Classroom Learning Environments and Dropout Prevention in Hungary

Early school leaving is an outcome of complex and long-term processes comprising personal, institutional, and systemic factors. Studies on individuals in Hungary have identified a connection between early school leaving and teaching practices at schools. The creation of supportive learning environments in turn can contribute to preventing early school leaving. This article reports on findings from a cross-sectional study conducted in Hungary between 2018 and 2021 in the context of the project HRDOP--3.1.2-16-2016-0000 "Renewal of the public education methodology to reduce early school leaving." The primary focus of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the learning environment in participating schools. The study sought to identify risk factors as well as mitigating factors that are relevant to early school leaving. Sampling was based on availability; the sample contained the responses of 9892 students and 6034 teachers and heads from 473 educational institutions. Respondents were asked about their opinions about the characteristic features of the learning environment in the classroom and at school. This article presents our comparison of results from: (1) a research panel on teacher and student perceptions of the attributes of the classroom learning environment; (2) analysis on differences in teacher and student perceptions; and (3) analysis on possible differences between the results of the questionnaires administered to different groups of respondents in different years. Besides outlining characteristic features of how learning environments were perceived in Hungary, the article offers a conceptual framework and tool for understanding and contributing to the development of supportive learning environments.