MED858: REFLECTIONS ON LE INSTRUMENTS

MODIFYING LE INSTRUMENTS

When we want to use Learning Environment Instruments to assess our teaching and learning among our students, we have to be mindful that we do not take the instruments wholesale. We must be prepared to modify or even take out some of the survey questions. Some of the factors that lead to the requirement for modifying or taking out the questions are as follows.

Students from different level and stream would have different level of understanding of the survey questions. So we have to be careful to use simpler language for students in Upper Secondary Vs students in Lower Secondary, and students in the Normal Technical Stream Vs students in the Express Stream. Besides the using simpler language, the total number of items must also be pegged to their level. For secondary school students, I believe 30 questions should be the average number, plus or minus from 30 to suit the different groups of students.

Our students come from different cultural and socio-political background. As such we have to be sensitive to the norms and expectations in our local context. So questions like “It’s OK for me to speak up for my rights” would not be appropriate.

This reminds me of some misunderstand created due to the different understanding of the word “stroke” in different parts of the world. This GCE “O” Level Biology subject specialist set a Biology Practical question that required the candidate to stroke a feather before drawing it; stroke it using the pointing finger and thumb. In some parts of India, the people there understood “stroke” as using the cricket bat to hit the ball. So it quite hilarious when the candidates there were all hitting the feathers against the laboratory bench!

SCALES AND ITEMS

A LE instrument consists of scales and items. So in the WHIHIC, the total of 7 scales would have covered all aspects of the classroom environment. Each scale would have 8 items, but it is not necessary to have an equal number of items to cover each scale. Some items or survey questions could be taken out due to reasons mentioned in my reflection MODIFYING LE INSTRUMENTS. It may be possible to take out a scale in a research study, though it would be more comprehensive if all of the 3 basic types of human environmental dimensions are covered.
I am now clearer that with regard to my last blog: some the 7 instruments are used to measure outcomes, such as achievement tests.

FROM CLASS ENVIRONMENT TO SCHOOL ENVIROMENT

I getting to appreciate better the uses of Learning Environment as this module progressed from class learning environment to school environment. In class, we need to know what is happening, and if we try to do things differently, then what would change. If things changed, then is that a positive or negative change? Research studies in LE thus give us the necessary vocabulary to describe our LE and thus increase our understanding of LE. Then we can use LE instruments to give some form of measurement. What we cannot measure, we cannot manage. If we want to manage our weight, we must have a weighing machine to tell us if we diet or exercise regime is working. If we want to teach more effectively by doing something special, we must have an LE instrument to gauge the “before” and “after” status of the LE due to that something special.

The question posed “Would you put your child in that school?” really brings out the importance of research studies on LEs. Parents want to know which school provides a more conducive LE or their children. MOE needs to know if human and financial resources pumped into the school to create a LE is effectively moulding the future of our nation. When MOE gives awards like the Best Practice Awards, the CHERISH Award, the LKY NE Award, there must be an objective way of assessing the LEs, besides just looking at the KPIs. Thus the uses of LE instruments.