Students' Perception of the Condition of Their Classroom Physical Learning Environment and Its Impact on Their Learning and Motivation.

Abstract

This study examined the perception of secondary school students on the condition of their classroom physical learning environment and its impact on their learning and motivation. Four research questions were asked and answered using descriptive statistics while three hypotheses were formulated and tested using t-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Findings emerging from data analysis revealed that private school students differed significantly in their perception on the condition of their classroom physical learning environment than public school students. There was no significant difference between the perception of male and female students on the condition of their classroom physical learning environment. A significant difference existed between the perception of urban and rural school students on the condition of their classroom physical learning environment. The finding further revealed that the condition of classroom physical learning environment had great impact on students' learning and motivation including the motivation to actively participate in academic activities; it can influence their personal behavior and their school attendance. The study concluded by recommending that government and other education stakeholders should give priority attention to creating positive learning environment in schools for students' successful learning and academic development. Keywords: Classroom condition, environment, learning, motivation, physical, students Introduction The school is an established institution for the formal education and socialization of citizens of any society. Students acquire relevant knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and competencies needed for useful living in the society through the education process in school. The classroom is the meeting point for students and teachers where teaching and learning takes place. The classroom is a critical focus for pupil's inter-personal and educational development (Piece, 1994). Students' impression about their classroom can have positive or negative impact on their learning. They are able to perceive the nature of their classroom environment and their perception affects their attitude towards learning. Anekwe (2006) viewed a learning environment as consisting of all the physical sensory elements such as colour, lighting, space, social, furniture that characterized the place in which students are expected to learn. Anekwe cited in Nwanekezi and Iruloh (2012) highlighted the learning environment as: * The complete make up of the parts of the home or centre used for caring for children which include the space, how it is arranged and furnished, routines, equipment and other materials * All the variables involved in the physical, social and psychological context of learning * The physical or virtual setting in which learning takes place * An environment that instigates the education of the learners that are involved. The physical environment of a school include buildings, classroom furniture, equipments, instructional materials, laboratories, libraries, play ground (Obong et al, 2010). Other features that make the school physical environment are machinery, decorative objects, swimming pools, audio-visual equipments and play fields (Mckay, 1964). The physical environment implies the physical location, buildings, furniture, infrastructural facilities, space and equipment for effective teaching and learning. The classroom physical learning environment is the classroom surrounding including the spatial arrangement of furniture, walls, ceiling, chalk board, lighting, fittings, decorative and all the physical enablers of teaching and learning in the classroom. Conducive classroom physical environment is an agent of intellectual stimulation and important factor in strengthening the child's educational development. The factors that determine success of the educational process include nature of the school, teacher's attitude and pupils' characteristics (Ukeje, Akabogu and Ndu, 1992). …