Proponents of single-sex (SS) education believe that separating boys and girls, by classrooms or schools, increases students' achievement and academic interest. In this article, we use meta-analysis to analyze studies that have tested the effects on students of SS compared with coeducational (CE) schooling. We meta-analyzed data from 184 studies, representing the testing of 1.6 million students in Grades K-12 from 21 nations, for multiple outcomes (e.g., mathematics performance, mathematics attitudes, science performance, educational aspirations, self-concept, gender stereotyping). To address concerns about the quality of research designs, we categorized studies as uncontrolled (no controls for selection effects, no random assignment) or controlled (random assignment or controls for selection effects). Based on mixed-effects analyses, uncontrolled studies showed some modest advantages for single-sex schooling, for both girls and boys, for outcomes such as mathematics performance but not for science performance. Controlled studies, however, showed only trivial differences between students in SS versus CE, for mathematics performance (g = 0.10 for girls, 0.06 for boys) and science performance (g = 0.06 for girls, 0.04 for boys), and in some cases showed small differences favoring CE schooling (e.g., for girls' educational aspirations, g = -0.26). Separate analyses of U.S. studies yielded similar findings (e.g., for mathematics performance g = 0.14 for girls and 0.14 for boys). Results from the highest quality studies, then, do not support the view that SS schooling provides benefits compared with CE schooling. Claims that SS schooling is particularly effective for U.S. ethnic minority boys could not be tested due to the lack of controlled studies on this question.

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The effects of single-sex compared with coeducational schooling on students' performance and attitudes: a meta-analysis.

Studying Studies on Teacher Reflection and Action: An Appraisal of Research Contributions.

Although a solid understanding of fractions is foundational in mathematics, the concept of fractions remains a challenging one. Previous research suggests that multiple graphical representations (MGRs) may promote learning of fractions. Specifically, we hypothesized that providing students with MGRs of fractions, in addition to the conventional symbolic notation, leads to better learning outcomes as compared to instruction incorporating only one graphical representation. We anticipated, however, that MGRs would make the students' task more challenging, since they must link the representations and distill from them a common concept or principle. Therefore, we hypothesized further that self-explanation prompts would help students benefit from working with MGRs. To investigate these hypotheses, we conducted a classroom study in which 112 6th-grade students used intelligent tutors for fraction conversion and fraction addition. The results of the study show that students learned more with MGRs of fractions than with a single representation, but only when prompted to self-explain how the graphics relate to the symbolic fraction representations.

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Intelligent Tutoring Systems with Multiple Representations and Self-Explanation Prompts Support Learning of Fractions

Research into initial teacher education in Australia: A survey of the literature 1995-2004

Prepared to teach: an investigation into the preparation of teachers to teach literacy and numeracy

This paper reports a research project developed in partnership with the Principal and Leadership Team of an Australian secondary school. It monitored a school-based initiative designed to address the underachievement of male students. Students in Year 9 selected single-gender or coeducational classes in mathematics and English during the second half of a school year. Student scores in standardized tests and school-based assessment in these subjects were obtained before and after the establishment of the initiative. Results indicate no significant difference in mathematics achievement that can be attributed to gender or class composition. However, scores in school-based English improved for students in single-gender classes. Improvement for girls in single-gender classes was greater than that for boys in single-gender classes.

Do single-gender classrooms in coeducational settings address boys' underachievement? An Australian study

Reflection and the development of reflective practice may assist pre-service teacher education students in the integration of their learning experiences and in the analysis of their actions in their endeavours to become more effective learners and teachers of mathematics. In this qualitative study, and through the use of journals, students reflected on their experiences in a number sense programme and on various aspects related to the teaching and learning of mathematics. This paper relates their insights and experiences, and highlights the importance of reflection in students' development beyond levels of technical rationality.

Promoting Pre-service Teacher Education Students' Reflective Practice in Mathematics

Understanding and use of mathematics can be promoted and assisted by the development of number sense. This paper reports on pre-service primary teacher education students’ involvement in a Number Sense programme that was a component of a mathematics education unit. The results suggest that students develop and utilise multiple relationships among number, attempt to make sense of the mathematics investigated, and provide considered explanations for results achieved.

Promoting mathematical understanding: Number sense in action

Use of number sense can assist learners in their understanding of, and calculating in, mathematics. This paper reports on these aspects which were investigated with six primary pre-service teacher education students at the commencement of a semester unit in mathematics education. Various mathematical examples were completed by each student in individual sessions which suggested that the students had at least a limited development of number sense.

Eugene Kaminski

Papers

Do single-gender classrooms in coeducational settings address boys' underachievement? An Australian study

Promoting Pre-service Teacher Education Students' Reflective Practice in Mathematics

Promoting mathematical understanding: Number sense in action

Teacher Education Students' Number Sense: Initial Explorations.