Gender and the relationship between affective beliefs and perceptions of grade 7 mathematics classroom learning environments

This paper examines the relationships between a number of affective variables included in models explaining gender differences in mathematics learning and a range of classroom environment dimensions more likely to be associated with effective mathematics learning. A large sample of 12–13 year old grade 7 students participated in the study. The data were explored at the individual level, for whole class groupings of students, and by gender. For individuals, three of the classroom environment measures were found to be associated with a subset of the affective variables. The patterns of the relationships in classroom learning environments where teacher support emerged as irrelevant were not the same for males and females, however. For class groupings of students, the same three classroom environment measures were related to the affective variables but their salience was different for males and females.