Published: Supportive climates and science achievement in the Nordic countries

This study uses 2015 PISA data to examine the impact of a supportive climate using four aspects: teacher support, fairness, feedback, and class discipline. The results accentuate the importance of understanding supportive climates in a broader sense and the pertinence of stronger teacher–student relationships in enhancing educational outcomes.

The study was part of a special issue on leveraging large-scale assessments for effective and equitable school practices. The special issue specifically focused on the Nordic countries.

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Abstract

Teacher-student interactions are crucial in understanding the role of a supportive climate in instructional practices. The present study investigates the perceptions of 15-year-old Nordic students regarding four aspects of their science class: teacher support, fairness, feedback, and class discipline. Multilevel modelling analysis is used to examine the extent to which a perceived supportive climate can explain variation in the Nordic students’ science achievements. Overall, the main findings based on The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 data from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden indicate that at the student level, perceived feedback from teachers and students perceiving their teachers as fair explains significant variations in science achievement. The study provides practical and theoretical implications about the importance of strong teacher-student relationships in comprehending the concept of a supportive climate.

Citation

Rohatgi, A., Hatlevik, O.E. & Björnsson, J.K. Supportive climates and science achievement in the Nordic countries: lessons learned from the 2015 PISA study. Large-scale Assess Educ 10, 12 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-022-00123-x

Publisert 7. sep. 2022 11:08 - Sist endret 7. sep. 2022 11:08