1. Single Sex Research: Beyond Anecdotal Records SETTING UP A RESEARCH DESIGN Margaret M. Ferrara, PhD University of Nevada Reno Editor - Advances in Gender/Education Peter J. Ferrara, EdD Consultant, Statistician MPAT LLC

4. Shopping?

5. Finding the research question ????????????? Which One or Ones Fit Your Study? Unanswered Research on Single-Sex Education

6. Identifying the Questions Is Single-Sex Education the Answer? Does Single-Sex Teaching Enhance Academic Achievement of:  Boys? Girls?

7. Evidence? What Evidence Do We Have to Suggest That One Sex Benefits More Than the Other with the Single-Sex Model?

8. The Learning Environment Does it Improve in a Single-sex Environment? Are Students More at Ease and Comfortable with Themselves and with Each Other in a Single-sex Environment? Are Students More Motivated?

9. Stereotypes Does Single-Sex Teaching Challenge the Stereotypes Associated with Females and Males?

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

11. Preconditions What are the Preconditions That Need to be in Place for Single-Sex Classes to be Implemented Effectively?

12. Unanswered Questions Future Research

13. Identifying the Research Found in Refereed Journal Articles and in Longitudinal Studies Embraced by the Majority of the Group Begin with a Research Base that is Sound

14. Other Research “Quick Strategies” and Books of Strategies Just OK Consider Them Only in Light of the Research that Supports Them

15. The Research Paradigm Mixed Method Design is the Strongest Choice for Single-Sex Research Quantitative Qualitative

16. Quantitative Tools These Provide the Soundest Data: Pre and Post Achievement Scores Cohort Achievement Scores Attendance Rates Over Time (Matched samples – single-sex and mixed) Students’ Discipline Reports (Matched samples – single-sex and mixed) Students’ Off-task Behavior (Matched samples – single-sex and mixed) School Climate Surveys (subject specific or overall) (Matched samples – single-sex and mixed)

17. Qualitative Sources Classroom Observations Teacher Logs/Journals/Lesson Plans/PLC Minutes Student Logs/Journals Surveys from Teachers/Students and Administrators Interviews with Students and Teachers Focus Groups with Students and Teachers

18. Tools to Avoid Report Card Grades Formative Test Scores

19. Identifying the Participants Students Administrators Teachers School Board Parents Community Researchers

20. Must Have Need data for more than one year Avoid the Pygmalion Effect Need follow-up data and contact with same groups of students Need follow-up contact with teachers who started in the program

21. Timeline Need data collected at the baseline and at the end of meaningful period of school learning 4 th to 6 th gradeMiddle School Need a series of interviews to establish longitudinal data Administrators Teachers Students Parents Community

22. Structuring the Research Design Need schools with a commitment to single-sex learning Need to set up design to answer research questions

23. Structuring the Research Design Some Data Points: Students’ Perceptions About:. The learning atmosphere Their own behavior in single-sex classes Their quality of work Their willingness to participate in various activities Their preferred learning styles and strategies teachers’ teaching strategies

24. Data Tools Semi-structured interviews with teachers and students Focus groups with students (two/three in each group) Classroom observations Note taking for each event for anecdotal records PLC agenda and minutes

25. Data Tools Qualitative discourse analysis Thought units Quantitative analysis of frequency counts:  Attendance (students and teachers)  Discipline incidents  Off-task behaviors

26. 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

27. 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?

28. Final Notes Data tools you might want to consider using are on your CD

29. Your Insights Never Done