INVESTIGATION OF THE SUBJECT-SPATIAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE SCHOOL BY THE METHOD OF SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL

Introduction. Physical and psychological parameters of the school space have a significant impact on the motivation of a learning process and its results. Specificity of the school environment, its atmosphere and surroundings determine the meaning and nature of learning, a vector and activity of development and self-development of participants in the educational process, and determine their actions in it. This circumstance makes it necessary to develop reliable diagnostic tools that enable to study the environment of educational organizations, its impact on quality of activity and successful communications of school students and teachers.

The aims of this article are the following: to reveal the possibilities of the comprehensive diagnostics of the school environment and its different spatial zones; to identify and compare the perception of school space by different participants of educational relations.

Methodology and research methods. The main method of the research is Ch. Osgood’s Semantic Differential (SD) modified in the context of the features of the general stages of education. Data processing was carried out using the mid-group analysis, cross-group relations, and cluster and regression analysis using the method of step selection. Student’s t-test, Cronbach’s Alpha and Pearson’s Correlation were applied to test reliability and validity of the method of semantic differential and the received results.

Results and scientific novelty. The level of suitability of a classical measurement technique by Ch. Osgood for the task solution is found out. Dichotomic pairs of characteristics of the subject-spatial environment of the school are singled out; the authors’ version of semantic differential is designed having applied those pairs. The hierarchical organization of the parameters of the subject-spatial environment of the school is proved; the level of comfort acts as the parameter integrating all its characteristics, which, however, is unequally regarded by students and teachers (total number of respondents sample was N = 661). Significant differences in the estimates of the subject-spatial environment in the groups of students and teachers (from p < 0.05 to p < 0.000) are established and described. Regression formulas for each group of participants of educational process are proposed; which can be followed to estimate optimum values of comfortable learning and professional-pedagogical activity as well as to adjust subject space of a certain school.

Practical significance. The developed and approved diagnostic tool makes it possible to attract external and internal experts; to obtain the quantitative data that expand the field of application of mathematical statistics; and also can become a basis of the organization of longitudinal and comparative studies of the subject space of school. Regular monitoring can be considered as a predictor of psychological well-being conditions of an educational institution since the timely and exact estimates provide adoption of operational and effective measures for improvement of the environment of the educational organization in order to strengthen the efficiency of its performance and get better results of educational activity.

perception of school space, subject-spatial environment, semantic differential, characteristics of the subject-spatial environment.

1. Barrett P., Zhang Y., Davies F., Barrett L. Clever Classrooms [Internet]. Salford; 2015 [cited 2018 Mar 28]. 51 р. Available from: http://img.eba.gov.tr/876/ 23f/892/7d1/9fb/ce4/323/823/

2. Nartova-Bochaver S. K. Physical school environment as a predictor of health and well-being of the subjects of the educational process (review of foreign studies). Klinicheskaya i spetsial’naya psikhologiya = Clinical Psychology and Special Education [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2018 Jan 28]; № 1. Available from: http://psyjournals.ru/psyclin/2012/n1/49968.shtml (In Russ.)

3. Smolova L. V. Psikhologiya vzaimodeistviya s okruzhayushchei sredoi (ekologicheskaya psikhologiya) = Psychology of interaction with the environment (ecological psychology). St.-Petersburg: St.-Petersburg State Institute of Psychology and Social Work; 2010. 711 р. (In Russ.)

4. Yasvin V. A., Rybinskaya S. N. Impact of the characteristics of the school environment on the educational achievements of students. Izvestiya Saratovskogo universiteta. Novaya seriya. Seriya: Filosofiya. Psikhologiya. Pedagogika = Proceedings of the Saratov University. New Series. Series: Philosophy. Psychology. Pedagogy. 2015; 2 (15): 68–72. (In Russ.)

5. Blyth A. Modernising secondary school buildings in Portugal [Internet]. OECD; 2012 [cited 2018 Mar 28]. 69 р. Available from: http://oecd.org›Portugal›44247100.pdf

6. Blyth A. Upgrading School Buildings in Mexico with social participation: The Better Schools Programme [Internet]. OECD; 2012 [cited 2018 Jan 28]. 24 р. Available from: http: oecd.org/edu/EDUCATION POLICY…MEXICO_EN.pdf

7. Winterbottom M., Wilkins A. Lighting and discomfort in the classroom. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 2009; 29: 63–75.

8. Enmarker I., Boman E. Noise annoyance responses of middle school pupils and teachers. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 2004; 24: 527–536. DOI: org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.09.005

9. Lundquist P., Kjellberg A., Holmberg K. Evaluating effects of the classroom environment: development of an instrument for the measurement of self reported mood among school children. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 2002; 22: 289–293.

10. Johnson S. L. Improving the school environment to reduce school violence. A Review of the Literature Journal of School Health. 2009; 10 (79): 451– 465. DOI: org/10.1111/j.1746–1561.2009.00435.x

11. Maxwell L. E., Chmielewski E. J. Environmental personalization and elementary school children’s self-esteem. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 2008; 28: 143–153. DOI: org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2007.10.009

12. Barrett P., Zhang Y. Optimal learning spaces: Design implications for primary schools [Internet]. England: Salford; 2009 [cited 2018 Mar 28]. 45 р. Available from: http://oecd.org›edu/innovation-education…43834191.pdf

13. Hoffmann J. Rethinking the colorful kindergarten classroom. The New York Times [Internet]; 2014 Jun 9 [cited 2018 Mar 28]. Available from: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/rethinking-the-colorful-kindergarten-classroom/

14. Solovyeva Е. А. Osnovy sredovoi psikhologii = Basics of environmental psychology. St.-Petersburg: Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering; 2006. 188 р. (In Russ.)

15. Gifford R. Environmental psychology: Principles and practise. Victoria, Canada; 2002. 535 p.

16. Vinogradova I. A. The image of the school in the views of students. In: Obraz shkoly v predstavleniyakh uchashchikhsya: Sbornik materialov Vserossiiskoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii “Bezopasnost’ obrazovatel’noi sredy: psikhologicheskaya otsenka i soprovozhdenie” = Collection of Materials of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference “Safety of the Educational Environment: Psychological Assessment and Support”; 2013 Oct 30–31; Moscow. Moscow: Moscow State University of Psychology and Education; 2013. р. 17–20. (In Russ.)

17. Vinogradova I. A., Ivanova E. V., Nesterova O. V. The system for evaluating the effects of the redesign of spaces of educational organizations. Sovremennye problemy nauki i obrazovaniya = Modern Problems of Science and Education [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2018 Jan 28]; 4. Available from: https://www.science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=26650 (In Russ.)

18. Burlachuk L. F, Morozov S. M. Slovar’-spravochnik po psikhodiagnostike = Dictionary-reference book on psychodiagnostics. St.-Petersburg: Publishing House Piter; 2002. 528 p. (In Russ.)

19. Steinbach H. E., Elensky V. I. Psikhologiya zhiznennogo prostranstva = Psychology of living space. St.-Petersburg: Publishing House Speech; 2004. 238 p. (In Russ.)

20. Heft H. Ecological psychology in context. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 2001.

21. Ivanova E. V., Vinogradova I. A. Evaluation of conditions for the implementation of the basic educational program of primary and basic general education using the international scale SACERS. Vestnik Moskovskogo gorodskogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta. Seriya: Pedagogika i psikhologiya = Bulletin of the Moscow City Pedagogical University. Series: Pedagogy and Psychology. 2017; 4 (42): 66–79. (In Russ.)