The need to improve school instruction quality has led the education stakeholders to discover practical approaches to achieving that goal. This research aimed at establishing the impact of single-sex classrooms on K-12 female academic achievement. The objectives include establishing the perceptions of teachers on how single-sex female classrooms…

This case study explores how literature, in particular poetry, can be used as an educational platform within the secondary classroom to explore gender identity. A six-week unit of poetry was created as part of a broader project to enable pupils to reflect on their personal and familial experiences of gender, whilst also utilising creative writing…

Informal STEM education programs have become venues wherein girls can improve their sense of belonging and potential success (STEM identity) through interactions with role models and seeing how STEM fields are relevant to them. Despite decades of advocacy for single-sex programs' role in improving girls' STEM identity, few studies have found…

Recently, single-sex classes within public coeducational schools have proliferated across the USA; yet, we still know little about whether and how single-sex science classes influence adolescents' attitude and affect toward science. This exploratory study expands upon our current understanding by investigating the extent in which female and male…

Overall, the research on the effectiveness of single-gender education is inconclusive. However, research also indicates that some benefits beyond academic achievement may be possible. These findings may be significant for middle school girls, who often struggle with social interactions related to adolescence that create barriers in successfully…

This article presents a reflective analysis of an outreach programme called the Digital Divas Club. This curriculum-based programme was delivered in Australian schools with the aim of stimulating junior and middle school girls' interest in computing courses and careers. We believed that we had developed a strong intervention programme based on…

In this qualitative study of a girls only technology program, the authors argue that an emphasis of self-expression through the use of technology limited middle school girls' developing technological fluency. The authors show how the metaphor of "technology as a paintbrush" was evident in (1) the organization of the physical environment…

It was of interest to determine if earlier research findings, where female students were particularly advantaged by the Team Building Through Physical Challenges (TBPC; Glover & Midura, 1992) program in a coeducational setting, would still be observed in gender-segregated physical education classes. A total of 260 female (n = 127) and male (n…

This study examines how the use of self- and peer-assessment within a girls-only biology class can support students' motivation. The study took place over 22 weeks in a rural comprehensive school, and the participants were girls between 15 and 16 years of age. Data included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, notes from lesson observations…

The purpose of this interpretive case study was to explore the collegiate experiences of undergraduate women participating in a cohort women's-only leadership development program at a coeducational institution. Using a framework based on Kurt Lewin's psycho-social model of behavior being the function of a person interacting with the environment…

In an effort to implement school reform to meet the needs of a changing society, schools have taken action to assist students in achieving proficiency on standardized tests by implementing departmentalized gender-inclusive classroom environments in the public school system. Research conducted in M. Gurian and P. Henley's (2001) "Boys and…

Mentoring is often considered a gift of time and resources that a mentor gives to a mentee. However, research suggests that mentoring has benefits specifically for the mentor. This study analyzes written reflections of twenty-five mentors who took part in a National Science Foundation-funded program that encouraged middle-school girls to engage in…

Purpose, scope, and method of study. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of eighth-grade single-gender classes with coed classes across subject area, gender, at-risk status, and socioeconomic status (SES). The sample was drawn from one school, DeSoto West Junior High School, where enrollment averages 80% African American,…

Addresses the "terribly traumatic" experience of many girls in their passage through adolescence. Examines the response of schools to this reported cultural crisis by reviewing the literature on successful programs for adolescent girls since 1994 and by reporting the results of a survey of 20 middle schools in the Tidewater Virginia area. (SG)

Given the dramatic increase in depression that occurs during early adolescence in girls, interventions must address the needs of girls. The authors examined whether a depression prevention program, the Penn Resiliency Program, was more effective for girls in all-girls groups than in co-ed groups. Within co-ed groups, the authors also tested…