Beyond the basics: Unpacking the impact of interpersonal and psychological classroom settings on the acquisition of 21 st century skills in science classrooms

This study examined how prospective science teachers perceive their interpersonal and psychological classroom environments and explored how these perceptions relate to critical thinking as a key 21st-century skill. The study involved 246 prospective teachers specializing in science and mathematics from five Colleges of Education in Ghana. Data were collected using the Inventory of Students’ Perceived Learning Environment (ISPLE) and a Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) test. The ISPLE assessed five dimensions of the learning environment: adequacy of learning facilities, constructivist-oriented teaching practices, curriculum clarity and coherence, student autonomy, and peer collaboration. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and correlational analyses in SPSS (version 26.0). Results indicated that participants generally perceived their classroom environments as supportive, with a statistically significant difference across institutions observed only for constructivist-oriented teaching. No statistically significant institutional differences were observed for clear goals and curriculum coherence, learning facilities, student autonomy, or student–student cooperation. Significant positive associations were found between CTS performance and four dimensions of the learning environment: clear goals and curriculum coherence, constructivist-oriented teaching, learning facilities, and student autonomy. Student–student cooperation showed a positive but marginal trend that did not reach statistical significance at the conventional α = .05 threshold. These findings suggest that features of the classroom environment that are directly shaped by instructional practice, such as opportunities for student decision-making, collaborative problem-solving, dialogue-centered teaching, and well-structured learning tasks, are associated with critical thinking among prospective science teachers. The study highlights the importance of intentionally designed psychosocial classroom settings and offers practical insights for college science faculty and teacher educators seeking to foster 21st-century skills through everyday teaching practices.