Connected Classroom Climate: A Validity Study

Abstract

Connected classroom climate, which focuses on the role of student–student communication in establishing a positive classroom climate, is a relatively new construct with the potential to enhance the understanding of classroom interaction. Results of this study support both the content and construct validity of Dwyer et al.'s (2004 Dwyer , K. K. , Bingham , S. G. , Carlson , R. E. , Prisbell , M. , Cruz , A. M. , & Fus , D. A. ( 2004 ). Communication and connectedness in the classroom: Development of the connected classroom climate inventory . Communication Research Reports , 21 , 264 – 272 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) Connected Classroom Climate Inventory as a measure of connected classroom climate. As expected, connected classroom climate was positively related to instructor nonverbal immediacy and student affective learning. Further, connected classroom climate contributed unique variance to affective learning beyond the contributions of instructor nonverbal immediacy. Recommendations for the future utility of this construct are discussed.