Chapter 16: Learning Environments, Teacher Interpersonal Behavior, and Students’ Attitudinal Outcomes in Science Classrooms: A Turkish Context

The study investigated two aspects of classroom environment, namely learning environment and interpersonal teacher behavior in science classrooms. A total of 722 eighth-grade students participated in the study. Results indicated Turkish science teachers run their classes with fairly strong leadership, accompanied by a helpful/friendly, and understanding behavior coupled with fairly strict behavior. Also a positive relationship was observed between the students’ perception of their science teachers’ interpersonal behaviors and their learning environment. Girls perceived their learning environments positively and viewed their teachers as displaying more leadership with helpful/friendly, and understanding behaviors on the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) than do boys.