers' practice was identified as a key element in promoting change. Indeed, the tension between traditional and transfornative approaches was exacerbated in situations where lecturers' promotion of a preferred practice was different from that which they enacted. The continuing existence of such situations and associated tensions has the potential to limit the extent of any change.

Although there are numerous instruments available for assessing classroom learning environments at the tertiary level, no instrument has been specifically designed and validated for measuring the business management education learning environment (Brennan & Ahmad, 2005). My aims were (1) to design, develop and validate an instrument, the Business Management Education Learning Environment Inventory (BMELEI), for assessing business management students’ perceptions of the psychosocial learning environments of university seminars and tutorials and (2) to relate learning environment to attitudes towards the subject and attitudes towards the case study teaching strategy. This study is distinctive in that it involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. The BMELEI and two attitude scales were administered to 480 final-year undergraduate and postgraduate business studies students in 30 classes at both Curtin University of Technology and Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. The qualitative component of the study involved semi-structured interviews with 42 randomly-selected participants from the above universities. Factor analysis supported a six-factor structure (Student Cohesiveness, Teacher Support, Involvement, Task Orientation, Cooperation and Equity) with scale alpha reliabilities ranging from 0.78 to 0.90 for the actual form and from 0.80 to 0.92 for the preferred form using the individual as unit of analysis. Students’ attitudes were found to be positively associated with classroom learning environment. / Also differences were found between students’ perceptions of the actual and preferred classroom environment, and between male and female students’ perceptions of the actual and preferred classroom environment. Findings suggested that students preferred a more positive and favourable classroom learning environment than they perceived as being actually present.