Student Civility in the College Classroom: Exploring Student Use and Effects of Classroom Citizenship Behavior

The purpose of this investigation was to identify the types of citizenship behavior students use in the college classroom, and to examine the link between their use of citizenship behavior and their perceptions of classroom climate, interest, and self-reports of learning outcomes. Participants were 416 undergraduate students enrolled at a large Mid-Atlantic university. Three findings were obtained. First, participants use three types of citizenship behavior: involvement, affiliation, and courtesy. Second, involvement and courtesy are related positively to classroom climate, classroom connectedness, instructor rapport, emotional interest, and cognitive interest, whereas affiliation is related positively to classroom climate, classroom connectedness, instructor rapport, and emotional interest. Third, involvement and courtesy are related positively to three dimensions of affective learning, perceived cognitive learning, state motivation, and communication satisfaction, whereas affiliation is related positively to one dimension of affective learning, perceived cognitive learning, state motivation, and communication satisfaction.