although research and evaluation in science education have relied heavily on the assessment of academic achievement and other valued learning outcomes, these measures cannot give a complete picture of the educational process. because students spend up to 1500 hours at school by the time they finish senior high school (rutter, mortimore, ouston & smith 1979), students have alarge stake in what happens to them at school and their reactions to and perceptions of their school experiences are significant. this chapter reviews the remarkable progress progress over the past 30 years in conceptualising, assessing and investigating tthe determinants and effects of social and psychological aspects of the learning environments of classrooms and schools.