Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire

© 2020, Springer Nature B.V. In an attempt to engage more students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, schools are encouraged by STEM educators and professionals to introduce students to STEM through projects which integrate skills from each of the STEM disciplin...

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Main Authors: Fraser, Barry, McLure, Felicity, Koul, Rekha
Format: Journal Article
Published: Springer Nature 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180103259
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80834
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author Fraser, Barry
McLure, Felicity
Koul, Rekha
author_facet Fraser, Barry
McLure, Felicity
Koul, Rekha
author_sort Fraser, Barry
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2020, Springer Nature B.V. In an attempt to engage more students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, schools are encouraged by STEM educators and professionals to introduce students to STEM through projects which integrate skills from each of the STEM disciplines. Because little is known about the learning environment of STEM classrooms, we developed and validated a Classroom Emotional Climate (CEC) questionnaire. Initially, the questionnaire was pilot tested with six focus groups of students from three schools to obtain feedback to incorporate into a revision of the CEC. Next, the modified CEC questionnaire was administered to 698 students participating in STEM activities in 57 classes in 20 schools. Exploratory factor analysis (principal component analysis) led to reduction of the CEC to 41 items in seven dimensions: Consolidation, Collaboration, Control, Motivation, Care, Challenge and Clarity. The structure of the CEC was then further explored using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity (ability to differentiate between classrooms), discriminant validity (scale intercorrelations) and predictive validity (associated with student attitudes) were satisfactory. Finally, Rasch analysis of data for each dimension revealed good model fit and unidimensionality of the items describing each latent variable.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-808342021-05-25T05:14:51Z Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire Fraser, Barry McLure, Felicity Koul, Rekha STEM Education Attitudes Classroom Emotional Climate Emotions Learning Environments © 2020, Springer Nature B.V. In an attempt to engage more students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, schools are encouraged by STEM educators and professionals to introduce students to STEM through projects which integrate skills from each of the STEM disciplines. Because little is known about the learning environment of STEM classrooms, we developed and validated a Classroom Emotional Climate (CEC) questionnaire. Initially, the questionnaire was pilot tested with six focus groups of students from three schools to obtain feedback to incorporate into a revision of the CEC. Next, the modified CEC questionnaire was administered to 698 students participating in STEM activities in 57 classes in 20 schools. Exploratory factor analysis (principal component analysis) led to reduction of the CEC to 41 items in seven dimensions: Consolidation, Collaboration, Control, Motivation, Care, Challenge and Clarity. The structure of the CEC was then further explored using confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity (ability to differentiate between classrooms), discriminant validity (scale intercorrelations) and predictive validity (associated with student attitudes) were satisfactory. Finally, Rasch analysis of data for each dimension revealed good model fit and unidimensionality of the items describing each latent variable. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80834 10.1007/s10984-020-09316-z http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180103259 Springer Nature fulltext
spellingShingle STEM Education
Attitudes
Classroom Emotional Climate
Emotions
Learning Environments
Fraser, Barry
McLure, Felicity
Koul, Rekha
Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
title Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
title_full Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
title_fullStr Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
title_full_unstemmed Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
title_short Assessing Classroom Emotional Climate in STEM classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
title_sort assessing classroom emotional climate in stem classrooms: developing and validating a questionnaire
topic STEM Education
Attitudes
Classroom Emotional Climate
Emotions
Learning Environments
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180103259
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80834