In Moos' theoretical framework, the system maintenance and system change

dimensions measures the extent to which the environment is orderly and clear in its
expectations, maintains control and responds to change.
These dimensions include measuring dimensions of order and organisation, clarity, control
and innovation.
Order and Organization assesses the emphasis on students behaving in an orderly and
polite manner and on the organization of assignments and activities.
Rule Clarity reflects how much emphasis is placed on establishing clear rules,
consequences of misbehaving, and the extent to which the teacher is consistent in dealing
with rule-breakers
Teacher Control measures how strict the teacher is in enforcing rules, the severity of
punishment, and how much students get into trouble in the class.
Innovation assesses how much students contribute to planning classroom activities, and the
extent that the teacher uses new techniques and encourages creative thinking.

In a classroom setting, this would refer to the interaction between the teacher and the
students and even between students.

Moos divided the human environment into 3 different dimensions:

o

Relationship

Systems
maintenance & Change
o
Personal
Growth
Moos' (1976) has
convincingly argued that
these three dimensions
underpinned all socially
created
environments. Vastly
different social
environments, including
educational, can be
investigated using these
social climate dimensions
(Moos, 1991). One of
Moos' contributions was to
show that the same basic
types of dimensions characterise diverse human environments.
o

Rudolf Moos (1974) was interested in the dimensions of social climates. Moos
researched the perceptions of the environment of the members of the environment as
well as the well-being of the participants. Moos's (1974b) social climate scales were
developed for use in hospital wards, juvenile and adult correctional facilities, residential
care settings, therapeutic groups, sheltered workshops, work settings, families and
classrooms. Moos (1986) designed the instrument, the Work Environment Scale (WES).
It contained scales that are also appropriate for examining the dimensions of school
environments. The instrument was designed to gather data on the key dimensions of
Personal Growth, Relationships and Systems, Maintenance and Change. Data gathered
through the use of the instrument was able to shed light on staff involvement, peer
cohesion, supervisor support, autonomy, work pressure, clarity, control, innovation and
physical comfort (Moos, 1986).
Any instrument that is crafted has to fulfill Moos' scheme where the scales are
classified.
(Sources: Retrieved November 27, 2008
from http://www.aare.edu.au/02pap/ken02087.htm, Retrieved November 27, 2008
fromhttp://adt.curtin.edu.au/theses/available/adtWCU20070821.130144/unrestricted/03Chapt2.pdf .)

or the Classroom Environment Scale,

The 90 items of the CES are grouped into nine subscales with three dimensions.
Personal Growth This dimension measures the emphasis on completing planned activities
and staying on the subject matter as well as how much the students compete with one
another for grades and recognition and how hard it is to achieve good grades. Task
Orientation Competition