Review in Psychology Research September 2014, Volume 3, Issue 3, PP.27‐36
Validation of A Learning Environment Instrument in Tertiary Foreign Language Classrooms in China Zheng Li College of International Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
Abstract This study validated the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI) in the context of Chinese tertiary education, which has not been investigated before. The research sample included 4617 first-year undergraduate students (116 classes) in two Chinese universities. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted. Data analysis shows that the CUCEI has robust validity and reliability after six items being deleted. The final solution of the CUCEI performs well for the Chinese sample at tertiary schools, which suggests that the CUCEI is a promising instrument for assessing learning environment at Chinese university, and can be further applied for empirical studies of Chinese higher education. Keywords: CUCEI; Higher Education; Validation; Learning Environment Instrument; CFA
Moos (1973; 1974) classified human environments by three basic types of dimensions: 1) relationship dimensions, which identify the nature and measure the intensity of personal relationships within the environment, and assess the extent to which people are involved in the social interaction within the context and support and help each other; 2) personal development dimensions, which identify the basic directions and measure the quality of personal growth and self-enhancement within the environment; 3) system maintenance and system change dimensions, which assess the extent to which the environment is clear in expectations, maintains orderly control, and is responsive to change. The learning environment of a classroom is the ecological system of personal relationships and sum of activities, actions and interactions in the classroom community. Research (e.g., Evans, Harvey, Buckley, & Yan, 2009; Fraser, 1989; Matsumura, Slater, & Crosson, 2008; Taylor, Fraser, & Fisher, 1997) has shown that the learning environment in classrooms can be conceptualized and measured; different sub-groups within classrooms may have different perceptions of the learning environment; and students’ perceptions of the classroom environment have effects on student academic, cognitive and affective outcomes, attitude, self-concepts and physical and psychological wellbeing. Specifically, a positive classroom learning environment is closely related to students’ enhanced academic achievement, constructive learning experiences, and reduced emotional problems; while a negative classroom climate is associated with undesirable educational outcomes (Fraser, 1991; Gazelle, 2006; Matsumura et al., 2008; Teodorovic, 2011). Researchers have developed a large number of instruments for assessing classroom environment (e.g., Fraser, 1990; Fraser, Fisher, & McRobbie, 1996; Moos & Trickett, 1987; Taylor et al., 1997; Walberg & Anderson, 1968), however, there has been only one classroom environment instrument which was uniquely developed and widely acknowledged for use in classrooms within postsecondary and tertiary settings: College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (Fraser & Treagust, 1986; Fraser, Treagust, & Dennis, 1986). The reliability and validity of College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI) have been documented to be robust (Fraser & Treagust, 1986; Fraser et al., 1986; Logan, Crump, & Rennie, 2006; Nair & Fisher, 2000a, 2000b, 2001) and applied for assessing classroom climate in numerous tertiary education research (Coll, Taylor, & Fisher, 2002; Dorman, 2012; Joiner, Malone, & Haimes, 2002; Logan, 2007; Strayer, 2012). However, the CUCEI has not been tested in mainland China; hence this study is designed to focus on the validity and reliability of the CUCEI for measuring - 27 www.ivypub.org/rpr