Relationships Between Student Participation in the Classroom and the Classroom Climate

The quality of school work greatly depends on the level of involvement and participation of all individuals in the educational process. However, student participation in the educational process has not yet become part of educational practice. This led us to research the effects of actively involving students into the educational process on their perception of class climate. The sample consisted of 58 students from primary and secondary schools. Using the Flanders Analysis of Classroom Interaction, we observed eight hours of classes in each classroom and found that secondary students are most actively involved, while the least active in class are the eight grade primary school students. After observation, the students filled out a questionnaire that helped us evaluate their views on the classroom climate. Surprisingly, the classroom climate received a higher evaluation in classes with lower student participation and lower in classes where student participation was higher.