Articles

Child and Youth Care Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Their Learning Environment: A Qualitative Course-Based Study

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This course-based inquiry, situated within the interpretivist paradigm, explored how child and youth care (CYC) students at MacEwan University perceive their learning environment. A purposive non-probability sampling strategy was used to recruit participants from all four years of the CYC program. A triangulated data-collection approach was used to ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of the findings by drawing on multiple data-sources. Participants were given the option to participate in an online survey or an online interview. Both options included an art-based activity component. Four overarching themes were identified during the thematic analysis: (a) a peaceful shore, a place to anchor; b) together we stand, united we thrive; c) we share this theatre together; and d) taught me to be open and cry without flinching.

Effects of Laboratory Learning Environment on Students’ Academic Achievement in Chemistry in Senior Secondary Schools

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Chemistry is often regarded as a difficult subject by the students. Learning environment is the diverse physical locations, contexts and cultures in which students learn. This study looked at the effect of chemistry laboratory learning environment on student Academic Achievement in chemistry. A satisfied random sampling technique was used to select students from the six (6) educational zones in Anambra State. A total of 300 chemistry students from the six (6) educational zones in Anambra State were sampled. Quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) with reliability coefficient of 0.82 using Kuder Richardon – 21 and Chemistry Laboratory Learning Environment Inventory (CLLEI) with a reliability coefficient of 0.85 using Cronch alpha were used for data gathering Mean, Standard Deviation. t-test was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the chemistry laboratory learning environment has a significant effect on students’ academic achievement in chemistry. An environment has an effect on the academic achievement of the students. Also there is a significant difference between students’ preferred and actual chemistry laboratory learning environments in terms of students’ open-endedness, cohesiveness, material, integration, rule clarity. The results also indicated that there is no significance difference or male and female students in the way they perceived the same laboratory learning environment. It is recommended that students should be given the opportunity to work cooperatively, provided with frequent laboratory activities. Better conducive laboratory learning environment will yield better academic achievement in chemistry.