A Second – Order Factor Analysis of the Classroom Learning

Abstract

Introduction. Learning environment in the classroom consists of components such as clarity of the rules and the expectations, rewards and encouragement, teacher skills, high expectations, class participation, student-teacher relationships, school-family relationships, group norms, teacher-teacher relationships, teacher-principal relationships, and physical environment. Moos (1979) states that positive learning environment has a character. To him if it is possible to describe characteristics of an individual it is possible to describe the characteristics of the environment. Social environment can be characterized as warm, supportive, strict or restrictive likewise personality characteristics of individuals.Classrooms are accepted to be important environments in making students academically successful (Baek & Choi, 2002). According to Fraser and Fisher (1982) there is a strong relationship between perceptions of learning environment and learning outputs of students. Classroom learning environment plays an important role in forming expected learning outputs. The topic of effects of classroom learning environment on achievement has been a field of interest for the researchers (Dorman, 2002; Baek & Choi, 2002; Açıkgöz, Özkal, & Kılıç, 2003; Mumcu, 2008). The findings especially related to the fact that positive classroom learning environment is important in increasing achievement (Dorman, Fraser & McRobbie, 1997) and instructors are effective on classroom learning environment (Köse & Küçükoğlu, 2009) have been shown by the research studies. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to test validity and reliability of Classroom Learning Environment Scale and to try to explain the effects of classroom learning environment on achievement using second order factor analysis. Moreover, another purpose was to investigate the differences and similarities of instructors' views of classroom learning environment depending on their gender and their titles. Method. The study group consisted of 372 academic staff working in public universities in seven regions of Turkey. In order to gather data scale technique was used. Classroom learning environment scale was first developed by Moos & Trickett (1974, 1987). Kısakürek (1985) was the first one to adapt this scale into Turkish. The last form of the scale was formed by the researchers based on the general dimensions contained in Kısakürek's (1985) scale. In the statistical analyzes of the scale data SPSS 13.00 which is a statistical package was used and in the confirmatory factor analysis modeling LISREL 8.54 was used. The reliability of the variables used in order to measure the classroom learning environment was measured by Cronbach Alpha coefficient which is known as internal consistency coefficient. In order to search for the construct validity confirmatory factor analysis was utilized in this study. Results.According to the first order confirmatory factor analysis, classroom learning environment scale consists of seven dimensions (teacher support, relationships, lesson arrangement, task orientation, in-class rules, innovation, and familiarity) and 24 items. Having done the factor analysis it was revealed that the explanation ratio of the total variance was 60.105%; variances related to the dimensions were 13.799%, 25.428%, 33.431%, 41.048%, 47.989%, 54.169, and 60.105% respectively. Factor loading of items changed from .515 to -.956. Goodness of fit indexes were found as follows: RMSEA=.054, GFI=0.98, AGFI=0.96, NFI=0.98, CFI=0.99, SRMR=0.032, and RMR=0.017. The first order confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the goodness of fit indexes of the items show the model has a good fitness. The second order factor analysis which was conducted in order to better assess the first order factor analysis of seven dimensions and to summarize the classroom learning environment dimensions of the faculty members (Hair et al., 1998) showed that the two factor model fits well statistically into the data (Byrne, 1995). Teacher support, relationships, and familiarity dimensions were involved in the first factor of the second order factor model. This new factor was named as “development.” Lesson arrangement, task orientation, in-class rules, and innovation dimensions consisted of the second factor of the second order factor model. This new factor was named as “system permanence”. Conclusion. The classroom learning environment scale consists of seven factors and the factors are namely teacher support, relationships, lesson arrangement, task orientation, in-class rules, innovation, and familiarity. In terms of the results of this study instructors think that innovation, lesson arrangement, and the teacher support are more important than the other dimensions. The second order confirmatory factor analysis showed that two factor model fits statistically better into the data. There is a strong and a positive relationship between development factor and the system permanence factor.For the effects of classroom environment on achievement, male instructors find forming relations with students more important than their women counterparts. However, female instructors think that the lesson arrangement is more effective on achievement. When the titles are taken into account there is no significant difference between the views of the faculty members and the instructors.

Keywords

• academic staff , class climate , exploratory factor analysis confirmatory factor analysis , second order factor analysis

Üniversitelerde Sınıf Öğrenme Çevresinin İkinci Mertebeden Faktör Analizi

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Moos ve Trickett (1974, 1987) tarafından hazırlanmış, Kısakürek (1985) tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanmış ve araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilmiş Sınıf Öğrenme Çevresi Ölçeği'nin geçerliğini ve güvenirliğini test etmek ve sınıf ikliminin başarıya etkisine ait faktörleri ikinci mertebeden faktör analizi ile açıklamaya çalışmaktır. Ayrıca öğretim elemanlarının cinsiyete ve unvana göre sınıf öğrenme çevresine etkisindeki faktörlere yönelik görüşleri arasındaki farklılık veya benzerlikleri araştırmaktır. Veri toplama aracı olarak kullanılan ölçek 372 öğretim elemanına uygulanmıştır. Araştırmadan elde edilen verilerin istatistiksel çözümlemeleri için t – testi, açıklayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizi, ikinci mertebeden faktör analizi kullanılmıştır. Birinci mertebeden faktör analizi sonucunda sınıf öğrenme çevresini belirleyen yedi faktör (öğretim üyesi desteği, ilişkiler, ders düzeni, öğretim üyesinin derse yöneltmesi, kuralların belirginliği, yenilik ve yakınlık) bulunmuştur. Bulunan yedi faktörden özet bir yorum sağlamak amacıyla ikinci mertebe faktör analizi yapılmış, sırasıyla gelişim ve sistemin devamlılığı faktörleri elde edilmiştir. Öğretim elemanlarının sınıf öğrenme çevresine göre görüşleri ders düzeni ve ilişkiler boyutlarında anlamlı farklılık göstermektedir. Diğer boyutlarda anlamlı farklılık tespit edilmemiştir. Öğretim elemanlarının unvanlarına göre değerlendirmede ise görüşler arasında anlamlı farklılık elde edilememiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• öğretim elemanı , sınıf iklimi , açıklayıcı faktör analizi , doğrulayıcı faktör analizi , ikinci mertebeden faktör analizi

Kaynakça

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