Investigating areas of school climate in Cyprus Secondary Schools:

The students’ perceptions

Recreating Linkages between Theory and Praxis in Educational Leadership, Cypurs 2006

Georgia PASHIARDIS, Ph.D

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TOPICSSchool climate: The literature

• School climate• Three Climate Areas

• Physical environment• Social environment• Learning environment

Study procedures• The purpose and the objectives of the study• The questionnaire and the sample

Main findings• Students’ perceptions concerning

• the physical environment• the social environment• the learning environment

• Students’ perceptions based on a) gender and b) school locationImplications/conclusions

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SCHOOL CLIMATE attempts to capture the feeling of organizational life refers to the overall atmosphere of the school (friendly,

pleasant, competitive etc.) that one can sense almost immediately on entering the school grounds

affects administrators, teachers and students attitudes and behavior in the school

is a major indicator of effective schools contributes to effective teaching and learning. is to the organization what personality is to the individual

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SCHOOL CLIMATE

PHYSICAL SOCIAL LEARNING

BUILDING(e.g. structure, cleanness)CLASSROOMS and LABSLIBRARY(e.g. resource materials, Software)

RELATIONSHIPS and INTERACTIONSSCHOOL AND CLASSROOM RULESEXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

CURRICULUM (goals, structure and clarityof content, assessment,feedback)LESSON PLANNINGTEACHER BEHAVIOR(classroom management,questioning, monitoringprogress, testing etc )

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STUDY PROCEDURESPurpose Examining and analyzing secondary school students’ (8th grade) perceptions about school climate that attend Public Schools in Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta-Cyprus during the school year 2005-2006

Objectives statedstudents’ views on climate factors

(physical, social and learning environment) the statistically significant differences (if any) on

the views expressed about climate based on:a) gender b) the school location

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STUDY PROCEDURES

QuestionnaireIt includes fifty three statements related to school

climate (physical, social and learning environment) and demographic information gender, name of school and class size

For each statement the participants were asked to circle the number that best presents their beliefs concerning the climate on a scale 1 to 5

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 To a great extent

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STUDY PROCEDURESSample

This study was addressed to secondaryschool students (8th grade) that attended public schools in the province of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, Larnaca and Famagusta during the school year 2005-2006.

In the provinces of Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta there are 40 schools for grades 7th to 9th and eight schools were selected.

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STUDY PROCEDURES The sample of the study was randomly selected

from among all secondary schools in the above provinces.

A total of 900 questionnaires were sent out to eight Public Secondary Schools in the provinces of Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta.

A total of 864 questionnaires (98%) were returned.

Fifty three percent (53%) of the participants were girls and forty seven (47%) were boys.

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MAIN FINDINGS

The three areas of school climate were rated satisfactory. The social environment received the lowest mean (3,12), the physical environment the second highest (3,23) and the learning environment was received the highest score (3,26).

1

2

3

4

5

Scale

PHYSICAL SOCIAL LEARNING

Areas

Areas of school climate

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MAIN FINDINGS

Students feel safe at school in general and specifically at labs (e.g physics and chemistry) (S.3, S.25)

Students agreed that different teaching aids are available at school but the library does not provide the latest electronic educational media e.g. software, CD’s etc.) (S.38, S.53)

Students are quite disappointed with the maintenance and cleaning of the building as well as the cleaning and the tidiness of the classrooms (S.2, S.8 )

Physical Area

1

2

3

4

5

S2 S3 S5 S8 S9 S20 S24 S25 S38 S48 S53

Statements

Scale

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MAIN FINDINGS

Students believed that their teachers and school administration implement school rules consistently and fairly (S.4, S.21). However, students indicated that in their schools almost half of students (48%) know and accept the rules (S.22) and less than 30% of them follow them (S.27). In any case, also, they agreed that there are consequences for those students that they do not follow school rules (S.47).

Social Area

1

2

3

4

5

S1 S4 S6 S7 S10 S16 S21 S22 S26 S27 S28 S31 S32 S35 S39 S41 S44 S46 S47 S52

Statements

Sc

ale

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MAIN FINDINGS

Students feel that their representatives in the student’s councils as well as the parents’ association communicate and collaborate with school administration satisfactory for different issues related to students (S.1, S.21, S.31)

Social Area

1

2

3

4

5

S1 S4 S6 S7 S10 S16 S21 S22 S26 S27 S28 S31 S32 S35 S39 S41 S44 S46 S47 S52

Statements

Sc

ale

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MAIN FINDINGS

Finally, a 35% of the participants stated that they feel comfortable to talk and discuss with their teachers or assistant principals their problems and concerns (S.10).

Social Area

1

2

3

4

5

S1 S4 S6 S7 S10 S16 S21 S22 S26 S27 S28 S31 S32 S35 S39 S41 S44 S46 S47 S52

Statements

Sc

ale

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MAIN FINDINGS

Students believed that their teachers are well prepared for their lesson, they follow a step by step procedure when teaching, they explain clearly and answer precisely to student’s questions and they praise and encourage their students (S.12, S.13. S.15)

However, a vast majority of students (70%) mentioned that their teachers do not often differentiate their instruction (S.14).

Learning Area

1

2

3

4

5

Statements

Scale

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MAIN FINDINGS

More than half of secondary school students ( 60%) agree that teachers systematically monitor and evaluate their progress (S.17). However, a high percentage of students mentioned that they do not receive the test results on time (S.40) and they do not discuss on a one to one basis issues concerning their progress. (S.18)

Learning Area

1

2

3

4

5

Statements

Scale

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MAIN FINDINGS The general comment that one could make based on

gender is that girls seem to feel more satisfied about their school’s climate.

The main statistically significant differences observed were in all three areas covered by the questionnaire

3,15 3,323,05 3,2 3,19 3,34

1

2

3

4

5

Scale

Physical Social Learning

Areas

Gender Differences

Boys

Girls

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MAIN FINDINGS The general comment that one could make based on

school location is that students in urban schools seem to feel more satisfied about the social and the learning environment of their schools.

There were statistically significant differences between students in rural schools and students in urban schools in two areas of questionnaire (social and learning environment).

3,22 3,253 3,18 3,14

3,32

1

2

3

4

5

Scale

Physical Social Learning

Areas

School Location Differences

Rural

Urban

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IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS

Improvement of the external conditions of the school as well as the internal conditions of the classrooms that affect students every day of the school year and aid learning.

Enhancement of school library with all the recent multimedia that are necessary in a modern high tech library (e.g. educational software, encyclopedias, on line search to different libraries, CD-ROM technology, interactive videodiscs etc.), to stimulate higher order thinking skills and to enable learning to take place.

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IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS

Incorporate instructional variety in the teaching-Variety in the modalities of instruction (e.g. visual, oral etc) and in instructional activity (large-group lecture, question and answer, small group discussion) stimulates interest, student thinking and enhances learning.

Provide social support in relation to both academic and emotional concerns and build interpersonal relationships throughout the school-Emotional and social needs play a vital part in learning because during learning mind and emotions are working in a fruitful partnership

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I taught Spot how to whistle.

I can’t hear him whistling.

I said I taught him. I didn’t say he learned it!

Minton D. 1991. Teaching and Learning Skills in Adult and Further Education. C & G / MacMillan

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IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS

Get students involved in the process of setting well-considered rules and policies for classroom and school for and teach them to self regulate their behavior.

Hold individual student meetings to communicate student progress -Feedback exerts a powerful effect on learning and provides students with important insights into both their success and strategies for improvement.

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If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito.