Using short forms of classroom climate instruments to assess and improve classroom psychosocial environment

Abstract Despite international interest in research in the area of classroom environment, very little attention has been given to exploring how science teachers might apply ideas from the field of classroom environment in guiding practical improvements in science classrooms. In order to facilitate science teachers' use of classroom climate assessments, we developed economical short forms of the Classroom Environment Scale (CES), Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ), and My Class Inventory (MCI) which contain only approximately 25 items each and which are amenable to easy hand scoring. When each instrument was administered to a large sample of science classes, results supported each scale's internal consistency reliability, discriminant validity, and ability to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. The methods for improving classrooms are illustrated by reporting some case studies of change attempts. For example, when the CES was used in an attempt to improve the environment of a ninth grade science class, the steps followed were, first, assessment of actual and preferred classroom environment in order to identify discrepancies between actual and preferred environment and, second, introducing interventions aimed at reducing these discrepancies. The interesting finding was that significant improvements occurred for the two dimensions on which change had been attempted.