This paper discusses findings of ecological studies of classroom learning drawn from the fields of anthropology, sociology, and ecological psychology. The aim of the studies is to illustrate the processes of teaching and learning rather than to establish generalizable rules for instruction by challenging the methodology and findings of traditional educational research. The studies satisfy four criteria: (1) Teaching and learning are treated as continuously interactive rather than as a set of causes and effects; (2) Attitudes and perceptions of all participants are important; (3) Teachers' and students' interactions with the social and environmental climate are addressed; and (4) Ideally, ecological research considers both immediate and extended settings and relationships in its analysis. The studies are discussed in terms of socialization in the school, socialization and academic learning, the social patterns that perpetuate inequality, and studies of school change. (FG)