Classroom Management and its Impact on Lesson Outcomes in Physics

Book excerpt: The major purpose of research in the present study was to contribute to the clarification of physics-related learning conditions in the phase when students change from primary to secondary school stage. This purpose goes back to the divergent performance of German primary and secondary school students in the science part of international comparative studies which have placed teachers under considerable pressure to provide an effective working atmosphere in their classrooms including an appropriate use of time for engagement in physics-specific contents. There is a wide consensus that, in developing efficient classroom management strategies, teachers can guarantee a higher amount of academic learning time, which proves relevant not only for students' school performance, but also for fostering their motivation to learn (science). The present study firstly aimed at contributing to the demand of a theoretical conceptualization that regards classroom management in the overall structure of quality of instruction. Against this background, the study suggests a clear, detailed definition of classroom management with three subconstructs discipline, rules and rituals and prevention of disruption, but also addresses the desiderata in terms of subject-specific research on classroom management.