Weaving CLES-FS and talanoa to capture Fijian student's science learnings: Exploring possibilities

This study seeks to explain how a modified Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) was implemented together with talanoa to explore Fijian students' perceptions of a constructivist learning environment in the science classroom in New Zealand secondary schools. The modified CLES, called CLES-FS, was developed explicitly for Fijian students in the New Zealand secondary schooling context. The adapted CLES-FS instrument included five components of constructivist learning: relationship and identity, familiar context, talanoa, critical voice and shared control. The inclusion of talanoa within the CLES-survey tool has not been done before to collect data from iTaukei (Indigenous) and Fijian-Indian students. The implication of using talanoa alongside CLES-FS has provided the unfolding of possibilities when weaving together qualitative as well as quantitative data. As an emerging Pacific researcher, the exploration exercise is essential learning that helps make sense of what it means to engage in research, particularly within the post-Covid context.

First-Year Accounting Student Teachers’ Perceptions of their Classroom Learning Environment

This study assessed the perceptions of first-year accounting student teachers about their classroom learning environment. The study was prompted by studies which argue that the academic performance of students is correlated with their perceptions of the learning environment and the context in which teaching and learning takes place. The population for the study was first-year Accounting students at a university of technology in South Africa. The study employed a mixed-method approach, and data were collected from students using a Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) which covered 42 items. The findings from the quantitative part of the study revealed that the students view their learning environment positively. Evidence to this effect is demonstrated by the mean obtained in the categories of the learning environment which were all above three. The themes which emerged from the qualitative findings also corroborated the quantitative findings. However, the qualitative data further reveal that the students felt far away from issues directly related to their teaching and learning. Consequently, a more student-participative approach to the planning and designing of instruction is recommended to mitigate the identified challenges.

Curriculum and Learning Environments

Various curriculum theorists and commentators have identified curriculum/instruction and the learning environment/milieu as two of the major codeterminants of students’ educational outcomes. Although learning environment is a somewhat subtle concept, considerable progress has been made over the past few decades in conceptualizing and assessing it and investigating its determinants and consequences. The learning environment is important in the curriculum field because a positive classroom environment is both a worthwhile end in its own right and a means to improved student outcomes. The field of learning environments has a rich diversity of valid and economical questionnaires that have been adapted and used in many countries. The world’s most-frequently used classroom climate questionnaire is the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) which assesses students’ perceptions of student cohesiveness, teacher support, involvement, investigation, task orientation, cooperation and equity. Other specific-purpose instruments include the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI), Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) and Place-Based Learning and Constructivist Environment Survey (PLACES) for evaluating the unique learning environments of community-based and place-based environmental education programs. A major application of learning environment assessments is their use as criteria of effectiveness in evaluating educational programs/curricula and instructional methods/alternatives. These studies reveal that traditional curricula could be distinguished from new curricula in terms of students’ classroom environment perceptions when outcome measures cannot. Although much research has been undertaken on educational environments, less effort has been focused on helping teachers to improve the climates of their schools and classrooms. A simple approach for improving environments based on using climate surveys involves identifying and reducing discrepancies between students’ actual and preferred perceptions. Teachers who have administered these questionnaires as part of their action research typically have found that assessments of their students’ perceptions of classroom environment provide useful bases for reflection, discussion and classroom improvement.

Teachers’ Constructivist and Ethical Beliefs

Teachers’ approaches and beliefs are key determinants of teachers’ practice. This study was designed to examine whether two aspects of Irish primary teacher beliefs are associated, their views on constructivist practices and their views on two ethical dimensions (idealism and relativism). The views of a sample of 35 teachers were assessed using the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) and the Ethical Position Questionnaire (EPQ). Significant relationships were found between ethical position and scores on dimensions on the CLES. For example, idealistic teachers valued uncertainty and student negotiation more than teachers with high relativist scores. The results are discussed in the context of continuing professional development and future research.

Examination of relationship between preservice chemistry teachers' preferences for creating constructivist-learning environment and sense of efficacy

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between preservice chemistry teachers' preferences for creating constructivistlearning environment and sense of efficacy. The study was conducted with 50 preservice chemistry teachers. Correlational research design was conducted to determine the relationship between the variables. Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) and Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) were used as data collection tools. While CLES includes 30 items under five subscales, TSES includes 12 items under three subscales. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Analysis was used to analyze obtained data. The results of the study revealed that there was a significance correlation between preservice chemistry teachers' preferences for creating constructivist-learning environment and sense of efficacy for total scores (r=.36, n=50, p<.05).