Environment‐‐Attitude Associations in the Chemistry Laboratory Classroom

Abstract

Associations between students’ perceptions of their chemistry laboratory classroom environment and their attitudes towards chemistry were investigated using a sample of 1592 final year secondary school chemistry students in 56 classes in 28 randomly‐selected coeducational government schools in Singapore. Students’ perceptions of their chemistry laboratory learning environment were assessed using the Chemistry Laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI), which is a modified version of the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI). The Questionnaire on Chemistry‐related Attitudes (QOCRA), a modified form of the Test of Science‐Related Attitudes (TOSRA), was used to assess the students’ attitudes to chemistry. Environment‐attitude associations were explored using three methods of correlational analysis (simple, multiple and canonical) and two units of statistical analysis (the individual and the class mean). Significant associations were found between the nature of the chemistry laboratory classroom environment and the students’ attitudinal outcomes.