Abstracts - Earli

The impact of innovative pedagogical measures on school climate and motivational profile ofprimary school students at risk of dropping outJulie Bergeron, University of Montreal, CanadaSylvie Gagnon, C.S. de la Seigneurie-Des-Mille-Iles, CanadaRoch Chouinard, University of Montreal, CanadaAnne Leblond, University of Montreal, CanadaThe main goal of this study was to verify the impact of an intervention program on studentmotivation and school climate. The program established for French primary school students at riskof dropping out included a wide range of innovative activities. To verify if the program waseffective, we constituted a 60 students control group to which an equivalent participatingexperimental group was compared. During the two years project, we collected data by a selfreportedquestionnaire at four different times. A repeated measures analysis was conducted to seethe differences between the control and the experimental group through time. The results showedthat the program had a strong effect on the participating students regarding their motivation andtheir perception of the school climate. Only a few factors were not significantly different for thetwo groups.Can a mutilation be passed on? Inheritance in Mexican childrenGabriela Villarreal Villafane, National University of Mexico, MexicoKirareset Barrera Garcia, National University of Mexico, MexicoRigoberto Leon Sanchez, National University of Mexico, MexicoGerman Palafox, National University of Mexico, MexicoA study that investigated one aspect of the heritage concept in children; the heritage of theacquired features. In study, 75 children divided in three groups were told stories in which ananimal suffer and accident and lose a body member. Subjects were asked if the offspring inheritthe acquired feature. The children of the three group showed an inappropriate consideration aboutthe acquired features (the mutilations can be inherited). These data suggest that including childrenwith age 10-11 years old have troubles to determinate if the acquired features can be inherit, thisfinding refute Carey’s argument who said that at 10 years old occurs an important cognitivechange within their biological knowledge. In another way these data showed that biologicalknowledge increases with age, in this sense, it seems that the children have more biologicalarguments. The findings are discussed in terms of the relevance or depth of the change in theparent could guide the children’s notion of inheritance.Gender differences in students’ emotions in primary schoolStephanie Lichtenfeld , University of Munich, GermanyAnne C. Frenzel, University of Munich, GermanyReinhard Pekrun , University of Munich, GermanyThis study focuses on gender differences in mathematics emotions. Even though there are manystudies regarding gender differences in mathematics achievement as well as mathematics-relatedbeliefs and appraisals, there is still a lack of knowledge about differences between boys’ and girls’in mathematics emotions. This is especially the case in the primary school setting. In this study,we aimed to investigate gender differences in students’ mathematics-related competence beliefsand emotions in primary school students. In a study with a representative sample of 687 Bavarianthird graders and 677 second graders we examined the differences in girls’ and boys’ self-reportedenjoyment, anxiety and boredom and their competence beliefs in mathematics. Moreover, based– 468 –