The Effects of Single-sex Education on Student Math Performance in Public Middle Schools PDF Download

Author: Duane Kenneth Eliason
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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ABSTRACT: In this study, class design (single-sex math classes compared to coeducational math classes) was examined as an alternative method that could potentially improve middle school students' math performance. The study examined single-sex classes as a method of reducing adolescent developmental issues that may negatively impact knowledge development in social learning environments. The social, collaborative learning environments of public middle schools provide an academic atmosphere that highlights Bandura's social cognitive theory of reciprocal determinism. This study identified triadic reciprocal factors within the social learning environment of public middle schools that could negatively impact learning. These factors included (a) personal factors, (b) behavioral factors, and (c) environmental factors. The singlesex class design was expected to serve two functions: (a) create a supportive learning environment that emphasized communication, interaction, and participation within a supportive, harassment-free educational setting (Parker & Rennie, 2002), and (b) reduce individual and social adolescent development factors which may negatively affect learning in public middle schools. The results indicate that class design as it relates to single-sex math classes and coeducational math classes, under these specific learning conditions, appear to have little effect on reducing negative adolescent development factors related to mathematical knowledge development. Analyses of the results from a general perspective indicate that single-sex math classes and coeducational math classes are equally beneficial in promoting academic achievement.

Author: Thomas Spielhofer
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781903880296
Category : Educational equalization
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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The Impact of School Size and Single-sex Education on Performance - this new report is now available from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). The Local Government Association (LGA) commissioned the study as part of their Educational Research Programme for supporting and promoting educational research. The publication of school 'league tables' has stimulated many debates about the best environment for fostering pupils' learning and development. Two of the issues contested as part of this debate are the ideal size of schools and whether single-sex education improves student performance. A review of previous research into these issues revealed very little robust evidence relating to England. As a result, the NFER carried out a study examining the impact of school size and single-sex education on pupil performance and opportunities, using national value-added datasets, which contain individual pupil data across 979 primary and 2,954 secondary schools. The impact on performance in secondary schools was measured with reference to GCSE results, among others GCSE average point score and English, mathematics and total science score.Furthermore, the analysis investigated the impact on opportunities available to students in secondary schools, in terms of entry to higher key stage 3 tiers and GCSE subjects. Almost all primary schools are mixed, but an analysis of key stage 2 results was undertaken to investigate the possible impact of primary school size. When other factors were taken into account, school size was not found to have any significant impact on performance. The key findings of the research relating to secondary schools were that: - pupils in larger schools have access to a wider range of GCSE options - medium-sized schools obtain better results than very large or very small schools - girls' schools help to counter traditional sex-stereotyping in subject choices - girls in single-sex comprehensive schools perform better than girls in mixed comprehensives - boys with low prior attainment achieve slightly better results at GCSE in boys' schools than in mixed comprehensives - boys in single-sex grammar schools perform better than those in mixed grammar schools.These findings suggest that girls, and to a certain extent boys, can benefit academically from attending single-sex secondary schools and that school size does have some impact on opportunities and performance. However, the differences measured were not very large even though statistically significant. Further research needs to be carried out to explore the impact on other important outcomes, such as girls' and boys' social and personal development, which also need to be considered when deciding what kind of school is best.

Author: Frances R. Spielhagen
Publisher: R & L Education
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Educators agree that boys and girls learn differently, but do they learn better in single-sex classes? Single-sex education has become a 'hot topic' among educators striving to address achievement declines, especially in the middle school years. Since the United States Department of Education confirmed the legality of single-sex classes in public schools in 2006, the number of single-sex classes and schools has increased dramatically and the options continue to grow in popularity. Debating Single-Sex Education offers a timely and detailed summary of the issues surrounding single-sex education. Eight veteran educators provide research-based findings on single-sex classes in the United States and Africa. This book presents a brief historical summary of single-sex classes in the United States. Other features include recent qualitative case studies, interviews with students, and statistical evidence of the effects of single-sex classes on student achievement. The final chapter synthesizes the common findings among these studies and the implications for practice in schools.

Author: Dameion J. Crook
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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This study compares two educational models to investigate whether differences exist in academic achievement among boys in single- gender model and those in a traditional co-gender model. Specifically, the study analyzed archival data from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness to ascertain the efficacy of single-sex education for middle school boys. A quantitative comparative research design was chosen to compare the student achievement outcomes between two educational models to determine if the single-gender model offers advantages over the traditional co-educational model. The study utilized numerical datasets archival data consisting of the STAAR reading and STAAR math scores of student samples at two different school models: one sample comprised of minority males attending a single-sex publicly-funded middle school and another sample comprised of minority males attending a traditional co- gender publicly-funded middle schools. The study results, affirm that students attending a single-sex school fared better academically than their peers educated in co-gender learning environments, are consistent with the research of Brown (2008), which evaluated the academic outcomes of a specific group of students after they were separated into single-sex classes, although in the same school, and compared their academic performance with their peers that remained in co- gender classes. The result: students in the single-sex classes excelled over their peers that remained in the co-gender classes, even to the extent that students who had been academically unsuccessful in the past became very successful in the single-sex environment and test stores showed drastic improvement. This research study is essential because it examines a relatively new academic model in public education. It is widely held that separating boys from girls into single-sex learning environments is the best way to meet the unique academic needs and improve the educational outcomes of both groups. A focus on the impact of publicly funded single- sex learning environments is especially important considering that the number of single- sex public schools is on the rise in the United States and that they are most often developed as a means to target and address the low academic performance of minority males.

Author: Craig Erico Ogden
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Author's abstract: Since amendments to NCLB in 2004, public schools have not only established single-sex schools, but have also established single-sex classrooms within coeducational schools. Most of these modifications were adopted as a means to provide support to lowachieving students, many of who reside in urban settings. Proponents of single-sex instruction state that mostly African Americans, Hispanics, and females benefit most from this type of instructional setting because single-sex environments help to reduce gender stereotypes students encounter in coeducational settings. Opponents of single-sex instruction believe that accomplishments achieved in single-sex environments can be achieved in coeducational environments if the proper teaching strategies were in place. Opponents also feel that not enough studies have been conducted to make a strong claim that single-sex environments are better than coeducational environments. This study compared GCRCT middle grades mathematics scores for three years at four middle schools within an urban school district in Georgia to determine if the instructional setting is a factor in student performance. Two single-sex schools were selected (one male and one female), and two coeducational schools (one traditional and one that incorporated homogeneous class groupings). In addition to the instructional setting, student gender and grade level were examined to identify possible relationships with students' GCRCT mathematics achievement. The results of this study indicated that sixth grade male coed single-sex students, and seventh grade female coed students in the sample group were more likely to pass the GCRCT in mathematics than their peers in the other instructional settings. A cohort group, which is a subset of the sample group, identified students who remained in one school for grades sixth through eight. The results indicated that sixth and eighth grade cohort female coed students were more likely to pass the GCRCT in mathematics than their peers in the other instructional settings. Results also indicated, over a three-year period female students of the sample group enrolled in coed classes, and female students of the cohort group enrolled in a single-sex school had the largest gains on the GCRCT in mathematics.

Author: Michael Strain
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 46

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The effects of single-sex education are hotly contested, both in academic and policy circles. Despite this heated debate, there exists little credible empirical evidence of the effect of a U.S. public school's decision to offer single-sex classrooms on the educational outcomes of students. This study seeks to fill this hole. Using administrative records for third through eighth graders in North Carolina public schools, the paper finds evidence that the offering of single-sex mathematics courses is associated with lower performance on end-of-grade math exams, and finds no evidence that the offering of single-sex reading scores increases performance on reading exams. Robustness checks are conducted. While the mathematics results are robust to the checks, the reading results fail an important check, and the baseline reading results should be interpreted with this in mind. Evidence of significant heterogeneity in the effect across schools is also presented.

Author: Darcy Russotto
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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The purpose of this study was to provide insight on whether providing a single sex educational environment to inner-city African-American students helped to improve students' achievement and school engagement. A purposive sample of all students in grades three through six enrolled in single sex classrooms in a public school in a large urban city was included in this research. Comparison groups were selected from a neighboring public schools, ensuring the most consistency across demographic variables. Students completed two surveys: the School Engagement Survey (Fitt & DuCette, 2001) and the Estes Attitude Scale - Revised (Estes, Estes, Richards & Roetiger, 1981). Also, achievement data for these students were collected via a state sponsored school district data warehousing system. Students were also asked to participate in same sex, same grade focus groups. Ten teachers of these students were asked to participate in individual interviews. Results indicated that students in single-sex classes had statistically higher means than students in coeducational settings on the School Engagement Survey sections of Positive Self Perception, Positive Teacher Belief, and Positive School Environment. Also, students in coeducational settings had statistically higher means on the Estes Attitudes Scales for the subject of mathematics. Students who were enrolled in single-sex classes for more than one year had higher scores on standardized mathematics tests. Although single-sex and coeducational students start at approximately the same level for both reading and math, the single-sex students consistently score higher than their coeducational counterparts. Additionally, the results showed no significant gender differences on any of the measures of attitudes or achievement. Teachers did not drastically change their instructional approach after being assigned to a single-sex classroom but they did change their approach to behavior management. Teachers do not participate in quality, ongoing professional development to support their practice as teachers of a single-sex class. Both boys and girls seem to enjoy the attention they receive in single-sex classes. Boys and girls also expressed a feeling of comfort in the single-sex setting. Boys and girls alike expressed enjoyment of all school subjects including mathematics and science. Girls and younger boys perceived themselves as being much more academically successful in the single-sex classroom. Boys in grades five and six perceived themselves as failing academically and they blame the bad behavior exhibited in their all boys' classes.

Author: Valerie E. Lee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Single-sex schooling in Nigeria benefits female, but not male, math students. More research is needed to find out why -- and why adolescent females in Nigeria do as well as adolescent males on math achievement tests (unlike their American counterparts).

Author: Nickalous Andra Manning
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 148

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Author: Thaddeus R. Nuce
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Educational equalization
Languages : en
Pages : 298

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The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of multiple years of single-gender education on the reading and math achievement test scores of low, average, and high-ability male and female middle-school students attending a Christian academy in North Carolina. In short, this study found that single-gender education did not improve NCE (Normal Curve Equivalent) reading or mathematics scores at WCA (Wilson Christian Academy, Wilson, North Carolina). - Statement of the problem, Summary and recommendations.