Assessing college climate in the Indian management institutions

Abstract

School climate is a topic that has been extensively studied to understand the parameters that differentiate the right school from a bad school, a good learning experience from a bad one. Even though the backgrounds can vary from individual to individual, there can still be similar experiences based on the group processes that a school follows. This intrigued researchers in education to come up with a set of characteristics and parameters that should be focused on while creating or assessing an educational practice. Schooling in children’s life not only plays a significant role in terms of their educational capabilities, but it also shapes their social life and inculcates values in them. Key climate dimensions at a school level include Safety, Relationships, Teaching, and Learning. The Indian School Climate survey developed by the researchers at Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation, IIM Ahmedabad consists of student and teacher perceptions of: Disciplinary Structure, Relation between teacher and student, School Management, Academic expectations, Instructional practices, Cognitive engagement, Parental involvement, Culture of equity, feeling of depression, prevalence of bullying and teasing and so on. The majority of these dimensions of institutional climate are relevant for management institutions as well. The impact and importance might vary – depression at the school level would be due to academic pressure compared to peer pressure in a B-school. With this current project and climate survey, we would be reflecting upon our journey and other stakeholders to understand various dimensions of institutional climate at management schools.