Goals and values in school: a model developed for describing, evaluating and changing the social climate of learning environments

Abstract

This paper defines a broad model of the psychosocial climate in educational settings. The model was developed from a general theory of learning environments, on a theory of human values and on empirical studies of children's evaluations of their schools. The contents of the model are creativity, stimulation, achievement, self-efficacy, creativity, safety, control, helpfulness, participation, responsibility and influence; they are hypothesised to be structured in a circular model. The contents are defined and related to existing theories and research in education, special education, educational psychology and sociology, on the basis of reviews of literature. The model underlies the Goals, Attitudes and Values in School questionnaire, developed to assess the characteristics of educational settings. The model can be a practical tool in understanding and appreciating differences between learning environments in research and assessment and it could represent a guideline for interventions aimed to analyse and improve the social climate of learning environments. Definition and rationale of social climateThe social climate in educational settings is shaped by the relationships between teachers and students, and between students. The quality, quantity and directions of these relationships influence the social climate, affecting further students' self-concept, motivation and performance (Fraser 1986). Learning environment research has showed that quantitative and qualitative aspects of educational settings can be described and

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