Using structural equation modeling and multidimensional scaling to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and justice experiences

• The personal BJW variable was positively connected to the perceived learning environment variable.
• The personal BJW variable was positively connected to the perceived TJ variable.
• The perceived TJ variable was positively connected to the teacher support factor.
• The SSA allowed for the examination of additional dimensions of the learning environment.

This study assessed science students’ perceptions of the learning environment as a function of individual experiences of the teachers’ just (TJ) behavior. The personal Belief in a Just World (BJW) was considered as a resource that has the potential to enhance those experiences. Data were gathered from 306 high-school students by using three scales: the ‘What Is Happening In This Class?’ scale (WIHIC), the Personal Belief in a Just World scale, and the Teacher Justice scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and smallest space analysis (SSA) were used to explore the WIHIC structure and compute the relationships between the examined variables. Path analysis main results showed that students who evaluated their TJ behavior toward them personally as just held a more positive evaluation of the learning environment. Interpretation of these findings in conjunction with the SSA results, applications and implications for future research are discussed.