Student perceptions of teacher-student interpersonal behaviour and cultural factors of learning environment in metropolitan and country schools

Abstract

This paper reports the findings from a study of 2,176 students in 103 science classrooms in Western Australia and Queensland. Two questionnaires, the Questionnaire of Teacher Interaction and the Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire were used with attitudinal and concept understanding measures to collect data from schools from geographically diverse locations, namely, metropolitan, rural and remote areas. The paper provides information on the differences that occur between three locations, for example, in their understanding of science concepts, metropolitan students scored less than rural students who scored less than provincial students; and associations between students' culturally sensitive learning environment and their attitudes and student understanding of science concepts were found in that more positive student attitudes were associated with more equitable treatment, competition and congruence between school and home.