Teachers' Perceptions of Their Influence on Student Practices to Enhance the School Environment: A Cross-Sectional Study in Governmental General Education Schools in Al-Ahsa Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Background The school environment plays a significant role in shaping the well-being of students, as it encompasses various relationships that occur within the school community. Teachers, in particular, possess knowledge and perceptions that greatly influence their students' behavior. This study aims to examine the perceptions of teachers regarding their impact on student practices and their efforts to enhance the school environment. Methodology The study employed a cross-sectional design involving general education teachers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from a sample of 305 teachers through face-to-face interviews utilizing a structured questionnaire. A multistage probability sampling technique was employed to select a representative sample from the pool of school teachers. Descriptive statistics were utilized for continuous variables, while inferential statistics, such as logistic regression analyses, were employed to explore the factors influencing student practices. Results Overall, 264 (86.6%) school teachers had good knowledge of the school environment, and 225 (73.8%) had positive perceptions toward the school environment. The study also showed that more than two-thirds of teachers perceived that students had good practices to improve their school environment. Teachers with positive perceptions were found to be 2.84 times more likely to have positive perceptions toward students' practices (odds ratio (OR) = 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.59-5.08). Teachers who had a good level of general information about the school environment were 1.6 times more likely to have positive perceptions toward students' practices (OR = 1.63; 95% CI =1.94-2.85). Moreover, teachers who held managerial positions were 2.46 times more likely to have positive perceptions toward students' practices (OR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.30-4.65) when compared to those who did not hold managerial positions. The results also illustrated that high school teachers were 1.75 times more likely (OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.90-3.39) to have good perceptions toward students' practices. Likewise, teachers who taught natural sciences courses had a significantly positive perception toward students' practices to improve the school environment (p = 0.029). Conclusions School teachers in Saudi Arabia demonstrated a commendable level of knowledge and held a positive perception regarding school environment practices. The study findings indicate that teachers who possess a positive perception and a good level of knowledge are more inclined to harbor positive perceptions toward student practices that contribute to enhancing the school environment. Therefore, it is advisable to incorporate school environment components into the school curriculum and integrate them into teacher preparation programs.