Connected Classroom Climate: A Validity Study

Abstract

Connected classroom climate, which focuses on the role of student–student communication in establishing a positive classroom climate, is a relatively new construct with the potential to enhance the understanding of classroom interaction. Results of this study support both the content and construct validity of Dwyer et al.'s (2004) Connected Classroom Climate Inventory as a measure of connected classroom climate. As expected, connected classroom climate was positively related to instructor nonverbal immediacy and student affective learning. Further, connected classroom climate contributed unique variance to affective learning beyond the contributions of instructor nonverbal immediacy. Recommendations for the future utility of this construct are discussed.

Keywords:

• Affective Learning
• Connected Classroom Climate
• Nonverbal Immediacy
• Validity

Notes

Note. All parameter estimates are unstandardized estimates. Standard errors appear in parentheses. All estimates were significant at p < .01. Items denoted with an asterisk were not retained in the scale for correlation and regression analyses.

Note. Connected Classroom Climate Instrument (CCCI) is the revised 13-item version.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Danette Ifert Johnson

Danette Ifert Johnson (PhD, Northwestern University, 1994) is a professor in the Department of Speech Communication at Ithaca College.