Environment and Social Psychology

Research on educational assessment and teaching optimization strategies based on environmental and social psychology

Hongxuan Bian

Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3052, Australia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i1.3203

Keywords: educational assessment, environmental psychology, social psychology, teaching methodology, academic performance, psychological well-being, learning environment, student engagement, Chinese education, mixed-methods research

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Abstract

This study presents a novel integrated framework that uniquely combines environmental and social psychology perspectives to optimize educational assessment and teaching methodology in Chinese high schools. Unlike previous studies that examined these factors in isolation, our approach innovatively investigates their synergistic effects through a comprehensive mixed-methods design spanning 12 high schools across diverse regions of China. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 2,400 students and 240 teachers across 12 high schools in Eastern, Central, and Western China. The research employed comprehensive measurement tools including the Classroom Environment Scale (CES) and Student Interaction Matrix (SIM) to assess environmental and social psychological factors. Results indicate significant correlations between environmental adaptation and academic performance (r = 0.68, p = 0.0003), with grade level moderating this relationship. Hierarchical regression analyses reveal that environmental and social psychological factors collectively explain 52.3% of the variance in academic performance. The study identifies a crucial mediating role of psychological well-being in the relationship between environmental factors and academic outcomes. Grade 12 students demonstrated higher environmental adaptation capabilities (M = 4.28, SD = 0.67, p = 0.0008) compared to lower grades, suggesting a developmental trajectory in environmental adaptation. These findings provide important implications for educational policy and practice, particularly in optimizing learning environments and teaching methodologies. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of how environmental and social psychological factors interact to influence educational outcomes in the Chinese context

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