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The interaction of student educational values, teaching methods and classroom climate in a group of college undergraduates
Abstract
The unfavorable impact of didactic teaching methods upon students' learning and attitudes toward education and the lack of research on teaching methods at the post-secondary level are the major problems addressed by this study. It was the author's intent that specific teaching alternatives be tested and analyzed as to their effectiveness in terms of both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. The study assessed student educational values and learning preferences and experimented with the creation of a classroom learning environment conducive to more meaningful learning experiences. Subjects consisted of two intact Introduction to Psychology sections with an approximate enrollment of 35 students per section. One group was arbitrarily selected as the experimental group, while the other constituted the control or contrast group. Treatment consisted of providing limited academic freedom within the confines of a traditional and conservative institution. In contrast to the control group which was taught in the traditional didactic manner, the experimental group had a series of alternate optional learning activities from which to choose or add their own. If they decided to do the alternate activities, their exams were counted as single value. In the control group exams counted double; this was also the case for experimental group section students who decided to earn their grade in the traditional manner or by exams only. Both groups were administered a Checklist of Educational Views as a pre and post dependent variable measure. Student course satisfaction was also measured. In order to appreciate the kind of climate which was to be facilitated by the instructor in the experimental section, senior psychology students observed and recorded classroom behaviors on a daily basis. Results of the statistical analyses indicated that there was no significant change in views toward education as measured by the checklist. Qualitative data, however, demonstrated a clear preference (in both groups) for permissive classroom environments. Experimental group students were quite pleased with having experienced the permissive environment and those who did alternate learning activities seemed to have had a more meaningful learning experience.
Subject Area
Higher education|Educational psychology
Recommended Citation
Rios, Gilberto Ernesto, "The interaction of student educational values, teaching methods and classroom climate in a group of college undergraduates" (1990). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9110206.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9110206