CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AND APPROACHES TO LEARNING - AN INVESTIGATION OF THE ACTUAL AND PREFERRED PERCEPTIONS OF HONG-KONG SECONDARY-SCHOOL STUDENTS

This study is based on the responses of 180 Form 3 Hong Kong secondary students to preferred and actual forms of Chinese versions of the Classroom Environment Scale (Moos & Trickett 1974) and Learning Process Questionnaire (Biggs 1987) with reference to their Science classes. The data tended to support qualitative research indicating that Hong Kong secondary school students perceive their classroom to be relatively competitive and teacher controlled and as encouraging rote learning. The students tended to prefer a friendlier atmosphere where students and teachers collaborated to provide a greater variety of interesting but challenging activities. Such a learning environment, the students indicated, would tend to promote the deeper, more achievement- oriented approach to learning that they would prefer. The relationship was strongest between preferred deep approach and preferred learning environment. Some implications for improvement of student learning are discussed.