Fairness matters in higher education: Student classroom justice perceptions and behavioral responses

Abstract

[EN] Fairness in the higher education instructional context, i.e., classroom justice, is fast becoming a salient and widespread concern among scholars, instructors, and students alike. Drawing on research conducted in North America, Europe, Asia, and other world regions, the present article describes university students’ beliefs about what constitutes unfair instructor behavior, and it explores the relationships between classroom justice and student behavioral responses. Results of this work indicate that university students identify grading procedures, instructor feedback, and instructor affect, attention, and caring as key factors in determining classroom justice. In addition, university students’ perceptions of (un)fairness are associated with student learning, engagement, and antisocial classroom behavior. In short, classroom justice in higher education is integral to student learning and instruction. Classroom justice matters.