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Perspectives of Classroom Environments

A substantial literature exists about teachers' and learners' perspectives about classroom environments. Fraser (1996) reviewed a number of studies that found discrepancies between teachers' perceived, and students' preferred, classroom environments. For example, teachers perceived a more positive class environment than did their students in a sample of 116 classes and their 56 teachers in Tasmania.

This is consistent with Hargreaves's (1996) view that, although teachers experience the same classroom environment as their students, the teachers' experiences are not the same as their students. 'They see the classroom from another place than their students: a place of power, authority and … privilege' (Hargreaves, 1996, p. 14). In a study of school restructuring, Hargreaves found that teachers appeared to like the new cohort structure, whereas students did not. Teachers mentioned issues such as being better able to know their students and work together with other teachers towards students' learning outcomes. Students said that they disliked being stuck with the same people, teachers and other students all year.

Mismatches between teachers' and students' perceptions also occur in relation to lesson content. For example, Tasker (1992) reported the comprehensive Learning in Science Project in New Zealand, which highlighted the influence of learners' existing conceptions and perceptions of the lesson in achieving conceptual change (see also Osborne & Freyberg, 1980; Tasker, 1981; Tasker & Freyberg, 1985; Tasker & Osborne, 1983). Tasker drew attention to a 'gap' that seemed to exist between teachers and students. He concluded, 'Often what I observed was in effect two lessons, the teacher's and the learner's' (Tasker, 1992, p. 28), and suggested possible mismatches between teachers' and learners' views of what a lesson is all about, including its purpose, procedures and outcomes. Mismatches between students and their teachers in understandings about broad-scale goals, purposes, objectives and outcomes, or smaller-scale strategies and task requirements, might lead to unrealistic expectations, inappropriate strategies, and less than optimal teaching-learning transactions (Winne & Marx, 1980). Alternatively, identifying conditions that facilitate parity between teachers' and learners' understandings has the potential to prescribe features that will maximise learning (Rohrkemper, 1985; Trigwell, Prosser, & Taylor, 1994).

References
Fraser, B. (1996). 'Research on classroom and school climate.' In D. L. Gabel (Ed.), Handbook of research on science teaching and learning (pp. 493-531). New York: Macmillan.

Hargreaves, A. (1996). 'Revisiting voice.' Educational Researcher, 25, 12-19.

Osborne, R. & Freyberg, P. (Eds.) (1980). Learning in science: The implications of children's science. Auckland: Heinemann.

Rohrkemper, M. (1985). 'Individual differences in students' perceptions of routine classroom events.' Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, 29-44.

Tasker, R. (1981). 'Children's views and classroom experiences.' The Australian Science Teachers Journal, 27(3), 33-37.

Tasker, R. (1992). 'Effective teaching: What can a constructivist view of learning offer?' The Australian Science Teachers Journal, 38(1), 25-34.

Tasker, R. & Freyberg, P. (1985). 'Facing the mismatches in the classroom.' In R. Osborne & P. Freyberg (Eds.), Learning in science (pp. 66-80). Auckland: Heinemann.

Tasker, R. & Osborne, R. (1983). 'Portraying pupils' classroom experiences.' Research in Science & Technological Education, 1, 133-144.

Trigwell, K., Prosser, M., & Taylor, P. (1994). 'Qualitative differences in approaches to teaching first year university science.' Higher Education, 27, 75-84.

Winne, P. H. & Marx, R. W. (1980). 'Matching students' cognitive responses to teaching skills.' Journal of Educational Psychology, 78, 257-264.