Classroom Climate Predicting Student Achievement in Multicultural Higher Education Through Multilevel Modeling

Abstract

Classroom climate is increasingly recognized as an influential feature of learning environments, particularly in multicultural university classrooms where students’ backgrounds, languages, and participation norms may vary. This study examined whether classroom climate predicts student academic achievement, operationalized as end-of-term GPA, using a multilevel design that accounts for students nested within classes and instructors. Participants were 820 undergraduate students enrolled in 40 course sections taught by 18 instructors. Classroom climate was measured mid-semester using a student-report scale capturing instructor support, structure and clarity, peer respect and belonging, and fairness and inclusion. Official course GPA was obtained from institutional records at the end of the term. Multilevel modeling results indicated that 12% of GPA variance occurred between classes. After controlling for prior GPA, year level, and language proficiency, classroom climate significantly predicted GPA at both the within-class level (students perceiving a more positive climate than their classmates achieved higher GPA) and the between-class level (classes with higher aggregated climate showed higher average GPA). Descriptively, structure and clarity received the highest ratings, whereas fairness and inclusion were rated lowest. The findings suggest that classroom climate functions both as an individual experience and a shared classroom attribute and that improving supportive, structured, and inclusive classroom conditions may contribute to higher academic achievement in diverse university contexts.