ORGANIZATIONAL AND SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF URBAN LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

This study takes as its theoretical basis the models of Murray and Stern, Getzels and Thelen which hold that institutional characteristics interact in schools and determine student learning. Data obtained through observation, interview and completion of the Learning Climate Inventory (LCI) are provided by 867 teachers in 30 elementary and secondary schools. Analysis of the data revealed inter alia that (i) learning environments with 20–85 percent open instructional space contained 25–50 percent more instructional modes, student grouping patterns, team teaching and controlled student movement in the classrooms; (ii) teachers in learning environments with at least 20 percent open instructional space viewed the learning climate as significantly more open on four of five LCI factors; (iii) learning climate is generally more open in schools where student achievement is classed as high; (iv) the larger the school the more closed the learning climate tended to be; (v) teachers in schools with more frequent human relations programs perceived greater freedom to teach.