Ed Studies Junior Research Plan
Name: Savahna Reuben
Major(s)/Concentration: Education – Single-sex Education
Last updated:
1) What is your proposed research question, and how is it significant to educational studies, broadly defined?
In which ways does private, single-sex education influence students’ academic and social interactions? How do students develop under the certain academic condition of single-sex education? These questions relate to Educational studies by examining how students personally develop as individuals, and how, with that individualism, they find a place in society.
2) What courses, experiences, and/or readings inspired you to choose this question?
I have had many experiences with single-sex education—namely, my involvement in an all girls’ school, Kindergarten through 12th grade. This experience, in contrast with the co-educational summer courses I took at Brown University and Amherst College the summer going into my freshman year of High School, proved to have personal benefits.
These brief experiences in two-week courses proved that a transition into a co-education learning environment would not be tough for me, and the social aspects would not pose as a distraction. I was able to focus on my work, as well as the social aspects that adolescent male/female interactions foster. This led me to question my future in a co-educational environment, and contemplate whether or not my single-sex education had led me to the way I was thriving in my new learning environment. Then, the transition to Trinity College, a co-educational school, proved to have the same results. Though I was skeptical of how I would interact with males in a secondary academic setting, the tools I was given through single-sex education allowed me to flourish in a co-educational environment.
The courses I have taken that inspired me to choose this topic were:
EDUC 315: Higher Ed in America
This course taught me to question the higher education system, and what factors played into getting into college. It personally peaked my interest as to whether or not single sex education affected the college process for students.
INTS-234-01-F13: Gender and Education
This course severely peaked my interest in terms of single –sex education because it questioned many aspects of how girls and boys interact, ranging from social interactions to personal interactions in the academic setting.
Readings that inspired me to explore this topic were:
A systematic review of Single-Sex vs. Coeducational Schooling, which concludes that though some research shows that single-sec and coeducational schools have no different effects, there is some research that argues that single-sex schools are more productive and prove to be a better learning environment for students than coeducational schools.
Mael, Fred, Alex Alonso, Doug Gibson, Kelly Rogers, and Mark Smith. “Single-Sex Versus Coeducational Schooling: A Systematic Review.” Rev. of U.S. Department of Education. POLICY AND PROGRAM STUDIES SERVICE n.d.: n. pag. Www.ed.gov. 2005. Web. 7 Dec. 2013. <http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/single-sex/single-sex.pdf>.
“Fast Girls” is an article that investigates negative body images for girls within schools, who feel trapped to fit into the male archetype.
White, Emily, “The Cruelty of Girls,” in Fast Girls. Teenage Tribes and the Myth of the Slut, pp. 132-154, Scribner (2002).
3) What prior methods training do you have, and what primary sources and methods will you use to answer this question?
Training: EDUC: 200 Analyzing Schools
I will be using observation in order to conduct an interaction analysis on various relationships within an academic setting. These interactions will be student to student and teacher to student.
Training: EDUC 315: Higher Ed in America, EDUC 303: Becoming Citizens, EDUC 308: Cities, Suburbs, and Schools
I am going to use qualitative research and conduct interviews. By conducting interviews with teachers, students, and parents, I will inquire about the personal opinions of why single-sex education is where they stand.
Questions I hope to find answers to through my research are as follows:
Do the parents believe that single-sex education gives their students a competitive edge? If so, then why?
Have Grace Academy students chosen this single-sex environment themselves, or was it chosen for them by their parents or a mentor?
How do the teachers at Grace academy feel about single-sex education? Do they believe that its methods allow for higher achievement or greater social assimilation?
What is “higher achievement” according to Grace Academy standards? How does Grace Academy measure the successfulness of their students? Does it correlate just with test scores?
4) Does your plan include research with human subjects?
Yes, I will be involved with students, teachers and parents at the Grace Academy in Hartford, CT. The Grace Academy is a private, all-girls’ school.
5) Does your research plan require access to a school or organization?
Yes. I will be observing Grace Academy Students and their interactions. In order to observe in this environment, I have contacted Tamar McFarlane (’12) who is a teacher employed at Grace Academy. I am still waiting for contact back.