Are perceived learning environments related to subjective well-being? A visit to university students

This study examined whether university students' subjective well-being is linked to their perception of learning environments grounded in constructivism. Five hundred and twelve students from two universities in China participated in the study. The participants completed questionnaires in class concerning the extent to which they perceived their learning environment to be constructivist-oriented and their subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and positive and negative affect). After controlling for demographic variables (i.e., age, sex, university, and major), students' perceptions of a constructivist learning environment were significantly linked to their life satisfaction and positive and negative affect. More specifically, the environmental dimensions of clear goals and coherence of curricula, student-student cooperation, and learning facilities were positively associated with life satisfaction, and clear goals and coherence of curricula and learning facilities were also positively related to positive affect. However, student autonomy was found to be negatively related to life satisfaction. Despite that these results are correlational in nature, implications for higher education are discussed. •This study examined whether subjective well-being was related to students' perceived constructivist learning environments.•Clear goals and coherence of curricula and learning facilities were positively related to life satisfaction and positive affect.•Student-student cooperation and student autonomy were positively and negatively related to life satisfaction, respectively.•The evaluation of the effectiveness of a constructivist learning environment needs to consider non-academic outcomes.