Abstracts - Earli

L131 August 2007 11:00 - 12:20Room: PP1Poster SessionPoster sessionChair:Christa van Kraayenoord, The University of Queensland, AustraliaSchools as differential environments: School quality and its influence on the development ofintelligenceMichael Becker, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, GermanyOliver Lüdtke, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, GermanyUlrich Trautwein, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, GermanyJürgen Baumert, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, GermanyThe longitudinal study presented examines the influence of school quality on the development ofpsychometric intelligence. Several studies have shown that the duration of schooling influencesthe development of intelligence during childhood and adolescence (Ceci, 1991), but the influenceof differences in school quality (e.g., instruction) is less well examined. Drawing on data obtainedfrom a representative subsample of students in the BIJU Study on Learning Processes, EducationalCareers, and Psychosocial Development in Adolescence and Young Adulthood (Baumert et al.,1996), intelligence gains in the academic track (Gymnasium) are compared with those observed inthe other school tracks (low and intermediate vocational tracks). A non-verbal, figurative testassessing fluid intelligence was used as an indicator of intelligence. Relevant psychological andsocial background variables (crystallized intelligence, academic achievement, grades, etc.; parentalSES, migration status, etc.) were also included in the analyses. We used propensity score matching(PSM) to control for selection bias, which is a major issue in observational, non-randomizedstudies. The PSM method was successfully implemented and indicates that results can only begeneralized to part of the sample. For the participants who were successfully matched, a strongpositive effect of higher school quality in the academic track was discerned.Enhancement of thinking skills: Effects of three intervention methodsMaria Luisa Sanz de Acedo Lizarraga, Public University of Navarre, SpainMaria Teresa Sanz de Acedo Baquedano, Public University of Navarre, SpainMaria Cardelle-Elawar, Arizona State University West, USAA study was carried out using as research subjects students of Compulsory Secondary Education,with the purpose of comparing the effectiveness of three intervention methods—Infusion method(IM), Instrumental Enrichment Program (IEP), and Conventional Method (CM)—to improvethinking skills, self-regulation of behavior, learning transfer, and academic achievement. Therewere 176 participants from one public center and two private one. Each one of the centers wasrandomly assigned to Experimental Group 1 (EG1), Experimental Group 2 (EG2), and ControlGroup (CG). In all the criteria variables, the best results were obtained with the infusion method.However, the students who received the IEP did not display significant differences in the variablesof verbal and numerical reasoning, creativity, and academic achievement. Important scientific andeducational implications of the studies are discussed.– 645 –