Purpose

The Classroom Environment Scale (CES) aims to investigate the psychological and social climate of the classroom, as it is experienced by students themselves. The instrument is used for research, counseling, and educational purposes, with the goal of understanding and improving teaching and learning conditions in lower secondary education (Gymnasium).

Brief Description

The scale consists of 24 statements and requires approximately 15 minutes to complete. The statements are organized into six distinct subscales, each comprising four items. The subscales are: Involvement, Affiliation, Teacher Support, Task Orientation, Order and Organization, and Rule Clarity.

Sample

The Greek version of the scale was standardized on a sample of 1,442 students in the fourth grade of Gymnasium (equivalent to 9th grade), with participants proportionally distributed in terms of gender, geographic region, and socioeconomic status.

Scoring Method

Responses are given on a five-point Likert scale, where 1 indicates “Strongly disagree” and 5 indicates “Strongly agree.” The score for each subscale is derived from the sum of the corresponding four statements. Higher scores indicate more positive perceptions regarding that particular dimension of the classroom climate.

Validity

The CES demonstrates high face and construct validity, as well as a satisfactory internal structure. The six subscales emerged through detailed factor analysis procedures and cover essential aspects of the school environment. Construct validity is further supported by correlations between the subscales and relevant psychosocial indicators.

Reliability

The internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) for the subscales range from 0.70 to 0.90, indicating a high level of reliability. In addition, test-retest reliability on a subsample of participants showed significant measurement stability over time.

Main Bibliographic Sources

The scale was originally developed by R. H. Moos in 1974 and revised in 1986. In Greece, the standardized adaptation was conducted by Elias Mastagouras and Spyros Voulgaris in 2005. Key sources include: Moos R.H. (1974, 1986), Mastagouras H. (2003), and Voulgaris, S. & Mastagouras, E.G. (2005).