STUDENT EVALUATION OF CLINICAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT

Empirical Investigations of the Traditional Classroom Learning Environment
A number of instruments have been developed to measure the traditional classroom
learning environment. However, the majority have focused on elementary and secondary school
environments. In the last 25 years, the majority of published instruments addressing the
traditional classroom environment have been quantitative assessments of student perceptions of
the environment. However, one recently published instrument was designed to evaluate the
learning environment from an observer’s perspective. Recently, McNamara and Jolly (1994)
developed the Classroom Situation Checklist as part of a more extensive assessment tool to
investigate inappropriate student behavior in elementary school classrooms. The checklist was
developed in response to the authors’ observation that classroom environment factors often
contribute to student behavior problems. Three categories of factors compose the checklist:
1. Organizational factors: student entry/exit, seating and social grouping,
distractions / interruptions, equipment, lesson activities and transitions, and material
distribution,
2. Teaching interaction factors: classroom rules, personal comments, use of questions
and rhetorical questions, reprimanding, and supervision,
3. Pupil/curriculum factors: pupils unclear about tasks, pupils uninterested, unfairness,
pupils unable to complete an assigned task, pupils waiting.
An outside observer completes the checklist after one or more classroom observations.
The observer provides evidence (description) of the effects of the above factors on the classroom
environment and the possible impact on a particular student’s behavior. This information as well
as suggestions for managing the environment is then provided to the instructor. No information
related to tool validity or reliability or to the effectiveness of the Classroom Situation Checklist
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