(a) Evaluate the school learning environment through 3case studies
(b) How to use the software, SPSS, to analyse the data to determine if there is significant
difference between the preferred and actual perceptions for each scale in the questionnaire
(c) How to write a project report on the assessment of a learning environment
(d) Group assignment : To write a project report on the assessment of a learning environment
Reflections
We shared the group work carried out the previous day on assessing the school environment based on 3 case studies. There were some teachers who felt School A was a positive environment because of the strong discipline and emphasis on academic achievemnt. They felt that that were imprtant issues that needed to be put in place. I agree that discipline is an improtant issue. In fact I wrote on it in my second entry in Dr Quek's blog for session 1. Hoever, in this particular case study, I felt that the school had already established the discipline and academic results and that it was long overdue that they had stopped being one sidded in their education and had moved on to providing a holistic education and creating a nurturing environment. Both teachers and pupils were unhappy in the school and I felt that if the situation had continued on, before long, negative repercussions would start manifesting. Unfortunately, parents only see the good academic record and have no idea that the school environment was not one of learning and growing but of drilling for examinations only.
We then discussed the importance of Cronbach alpha coefficient and the paired sample T Test.
Cronbach alpha reliability
(1) To see if the items you use in the survey gives responses that are similar among all the
participants as well as in different situations.
(2) Why may the item not be reliable (have a low cronbach alpha reliability) :
(i) did not understand statement
(ii) interpretation of statement
(iii) may not be culturally suitable
(3) Reliability above 0.5. However, 0.9 is not considered good as the item is too "ideal" and not realistic.
Paired Sample T Test
To determine if the difference between two samples (pre and post results) are significant or not. Significance level can be set at 95% or 97%. At 95% significance level, the hypothesis is that any result that gives a T test that is less than 0.05 means that the difference between the two samples is significant.
In terms of the assessment of the learning environment, T-test scores less than 0.05 for a 95% significance level means that the difference between the preferred and actual perceptions of the students is significant and so intervention measure should be planned and carried out to close this gap between preferred and actual so as to create a conducive learning environment.
Once the intervention measures are carried out, the survey should be done again to ensure that the intervention had been appropriate to address this area of concern.
The next step as to use the SPSS softare to calculate the paired sample T test for the survey we had carried out the previous day.
Dr Quek talked us through how to write a report using a sample report.
We then worked on our project. We used the data we collected and the analysis we had made over the 2 days and wrote a project report.
Writing a report
Cover page
Abstract
Introduction
Lit review
Key words
Research questions - (i) learn more about the learning envt
- (ii) are the differences significant
Metodology - Sample size
- Instrument used
- Procedure
Findings - Tables - x3
Use only 3 lines in table
Table 1 : What the scales are about and what the items are
Table 2 : Cronbach's alpha reliability for each item (preferred and actual) for
each scale
Table 3 : Mean, Std dev and Item mean
- Line Graph -x1
(a) Item Mean against Items for both preferred and actual (2 line curves)
(b) Purpose of graph (i) study trend
(ii) see pre and post results for comparison
If there is no sig diff, add the 2 means and divide by 2 and get one point
If there is a sig diff, plot both means.
Analysis of results
Conclusion - main findings
- gaps to address
- recommendations
References -Book : Name of book in italics
- Journal : Name of article in journal in italics / Name of journal not in italics
Volume of journal in italics
Word, "page" or "pg" not used. Just write the number range
Report should be (a) 3-4 pages
(b) Spacing - 1.5
At first I wondered what was the point of writing a project report as report writing was our first module and this module was on classroom learning environment and not report writing. It was only later tonight, when I was writing the rationale for the group report that I realized that the point was not to teach us how to write a report but the report was the assessment product to detemine if
(a) we had read enough on the topic - Lit review
(b) we understood the meaning of learning environments and the importance of assessing the
learning environment so that we can create one that is the most conducive to pupils learning
as it meets the pupils' needs - Introduction, Rationale
(c) we know how to assess a learning environment
(i) know the methodology for assessing the learning environment - Sample size,
Instrument and Procedure
(ii) know how to use the software, SPSS, to find the Cronbach's apha coeeficient and the
paired sample T Test and understand their importance - Findings, Analysis
A great way to test our understanding instead of giving us the traditional test.
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