Dimensions of School Environment: Literature Reiew

(This piece is directly lifted from a paper I wrote on School environment. Readers may find it difficult to locate its context and background. The review identified some of the dimensions of school environment such as leadership, affiliation (collegial relationship), collegial support, resource adequacy, and student support.)

Pioneering works on school environment were done by Moos (1974). Moos’ studies on school environment followed after his studies on work environment in different places like hospital wards, prisons, military companies, university residences and work milieus. Through his work in a variety of environments, Moos (1974) developed the Work Environment Scale (WES) which was later modified to School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ) to make it suitable to study school environment (Fraser, Docker & Fisher, 1989).

Moos considered school solely in terms of the perceptions of their inhabitants in a framework of person-milieu interaction (Fraser & Rentoul, 1982). Moos viewed that the perceptions of the inhabitants are the raw materials in the measurement of environment, and contrasts with the use of direct observation techniques which report researchers' perspectives. It is within this framework that several studies using the school level environment questionnaire were conducted with the aim of improving the school environment. For example, Fisher and Fraser (1991) investigated 109 primary and high schools teachers’ perceptions of their school environments. They found that primary teachers held more favorable perceptions of their school environment than did high school teachers. Previously, Fisher and Fraser (1990) presented the validity and reliability of each of the SLEQ scales, and offered a case study that used the SLEQ to improve school environment. They indicated that school environment could be improved by harmonizing the level of teachers’ actual and ideal perceptions of their school environments. Furthermore, Dorman and Fraser (1996) used a modified SLEQ to investigate the differences between Catholic and government school environments. With a considerably large sample of 208 science and religion teachers from 32 schools, they maintained that Catholic school teachers viewed their schools as more empowering and higher on school climate in Indonesian Junior Secondary Schools than government school teachers did. More recently, Templeton and Johnson (1998) have employed the SLEQ to assess school environment of an urban school in the USA to clarify factors that play roles in developing a safer school environment. They indicated that teachers desired more student support, more resources and less work pressure as conditions of a “safer” school environment. In the Indonesian educational context, Irianto (2002) used the Indonesian version of the modified SLEQ to measure working environment at The Centre for Development and In-service for Science Teachers in Indonesia. He documented that trainers in this institution perceived positively their working environments on five scales, namely, Affiliation, Professional Interest, Mission Consensus, Empowerment, and Innovation and viewed less favorable Resource Adequacy and Work-Pressure scales.

Other studies have investigated the effect of leadership, collegial support, resource adequacy, and student support, on school environment. In the leadership aspect, Leithwood (1990) stated that leadership style is an important variable that shape a school environment and hence the teachers’ behavior. He advised school administrators to create an integrative environment where everybody in the school is made to feel important and everybody’s opinion is respected by involving all the teachers in the decision making process. He cautioned that when teachers are not part of the decision-making process they feel depersonalized, unsupported and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Such leadership practice he said creates a compartmentalized school environment where teachers are seen as separate working group from the administrators. On the other hand Al-Safran, Brown & Wiseman (2013) found that the integrative principal leadership style is found to encourage and create a cooperative school environment for better school outcome than schools with authoritative principals. They also stated that cooperation and collaboration among teachers takes place more in schools run by integrative principals than schools run by authoritative principals.

Collegial relationship, which in this study is referred to as ‘Affiliation’ is an important element of school environment. Fullan (2001) stated that a good relationships with colleagues results in a harmonious school atmosphere. Schonfeld (1990) studied the effect of social support from colleagues on teachers’ psychological symptoms of stress and job-related morale. He found that greater colleague support was significantly correlated with lower levels of depression, less psycho-physiologic symptoms, and greater job satisfaction. King and Peart (1992) also found that teachers who indicated good relationships with their colleagues tended to be highly satisfied with teaching. Jacobsson, Pousette & Thylfors (2001) reported a significant but low correlation between colleague support and emotional exhaustion, irritation, stress, and work demands. These results reinforced the beneficial effects of good relationships with colleagues and a harmonious school atmosphere, supporting Sarason’s (1993) contentions. Sarason maintained that good collegial conditions contributed to a healthy school environment, where teachers could grow and learn and where they could create and sustain conditions that were necessary for productive learning in their students.

Another variable of school environment widely investigated is student support. Unsupportive student behaviors have been repeatedly linked to negative school environments and teacher stress (Ingersol, 2003; Naylor, 2001; Wisniewski & Gargiulo, 1997). Schonfeld’s (1990) study indicated a strong correlation between student disruptive behavior and teacher depression and psychophysiologic symptoms. Charles and Senter cited in Ding, Li, Li and Kulm (2008) also reported that inappropriate student behavior impacts learning and teaching. It wastes classroom time, distracts students from learning and teachers from teaching, lessens students’ motivation and causes students’ and teachers’ stress. In a study done on 1386 secondary teachers working in Spanish schools, disruptive behavior has been found as a major source of teachers’ stress and annoyance (López, Santiago, Godas, Castro, Villardfrancos & Ponte, 2008). Furthermore, students’ disruptive behaviors can provoke negative feelings in teachers such as frustration and lack of confidence. As a result, teachers become too stressed to make the right decisions (Arbuckle & Little, 2004; Thompson & Webber, 2008). For instance, teachers sometimes give up on disruptive students, remove them from their classes and let others deal with them (Egyed and Short, 2006).

Resources have also been considered as an important element of school environment. Nelson & Simmons (2003) stated that when schools have adequate resources to meet work demands, manageability of the job is increased. On the other hand, inadequate resources will make work demands and pressures to be unmanageable (Taris, Peeters, LeBlanc, Schreurs & Schaufel, 2001). Hargreaves (1994) discussed the changing world of teaching where increased work demands are enhanced by reduced time, resources, and professional development opportunities. Drago, Caplan, Costanza, Brubaker, Cloud, Harris, Kashlan and Riggs (1999) suggested that the “doing more with less” was a mirroring of societal trends which place higher expectations and higher stress on employees. When circumstances at work prevent the acquisition of needed resources, Shirom (2003) theorized that stress is more likely and that the job demand-resource link is strongly related to emotional exhaustion. Naylor’s (2001) analysis of the qualitative data gathered on the work life of 1,500 teachers indicated that even the most basic resources were not adequately supplied. Some teachers spoke of purchasing their own supplies to meet students’ needs. Naylor reported that without needed resources teacher work load is increased, and their struggle to manage becomes more difficult.

As for local literature, there is paucity of research linking school environment and teachers behavior. Only few studies have emohasized on school environment. In his study on ‘Factors Affecting Effective Educational Organization in Bhutan’ Dorji (2009) suggested that for schools to function as affective organizations the employees (teachers) should function in a work environment conducive to outstanding productivity. He also points that administrative support; transparent leadership, good student behavior and positive school environment and teacher independence are factors that promote the morale of teachers thereby increasing their enthusiasm for their work. The Bhutan education blueprint (2014) states that during the focus group discussions, teachers expressed that poor working environment affected their motivation level. Together, both local and international literature suggests that the importance creating a positive school environment to facilitate improvement in teacher effectiveness.

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SAMTSE HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Grounded in the importance of school environment as an important factor influencing teachers’ performance, this study explores Samtse Higher Secondary School teachers’ perception of the level of the eight dimensions of school environment-student support, affiliation, professional interest, staff freedom, participatory decision making, innovation, resource adequacy, work pressure.  A survey questionnaire, School Level Environment Questionnaire built on a five point scale was administered to 29 teachers in the school. The data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means and standard deviations to indicate the levels of perception on the scale. The results revealed that out of the eight dimensions, teachers had average level of opinion towards student support, affiliation, professional interest, staff freedom, participatory decision making, innovation, low level of opinion towards resource adequacy and high level of opinion towards work pressure. The study found the need to improve all eight dimensions of the school environment. Recommendations were suggested to improve the school environment. The study was significant because feedback information based on teacher perceptions can be good basis for reflection upon, discussion of and systematic attempts to improve school environments.

KEY WORDS: School environment, Student support, Affiliation, Professional interest, Staff Freedom

A Study Of Factors Influencing Students’ Academic Performance In A Higher Secondary School In Bhutan: Published in the 16th Volume of RABSEL

Tshewang Rabgay

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting academic performance of the students of a higher secondary school in Bhutan. The dependent variable considered for the study was students’ academic performance, which was indicated by students’ test scores and the independent variables were students’ demographic characteristics, parents’ socio-economic status, parenting style and students’ learning and study strategy. The data were collected from 241 students of the school using two questionnaires­–Learning And Study Strategy Inventory and Baumrind’s Parenting Style’s Questionnaire. Correlation analysis, independent samples t-test and descriptive analysis were used to analyze data. The findings revealed that socio-economic factors such as parents’ education, income and occupation resulted in difference in academic performance but there was no difference in students’ academic performance based on students’ demographic variables like gender, age and living arrangements. Of the three parenting styles, namely authoritative, authoritarian and permissive, it was found that authoritative parenting results in better academic performance. The findings also revealed that students had average level learning and study skills. Recommendations were suggested to improve students’ academic performance.

KEY WORDS: Academic Performance, Socio-economic Status, Learning and Study Strategy, Parenting Style

Socio-cultural Factors Influencing Adolescent Girls’ Body Image

A Paper Presented at the 3rd Research Convention at SCE. 
Theme: Gender and Education
Abstract

Adolescence is associated with an increased concern for body image. Past studies have shown that body image concern is more in girls than boys which suggests that adolescent girls are more likely to be dissatisfied with their body than boys. Body image is influenced by many factors. This study aimed to explore the influence of socio-cultural factors-media, parents and peers on Samtse Higher Secondary School girls’ body image; and to determine the most influential factor among the three. The study also sought to find the level of body satisfaction of Samtse Higher Secondary School girls. A survey was conducted with 150 girls of the school. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired samples t-test and regression analysis. The results suggested that media and peers had significantly dominant influence on girls’ body image than parents. It was also found that most girls (50.6%) were dissatisfied with their body which was further confirmed by the significant difference (p-0.000) between girls’ perceived actual body image and ideal body image. The study recommended media literacy programs for both parents and adolescents to deal with the social and cultural pressures to conform to unrealistic body ideals. The study also recommended teachers and school counselor to conduct psycho-educational initiatives in the school such as body image sessions and group discussions to teach students to accept and appreciate their body as they are and to decrease their preoccupation with appearance. 

KEY WORDS: Adolescent girls, Body image, Sociocultural factors, Media, Parents,

Farewell Madam Jigme Lhamo

When the 2011 academic year began, there was news that a new teacher who was transferred from Zhemgang Higher Secondary School would soon be joining our school. In the past Samtse Higher Secondary School had received many new teachers. But when it was Madam Jigme Lhamo things were a little different. Madam's legacy traveled fast and reached the school even before madam joined the school. We heard of Madam JIgme being an excellent teacher and we were all relishing the prospect of having Madam Jigme in our school. Much to the delight of everybody in the school, Madam Jigme joined the School on February 2011.

Ever since Madam Jigme became a part of the teaching fraternity of the school there was a different vibe in the staff working culture. There was an aura of warmth and a sense of motherhood about her which added a new atmosphere in the staff room. Madam would facilitate collaborative work environment and team spirit among teachers. No wonder madam Jigme had positive attitude and outlook towards her profession. She would place students first in anything she does and would work tooth and nail to provide best education to students. Her profound knowledge in Biology and Chemistry compounded with excellent pedagogical flair made her one of the finest and revered teachers in the school.

Madam Jigme giving a speech during the farewell dinner 

But this year the news of madam's decision to leave the school surprised us all. Madam Jigme's transfer will definitely create a void in the teaching fraternity of the school. We will be loosing a seasoned, respected and a teacher who is no less than a mother.

In the send-off dinner organized for Madam Jigme by the school, the Principal said 'We would like to have madam in the school but there is nothing much we could do to retain madam.' Addressing the staff that night Madam Jigme said 'Wherever we (referring to teachers) go we have just one role to play-to educate students. Even if I leave Samtse HSS, I will be joining a new school and will continue to educate students. For us teachers, place really doesn't matter. And my departure from the school wouldn't make any difference because we have many competnent and enterprising teachers in the school. I am sure in the hands of these capable teachers the school will only get better' We offered her so many earnest compliments but she wouldn't take any of them. She modestly said 'If I have done anything good to the school, it is not my effort alone. It is the concerted effort of all the teachers'

We wish madam fulfilling years ahead. Your excellent mind, fine work ethic, and your integrity will serve you well throughout your life. We will sorely miss you.

Farewell Madam.