Students' emotional development is tied to the social and emotional climate they experience as they grow up, particularly the amount of stimulation, respect, and care they derive from their families, peer groups, and—not least of all —schools. Well-being and academic achievement do not constitute an either-or proposition; each enhances the other.
In optimal environments, children and adolescents and adults as well enjoy themselves more and get more done (Moos 1991). Under less desirable conditions, they harbor resentments and ill will, their productivity declines, and their alienation prevents their energies from flowing into their work. In fact, research has shown that the classroom social environment is one of the chief psychological determinants of academic learning (Walberg 1984).
Further, students' feelings about their classes not only affect their interest and engagement in the subject matter but also help them acquire essential social skills. Even when the instruction is intensive and the students' abilities considerable, these factors count for little if students see their classmates as uncooperative or their teachers as unfair (Fraser 1991, Walberg 1991).
Taking Stock
What social qualities of your classroom promote learning and what qualities impede it? Researchers have found ways of measuring the social climate of classrooms, and their findings suggest specific steps that educators can take. For junior and senior high schools, the Learning Environment Inventory is a widely used measure.
Educators have used this scale to evaluate new curriculums, instructional methods, and programs for racial desegregation and violence prevention. The counterpart for elementary schools is the My Class Inventory (Fraser et al. 1991).
Figure 1 shows the 15 features of classroom groups that the Learning Environment Inventory measures. Each feature is accompanied by a sample statement. For example, for "Cohesiveness," the statement is "Students know one another very well." For "Favoritism," it is "Every student enjoys the same privileges." Students rate how well these statements describe their classroom on a five-point scale: strongly agree, agree, unsure, disagree, and strongly disagree.
Figure 1. Students Rate Their Classroom Environment
Using the Learning Environment Inventory - table
Environment Feature | Number of Comparisons | Percent Positive Influence on Learning | Description | Sample Item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction | 17 | 100 | Enjoyment of work | There is considerable satisfaction with the classwork. |
| Challenge | 16 | 87 | Difficulty with work | Students tend to find the work hard to do. |
| Cohesiveness | 17 | 86 | Whether students know, help, and are friendly toward one another | Students know one another very well. |
| Physical Environment | 15 | 85 | Availability of adequate books, equipment, space, and lighting | Students can easily get the books and equipment they need or want in the classroom. |
| Democracy | 14 | 85 | Extent to which students share equally in class decision making | Class decisions tend to be made by all the students. |
| Goal direction | 15 | 73 | Clarity of goals | The class knows exactly what it has to get done. |
| Competition | 9 | 67 | Emphasis on competition | Students seldom compete with one another. |
| Formality | 17 | 65 | Extent to which formal rules guide behavior | The class if rather informal and afew rules are imposed. |
| Speed | 14 | 54 | How quickly class work is covered | Students do not have to hurry to finish their work. |
| Diversity | 14 | 31 | Extent to which student interests differ and differences are provided for | Students have many different interests. |
| Apathy | 15 | 14 | Student affinity with class activities | Members of the class don't care what the class does. |
| Favoritism | 15 | 10 | Teacher favoritism | Every student enjoys the same privileges. |
| Cliquishness | 13 | 8 | Extent to which some students refuse to mix with others | Certain students work only with their close friends. |
| Disorganization | 17 | 6 | Extent to which activities are confusing and poorly organized | The class is well organized and efficient. |
| Friction | 17 | 0 | Tension and quarreling among students | Certain students instigate petty quarrels. |
Adapted from the Learning Environment Inventory (Fraser et al. 1991).
The numbers show how many times each feature was investigated in our research study and the percentage of times the feature resulted in positive influences on learning outcomes. For example, a classroom characterized as "challenging" influenced learning positively 87 percent, or 14 of the 16 times investigated. As we would expect, apathy and favoritism rarely showed positive influences on learning.
Tallying the Results
In general, students in highly-rated classes achieved more academically and had more positive attitudes toward the subject matter. These students also engaged more often in nonrequired activities related to the subject matter. In science classes, for example, students were more likely to read science articles in newspapers and to go to zoos and science museums.
In short, the study confirmed that students learn more when their classes are satisfying, challenging, and friendly and they have a voice in decision making. The study also showed, however, that students need structure, direction, and organization to make sense of their classes. When classes are unfriendly, cliquish, and fragmented, they leave students feeling rejected and therefore impede learning.
In designing the Learning Environment Inventory, we derived the statements from questionnaires that businesses, military agencies, and other adult workplaces used in their research. Not surprisingly, the workplace research also showed that work groups with good morale enjoy their work and get more done.
Our findings demonstrate that we should select lessons and set the pace of learning so as to challenge students appropriately. We should clarify goals and organize lessons to help students make the most efficient use of their time.
As for the social climate of the classroom, allowing students to share their ideas through teams and cooperative groups is one way to promote democratic decision making and foster cohesiveness and satisfaction in the classroom. In addition, by helping students recognize that they all share certain ideas and feelings, a teacher can help prevent cliques from forming and generally reduce social friction. Activities such as role-playing exercises will help students gain insights into how others feel. In fact, educators themselves may need such exercises to help them avoid favoring some students over others.
Looking Beyond the Classroom
Though research on the social and emotional qualities of classrooms began a quarter century ago, it is especially pertinent today for several reasons. First, the social and political pressure for greater student achievement is accelerating. In addition, educators, like businesspeople and other professionals, are increasingly realizing the importance of satisfying their customers. In the case of educators, a satisfied customer—one whose feelings are considered—is also a successful learner.
Though educators rightfully emphasize achievement, they should also think of motivating their students and awakening a love of learning for its own sake. Affectionately remembered classes sustain interest in learning in the workplace and over a lifetime.
Finally, well-organized, satisfying classrooms foster responsibility, humaneness, and mutual respect—the very social skills students need to participate productively in our civil society.
