He\u27s Really Setting an Example : Student Contributions to the Learning Environment

Student-student relationships are a critical component of the learning environment, potentially affecting it in both positive and negative ways. This study explores how students mutually construct their learning environment. Participants said students co-create a productive classroom experience by (a) modeling good student behaviors, (b) providing various forms of academic support, and (c) avoiding enacting bad student behaviors. Identifying how student-student relationships enhance the learning environment problematizes our understanding of the learning climate and educational connectedness by highlighting the impact of time and space on the entire learning experience and provides guidance for faculty, students, and administrators wishing to facilitate a positive learning climate