Single-Sex Scores 1

Lacey Hedrick

EDF 621-432

The Effect of Single-Sex versus Mixed-Sex Classes on Science WESTest Scores among Seventh
Grade Male Students
 Single-Sex Scores 2

CHAPTER ONE: NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM

The Effect of Single-Sex versus Mixed-Sex Classes on Science WESTest Scores among Seventh
Grade Male Students

Middle school is a difficult time for many students. They must change classes, have new

added responsibly, high academic expectations, and an ever changing school population. Those

factors not only affect students mental and emotional but their academically as well. In addition

middle school students also have to experience life changes called puberty. They begin to notice

the opposite sex and try to discover who they are as a human. This added strain affects the

classroom setting as well.

Students can be affected by the presence of the opposite sex; they will show off or shut

down in their presence. A typical classroom is a mixed classroom, where male and females

interact with one teacher. In this type of setting students are affected by the opposite sex. Girls or

boys trying to impress the opposite sex may not want to be the smartest, so they will not answer

questions or make bad grades on purpose. The opposite is true as well; students do not want to

look dumb in front of someone they are trying to impress. When in a single sex classroom,

students are more at ease and worry less about performing for the opposite sex.

Teachers also treat single sex classes different than mixed sex classes. If it is an all male

class, the teacher will have more hands on and movement based activities. On the other hand, if

it is a girl only class, teachers will focus more on their intellectual side and less on the science

and mathematics. This can be good and bad. It teachers educate their students better because

boys and girls learn differently, while it may stereotype a gender.

Does a single sexed classroom really affect student achievement? To find out, this

investigation was created to determine the effect of single-sex classes on science WESTest scores
 Single-Sex Scores 3

among seventh grade male students in their regular science class. Separating the sexes for all or

part of the day could alleviate some of the stress on students and teachers. If the standardized

scores are improved by this separation, it can become common practice for the entire state.

Basically the rational is to better understand the single sexed classroom and its affect on

students achievement. The idea is to implement more single sexed classrooms, if it does increase

learning and achievement.

HO: WESTest scores among seventh grade male students in their regular science class will

increase with same sex classes.

Null: There are no differences in WESTest scores among seventh grade students who were

taught in all-boy regular science class compared to those who were taught in mixed

gender classes.

Operational Definition:
In this proposal, WESTest scores, will refer to the students composite science test scores

on the state standardized test and will be complied per class, county, and statewide.
Ethical Considerations:
Coding will be utilized to maintain students confidentiality. Written consent will be

obtained from parents/guardians. All student scores will be reported anonymously and the

investigator will maintain records locked.

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH

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Five scholar articles were reviewed to give some back ground information regarding

single sexed classrooms. Two research based articles against and three for single sexed

classrooms. The last article is most closely related to my journal article.

The purpose of Norton and Rennie (1998) is to determine the differences between boys

and girls in their attitudes towards mathematics and their participation and performance in this

subject at school. The sample of boys and girls in Grades 8 to 12 were compared from four

schools: a single-sex boys" and a single-sex girls' private school, and a state and a private

coeducational school. In this study attitudes were measured using a selection of the Fennema-

Sherman attitude scales developed in the USA. Five affective variables defined by Fennema and

Sherman (1976) were examined: Mathematics Anxiety Confidence in Learning Mathematics,

Effectance Motivation, Attitude Towards Success in Mathematics, and Mathematics as a Male

Domain. For the single-sex schools, the standard errors of the mean vary between about 0.05 and

0.20. For the coeducational schools, the standard errors vary between 0.05 and 0.13. 95%

confidence intervals for each sex in each grade are plotted for each of the school types studied

showing a male dominant world in math no matter the single or mixed sex classrooms. This

means that math opinions may not be changed because of the mixed or single sexed classrooms.

The purpose of Leder and Forgasz (1997) was to explore the effects of the gradual

introduction of coeducation on students' performance and internal beliefs. The subjects were

from two single-sex government high schools in Sydney, New South Wales that merged into one

coeducational school. The researchers used students, parent, and teachers surveys in addition to

student interviews to collect their data. The sample sizes of the two Grade 10 student cohorts

were: 1993 N=151 (76M, 75F); 1996 N=79 (38M, 41F). For each cohort, independent groups t-

tests were conducted on each variable included in the self-report data to test for significant
 Single-Sex Scores 5

gender differences. The results showed differences that males were more stereotyped about

mathematics as a male domain, females were more likely to attribute failure in mathematics to

task difficulty, and males considered themselves higher achievers in mathematics. Overall this

study shows that mathematics can be affected by mixed gender classes due to the stereotypes

found from this study. (Leder and Forgasz, 1997)

The purpose of Strain (2013) is to use administrative records of final grades and test

scores to determine the effect of single-sex mathematics and reading courses. The subjects are

third through eighth graders in North Carolina public school, a population of roughly 2.2 million

between 1997 and 2009. The researcher created a standardized test score for each student-year by

subtracting the year-specific, grade-specific mean from each observation and dividing that

difference by the standard deviation. This ensures comparability across years in the test score

variable. The mean test score is 0.034, with a standard deviation of 1.04, showing no effect on

students. I would try to understand why the results showed no effect and determine if the vast

number of data is accurate. (Strain, 2013)

The purpose of a study by Park, Behrman, and Choi (2012) was to assess the effects of

single-sex schools on college entrance exam scores and college attendance. Subjects were a

purposeful sample of Korean high school seniors from 68 all-boys schools and 68 coeducational

schools within the 11 school districts in Seoul. Standardized test scores were obtained in

English, Korean, science, mathematics, and social studies. College attendance was obtained from

the information high schools and colleges are required to report in accordance with educational

law. The all-girl schools showed higher mean scores. These test scores were standardized to have

a mean of 100 points and a standard deviation of 20 points, the coefficient of 1.3 corresponds to

6.5 % of 1 standard deviation. All-boys schools have average scores for that are 2.2 points
 Single-Sex Scores 6

higher than their counterparts attending coeducational schools (about 10 % of 1 standard

deviation). The results showed that no matter the ethnicity single-sexed classes are most

effective in teaching all subjects and it corresponds to their continued education in college. (Park,

Behrman, and Choi, 2012)

The purpose of a study by Carol E. Thom (2006) was to determine if s whether there is a

difference in academic performance between students in single-sex middle school classes and

students in mixed-sex middle school classes. Subjects were a purposeful sample of 279, 6th, 7th,

8th graders from a larger group of 600 students in an inner city middle school in Charleston West

Virginia. 70 percent of whom were on free or reduced lunch, 30 percent were in special

education, and 30 percent were minority, primarily black. Standardized test scores were

obtained for two consecutive years. The first year, the students were in a mixed-sex classroom

and the second year they were in single-sex classes. Each students scores from the first year

were compared to that same students scores from the second year. The content focus was

reading/language arts and math. Mean scores for the standardized scores were analyzed by a t-

test for independent samples, using a predetermined p level of .05. Student achievement was

significantly higher (p=0.1) for those students enrolled in single-sex classes in both

reading/language arts and math. The Combined Group scale score mean for R/LA for mixed-sex

classes was 660.2, with a standard deviation of 42.3. The mean scale score for R/LA for single-

sex classes was 673.3, with a standard deviation of 34.7. The paired samples t-test resulted in a t

value of 6.8 which was significant at the .01 level. The math achievement scale score mean for

the Combined Group in mixed-sex classes was 664.8, with a standard deviation of 32.8. The

math scale score mean for single-sex classes was 677.7, with a standard deviation of 41.4. The

paired samples t-test resulted in a t-value of 8.5, which was significant at the .01 level. The
 Single-Sex Scores 7

implication of the study were directly related to that school except the author did suggest higher

education institutions need include teacher preparation classes in sex-specific instructional

strategies. I would also suggest more schools offer single-sex classes in the core subjects or for

at risk students. (Thom, 2006)

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

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DESIGN

The study is a causal-comparative, two-group design, with random selection and

assignment. The dependent variable is a standardized test of achievement in science and the two

groups will be compared at the conclusion of the study to determine if there is a difference in

science achievement.

SUBJECTS

The target population will be of 600 students in an inner city middle school in Charleston

West Virginia. 70 percent of whom were on free or reduced lunch, 30 percent were in special

education, and 30 percent were minority, primarily black. The sample will be selected randomly

and consist of 200 seventh graders. Those subjects will take the standardized tests like every year

but their results will be compared to the year prior when they were not in single-sex classes and

correlated to other schools in the county and state that are mixed-sexed classes.

INSTRUMENTS

The standardized scores will be from the WESTest scores in science. The state of West

Virginia administers the test every year. The scale of measurement is Interval because they have

equal intervals from 40 to 50 as from 70 to 80. The WESTest or measurement tool is 0.88

reliable and is tested by peer review. The procedures are as follows; one, obtain permission from

WV state department of education, students parents, school administrators, and county board of

education to view and analyze private WESTest scores of students. Next compile science

standards of students who were in mixed classes in 2012/3 and in single-sexed classes in 2013/4

school years. Then obtain public knowledge of specific state and local test results and compare to

the single-sexed classmates.

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PROCEDURES

The procedures are as follows; one, obtain permission from WV state department of

education, students parents, school administrators, and county board of education to view and

analyze private WESTest scores of students. Next compile science standards of students who

were in mixed classes in 2012/3 and in single-sexed classes in 2013/4 school years. Then obtain

public knowledge of specific state and local test results and compare to the single-sexed

classmates.

DATA ANALYSIS

A t test will be used for the first set of data to compare whether the single-sexed class had

a difference on their seventh grade science WESTest scores. Inferential Statistics will be used to

show a significant difference between seventh grade students who were in a mixed-sex science

classroom verse students who were not, with a p-level of 0.5.

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References

Leder, Gilah C., and Helen J. Forgasz. "Single-Sex Classes in a Coeducational High School
Highlighting Parents Perspectives." Mathematics Education Research Journal 9.3 (1997):
274-91. Web.

Norton, Stephen J., and Lonie J. Rennie. "Students Attitudes towards Mathematics in Single-
sex and Coeducational Schools." Mathematics Education Research Journal 10.1 (1998): 16-
36. Web.

Park, Hyunjoon; Behrman, Jere R; Choi, Jaesung. Demography 50.2 (Apr 2013): 447-69.

Strain, Michael R. "Single-sex Classes & Student Outcomes: Evidence from North
Carolina." Economics of Education Review 36 (2013): 73-87. Web.

Thom, Carol E., "A Comparison of the Effect of Single-Sex Versus Mixed-Sex Classes on

Middle School Student Achievement" (2006). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. Paper

334. http://mds.marshall.edu/etd/334