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Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes

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A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 28864

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Myint Swe Khine

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Humanities, School of Education, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Interests: learning environments; science of learning; instructional psychology and technology; cognitive psychology; teacher education; assessment and evaluation; quantitative research methods; science education
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there have been many attempts in school and curriculum reforms everywhere, and it has been increasingly recognized that success depends on how well educators and policymakers understand the interactions between student learning, social and emotional factors, and learning environments. Studies on the effects of the learning environment on student outcomes have flourished in the last three decades and been established as one of the key areas of educational research. Researchers have investigated the relationships between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of their learning environments, attitudes toward specific subjects, and cognitive outcomes in diverse, multicultural settings. Other studies have explored the key attributes of enhancing students’ learning experience in 21st-century learning environments.

This Special Issue will offer an up-to-date account of the effects of the learning environment on student outcomes. The articles in this issue will examine the scientific understanding of the learning environment and present thought-provoking ideas, innovative approaches, systemic explorations, exemplary and promising efforts, and future-oriented scenarios in exploring the effect of learning environments on student outcomes at all levels of schooling—from primary to tertiary education including out-of-school and online environments. The articles in this issue will inform the theoretical framework and best practices from intervention studies, learning-based experiments, and qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.

Suggested Themes:

Learning environments in the 21st century
Smart and intelligent learning
Future-oriented educational milieu

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Out-of-school learning environments
Technology-rich learning environments
Online and blended learning environments
Smart learning environments
Social and emotional learning
Psychosocial aspects of learning
Innovative learning spaces
The universal design of learning
21st-century learning skills
Outcome-based education
Intelligent classrooms

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Myint Swe Khine
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

learning environments
social and emotional learning
outcome-based education
online learning
blending learning
universal design of learning
21st-century learning
psychosocial aspects

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Students’ Learning Experience and Engagement in Asynchronous Learning Using the Community of Inquiry Framework through Educational Design Research

by Jayden Wei Jie Ang, Yin Ni Ng, Lynette Hui-Wen Lee and Jia Ying Yong

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030215 - 21 Feb 2024

Viewed by 871

Abstract

Students’ learning experience and their engagement in online learning environments are becoming increasingly important as blended learning grows more prevalent in tertiary education. In this study, asynchronous lectures for applied sciences courses, offered to polytechnic students of Applied Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Science at Nanyang Polytechnic, were designed using the Community of Inquiry framework. Students’ perceptions of their learning experience and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement in asynchronous lectures were determined through a survey study. The results showed that students were engaged and had positive learning experiences. Through an educational design research methodology, this survey study also determined and provided design features important for designing asynchronous lectures. Further research could explore the possibility of expanding the scope of the research to other institutions with students of different cultural backgrounds, learning preferences, and learning abilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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17 pages, 2631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating PhET Simulations into Elementary Science Education: A Qualitative Analysis

by Baraa Rayan, Wajeeh Daher, Hussam Diab and Nael Issa

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090884 - 31 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1727

Abstract

This research delved into the integration of PhET simulations in elementary science education, specifically aimed at Grade 3 students. The primary objective was to evaluate how the use of these digital simulations influenced students’ conceiving of scientific concepts, focusing on “States of M1atter and Phase Changes” and “Solubility and Saturation”. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study observed 19 students who worked in pairs and trios as they engaged with PhET simulations to explore assigned science topics and address related questions. The observations centered on tracking students’ interactions with simulations and their progression through different knowledge phases. We used deductive and inductive content analysis to analyze the transcripts of the observation. The findings reveal that in the “Remembering” phase, students demonstrated a tendency to relate personal experiences to simulations, underscoring real-life context’s role in learning. The “Understanding” phase highlighted how PhET simulations facilitated deeper comprehension, with students making insightful observations. Additionally, the “Application” phase showcased the effective translation of simulation-derived knowledge into practical scenarios, bridging theoretical and real-world understanding. Students’ use of high-order thinking skills, at the analysis, evaluation, and creative phases, showed that simulations supported Grade 3 students in their learning processes of scientific concepts. The research underscores the efficacy of integrating PhET simulations into elementary science education, enhancing students’ knowledge by promoting active engagement and problem-solving skills. Integrating simulations into teaching methodologies emerges as a promising avenue to nurture scientific expertise and holistic understanding among elementary school students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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13 pages, 742 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Citizenship Outcomes and Place-Based Learning Environments in an Integrated Environmental Studies Program

by Gordon Robert Sturrock and David Bryan Zandvliet

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030292 - 09 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1264

Abstract

This paper discusses the effects of the learning environment on an important and unique 21st century learning outcome—that of active citizenship, in contrast to more conventionally measured cognitive and attitudinal outcomes. In our study, we utilized a learning environment instrument, the Place-Based Learning and Constructivist Environment Survey (PLACES) with an integrated environmental studies program prepared for high school students in the Canadian context. Our research used a retrospective case study design to investigate how aspects of this unique learning environment are related to long-term, active citizenship outcomes as perceived by students from two previous student cohorts (N = 24 and N = 36) who were contacted several years after the culmination of the program. To access information about student perceptions, PLACES was implemented as part of a range of mixed methods which also included focus groups and interviews. This study is important because it links key aspects of the learning environment to long-term citizenship outcomes and is unique in that the data were collected five and eight years later as part of a longitudinal study. Our findings demonstrate that the learning environment and citizenship outcomes were closely linked, and that students’ perceptions as measured by the PLACES instrument (past and present) were remarkably stable across all dimensions. These findings further indicate significant and positive implications for future learning environments research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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16 pages, 758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Classroom-Integrated Movement and Music Interventions and Children’s Ability to Recognize Social Interaction Based on Body Motion

by Karolina Ginman, Eeva Anttila, Marja-Leena Juntunen and Kaisa Tiippana

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(12), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120914 - 13 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

Music and movement activities have been found to be beneficial for learning in childhood. The current study was part of the Arts@School project examining the effect of classroom-integrated arts-based interventions (music, movement, music-movement) on various student outcomes. The outcome of interest in the current report is the ability to recognize social interaction, which is one aspect of social cognition, an important but often ignored factor contributing to well-being and learning. The ability to recognize social interaction was studied using a test with two human figures either interacting with each other or moving separately. Children aged 10–11 completed the test pre and post intervention. The intervention groups and an inactive control group were four classes in a school. The interventions were delivered by teachers. The music intervention included listening, singing, and joint music making. The movement intervention was based on a creative dance approach and contained developmental movement patterns. The music-movement intervention focused on bodily experiences arising through activities combining music and movement. All intervention groups improved at the test, whereas the difference between the pre and post measurement did not reach significance in controls. This trend suggests that music and movement interventions integrated in the school learning environment may support children’s ability to interpret body motion, an important aspect of social interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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19 pages, 666 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Student Engagement, Learning Environments and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison between Psychology and Engineering Undergraduate Students in the UK

by Maria Limniou, Naser Sedghi, Destiny Kumari and Efthyvoulos Drousiotis

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 671; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12100671 - 30 Sep 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4281

Abstract

This study compared student learning engagement from two UK departments exploring their participation in face-to-face and synchronous online learning environments. Overall, 446 undergraduate students from Psychology (soft/non-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) discipline) and Electrical Engineering and Electronics (EEE) (hard/STEM discipline) completed an online questionnaire over the second semester of the 2020–2021 academic year, where the teaching was mainly online. The questionnaire included validated scales regarding teaching and students’ characteristics and an open-ended question regarding the role of learning environments. There was a significant difference between the two learning environments in both departments, with most of the students believing that they were better engaged with their learning process in face-to-face environments (quantitative analysis). Additionally, the thematic analysis of student qualitative responses revealed that online student engagement was influenced by (1) Behaviour, (2) Affective, and (3) Cognitive challenges (i.e., additional workload, lack of communication and distractions in the home environment) and opportunities (i.e., the effective use of study time and online content through interactive learning environments). This study could assist academics, university policymakers, and researchers to understand student engagement alongside learning environments, reconsidering the opportunities and challenges that were gained from online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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16 pages, 2515 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Educational Gardens and Workshop Activities on 8th-Grade Student’s Perception and Knowledge of Plant Biology

by Herlander Azevedo, Isabel Soares-Silva, Fernando Fonseca, Paulo Alves, Duarte Silva and Maria-Manuel Azevedo

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 619; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12090619 - 14 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1944

Abstract

Educational gardens can be a significant resource in the promotion of environmental education, engaging both the school population and the general public. The main goal of the present study was to implement and assess a hands-on interventional program to promote knowledge and awareness of plant-related topics at a basic school level. We report on a hands-on educational project implemented with 8th-grade Portuguese students (mostly 13–14 years of age), associated with the establishment, on school grounds, of three educational gardens representing distinct Portuguese ecosystems. This was a collaborative project and encompassed several activities and subjects, including garden creation, plant propagation and plant care, plant identification, the study of form–function relationships, and lectures by plant researchers. A survey instrument with pre- and post-test assessments demonstrated the effectiveness of the program in raising student knowledge and awareness on topics centered around the native flora. Specifically, we noted that scores increased in all questions addressing different plant biology-related topics in the post-test assessment. This study supports the benefits of incorporating field/laboratory work and educational gardens in educational programs geared toward plant-oriented environmental education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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14 pages, 2023 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Learning through Digital Devices—Academic Risks and Responsibilities

by Emese Beáta Berei and Gabriella Pusztai

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 480; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12070480 - 12 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2339

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the risks of learning through digital technology and to design the individual and academic responsibilities. We propose answering the following research questions: Are higher education students and their families equipped with digital devices? What strategy do students use in their individual learning? How frequently do they get involved in various added digital activities (gaming, social media communication, surfing the Internet)? What are the risks of excess time spent online? A total of 2210 higher education students from five European countries, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and Ukraine, participated in the quantitative study, the data being collected by the Center of Higher Education Research and Development at the University of Debrecen, Hungary in 2019. The analysis of the data is based on the advanced statistical test carried out with the SPSS program. The results indicated that most students come from families that possess essential digital devices (smartphone, PC, notebook) with an internet connection, regardless of the country of origin. The students’ learning strategy is mixed: they use the virtual and real environment. More than half of the students declared that they never learn by watching tutorials or listening to audio recordings. Reflecting on themselves, more than a third of them stated that they generally spend too much time online. Daily surfing, gaming, and communicating on social networks are those added activities that significantly multiply their chance of spending too much time in a virtual environment. The binary logistic regression analysis proves that these students have a four times greater chance of developing a concentration crisis. In addition, it is characteristic for there to be a general time management crisis that implicitly contributes to the development of a deadline crisis in learning, and another risk is the duplication of intention to drop out of university. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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15 pages, 1161 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How do Facilitating Conditions Influence Student-to-Student Interaction within an Online Learning Platform? A New Typology of the Serial Mediation Model

by Tai Ming Wut, Stephanie Wing Lee and Jing (Bill) Xu

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 337; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050337 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3310

Abstract

This study investigates factors affecting university student-to-student interaction within online learning platforms. A new model was proposed based on the United Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The single-stage cluster-sampling method was employed, and 113 university students in Hong Kong were respondents. It was found that Information Quality, Social Influence, and Facilitating Conditions affect students’ intention to interact with each other. A quasi-full mediation model was established of the mechanism from Facilitating Conditions to students’ interaction behavior. The direct effect of Facilitating Conditions on students’ interaction and the effect of System Quality on the intention of student interaction were not significant. A fast network, computing facilities, and mobile-friendly software are possible candidates of the virtual environment conditions affecting the intention of student-interaction behavior within online learning platforms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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Review

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10 pages, 220 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Evolution of the Field of Learning Environments Research

by Barry J. Fraser

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030257 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2720

Abstract

This article reviews half a century of remarkable expansion and internationalisation in the field of learning environments research, including milestones such as the creation of the American Educational Research Association’s Special Interest Group on Learning Environments and Springer’s Learning Environments Research: An International Journal. Several widely used, extensively validated and economical questionnaires for assessing learning environments (e.g., What Is Happening In this Class? WIHIC) are discussed. A review of research identifies how learning environment researchers have generated robust knowledge about how to improve student outcomes through creating positive learning environments; demonstrated the value of including learning environment dimensions as process criteria of effectiveness when evaluating educational programmes and teaching methods; and provided teachers with straightforward approaches to use in action research aimed at improving their students’ learning environments. To facilitate and motivate future research and practical applications, the 56-item WIHIC is included in an appendix, and some newer and emerging lines of research are identified (e.g., cross-national studies; the physical environments of educational buildings and learning spaces; and advances in methods of statistical analysis for learning environment studies). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

24 pages, 5654 KiB

Open AccessReview

How Constructivist Environment Changes Perception of Learning: Physics Is Fun

by Grzegorz P. Karwasz and Katarzyna Wyborska

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020195 - 12 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2976

Abstract

The global availability of information makes its selection difficult, but at the same time it allows for the construction of teaching without the particular prior knowledge of students. However, it requires teachers to learn new abilities, such as developing a much broader coverage of the subject, explanations of illy solutions, and knowledge of different ways of thinking and the mental needs of pupils (pedagogical knowledge contents). We show examples of such teaching in physics in several quite different environments: from school classes to workshops for 3–4-year-old children, interactive lectures for children’s universities, ad hoc explanations in science museums for secondary school students, to public lectures in didactics at international congresses. Every specific environment requires different approaches, but the contents may remain similar: innovative, constructivist, and interactive approaches assure a successful outcome in any didactical situation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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Other

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11 pages, 1437 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

A Reliability Generalization Meta-Analysis of “What Is Happening in This Class?” (WIHIC) Questionnaire

by Cherry Zin Oo, Myint Swe Khine and Nang Mo Hline San

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(12), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120929 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1890

Abstract

What is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) is the widely used questionnaire to measure psycho-social aspects of the classroom and explore how these aspects affect student learning and achievement. The purpose of this study is to examine the cumulative estimates of reliability and conduct reliability generalization meta-analysis of Cronbach’s alpha for the WIHIC questionnaire. PRISMA framework is used to identify the papers in three major databases. Assuming a random-effects model, the average internal consistency reliability was 0.85, 95% CI [0.83; 0.87] for total scores and ranged from 0.80 to 0.88 for subscales. There was a substantial heterogeneity among the included articles (I² = 99.04%, Q (23) = 1481.074, p < 0.001). According to mixed model analysis, school context has a significant effect on the total scale and subscales, including teacher support, involvement, investigation, cooperation, and equity. Overall, the reliability generalization analysis of pooling reliability estimates helps in understanding the psychometric properties of the WIHIC inventory in diverse populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Learning Environments on Student Outcomes)

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