Single Sex Research: Beyond Anecdotal Records

SETTING UP A RESEARCH DESIGN

Margaret M. Ferrara, PhDUniversity of Nevada Reno

Editor - Advances in Gender/Education

Peter J. Ferrara, EdDConsultant, Statistician

MPAT LLC

Shopping?

Finding the research question

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Identifying the Questions

Is Single-Sex Education the Answer?

Does Single-Sex Teaching Enhance Academic Achievement of: Boys?

• Girls?

The Learning Environment

Stereotypes

Does Single-Sex Teaching Challenge the Stereotypes Associated with Females and

Males?

Exposure

Does Single-Sex Education Make Students Different from the Student Mainstream?

Preconditions

What are the Preconditions That Need to be in Place

for Single-Sex Classes to be Implemented Effectively?

Unanswered Questions

Future Research

Identifying the Research

Other Research

“Quick Strategies” and Books of Strategies Just OK

Consider Them Only in Light of the Research that Supports Them

The Research Paradigm

Mixed Method Design is the Strongest Choice for

Single-Sex Research

Quantitative Qualitative

Quantitative Tools

Qualitative Sources

Tools to Avoid

Report Card Grades

Formative Test Scores

Identifying the Participants

Must Have

Need data for more than one yearAvoid the Pygmalion EffectNeed follow-up data and contact with same

groups of studentsNeed follow-up contact with teachers who

started in the program

Timeline

Structuring the Research Design

Need schools with a commitment to single-sex learning

Need to set up design to answer research questions

Structuring the Research Design

Data Tools

Semi-structured interviews with teachers and students

Focus groups with students (two/three in each group)

Classroom observationsNote taking for each event for anecdotal

recordsPLC agenda and minutes

Data Tools

Qualitative discourse analysis

Thought units

Quantitative analysis of frequency counts: Attendance (students and teachers) Discipline incidents Off-task behaviors

Important Points to Keep in Mind

Who has been left out of the study? Typically parents

Who are the “Outliers” in the study? Students out of the Mainstream Gifted English Language Learners Students with Special Needs

Important Question!!

How vigilant will you be to keep personal (and others’) bias out of the written report?

How willing are you to tell the whole story – the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly?

Final Notes

Data tools you might want to consider using are on your CD

Your Insights

Never Done