CONSIDERING THE LEARNING CLIMATE

Gina Pineda – Esteban VélezChapter 5

Introduction

Teacher concerns Teacher warmth and control Social environment

Dimensions of Learning ClimateFraser and Walberg’s Model

Classroom Climate

Individual personalitie

s and dispositions

Institutional roles and

expectations

1)Teacher concerns

Fuller (1969) Themselves (teacher): interests,

pressure, doing well. Tasks and situations (teaching):

innovation, appropriate, adequate. To impact (student): to recognize the

social and emotional needs of students. To encourage them.

A teacher concerns Instrument

Observing Teacher concerns To observe the teacher’s

predominant stage of concern: To control the class. To be liked by the class. To be only authority.

Teacher -> between : cooperation or control

Ethnographic method -> recording every single fact.

FlexibleCooperationChoral ResponsesTeacher facts

RigorObedienceIndividual ResponsesStudent opinion

2) Warmth and Control

Dimensions of Warmth and Control

Control

Warmth

Behavioral Signs of Warmth and Control

3) Social Environment

To measure. To focus on interpersonal relationship :

S-S Ss-T Ss- Environment

Parson: Socialization: helping a learner translate personal

wishes about herself into realistic views, typical perspectives of the world outside the classroom.

Allocation: process by which learners are prepared and selected for roles and responsibilities outside classroom.

15 Dimensions of Social Environment1. Cohesiveness: Feeling of intimacy created by

interaction. 2. Diversity: Different backgrounds, interest and

activities. 3. Formality: Behavior is guided by rules which

influence the flexibility needed for Ts and Ss to achieve goals.

4. Speed: Pace of the class.5. Environment: The classroom physical environment

influence the relationship between the members and the structure of the class.

6. Friction: Some Ss are responsible for class tension.7. Goal direction: Clearly stated goals and acceptance.

8. Favoritism: to behavior in ways that benefit some members.9. Cliqueness: persons who interact with each other more

regularly than other in the same classroom. Related to gender, ethnicity.

10. Satisfaction: whether or not students gain on sense of accomplishment.

11. Disorganization: related to reduce instructional time and opportunity to learn.

12. Difficulty: related to 3 human motivations: The need to feel competent. To exercise authority To develop a sense of relatedness.The content + easy = the performance more poorly.Difficulties + high= the learners give up and disengage from the task.

13. Apathy: Students do not feel interest. Teacher have to encourage them.

14. Democratic: Class = Authoritarian + Democratic. Teacher is the authority + warmth Students have greater control over the environment.

15. Competiveness: too much or too little detrimental to learning.

Balance: Competition and Cooperation.

Observing the Social Environment of the Classroom

Inst

ruct

ions

Cultural Diversity and the Learning Climate

Sources are influenced by the predominant cultures and ethnicities within a classroom.

Information to consider:1. Ethnic, racial and gender.2. Family conditions (e.g., Single-parent, 2-parents).3. Sense of ethnic identity among Ts and Ss.4. Ss self-concept and motivation.5. Economic and social class.6. Variations and Abilities (word choice, tone, length)7. Examine your own background.