Date

7-2014

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Grania Holman

Keywords

brain-based learning, Language Arts, male achievement, reading comprehension, single gender education, Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Disciplines

Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Leadership | Educational Methods | Elementary Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this causal comparative research design was to analyze the relationship between Language Arts scale scores of elementary male students on the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Version 2 (MCT2) and the type of classroom, mixed-gender or single-gender. The study also analyzed the percentage of questions answered correctly on the MCT2 in the English Language Arts sub-categories of vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar. Archival data of 222 students was used, 100 male students in single-gender classes and 122 students in mixed-gender classes. The study was conducted in an urban elementary public school with a diverse population in northeast Mississippi. The study did not reveal any significant differences in the overall achievement of third and fourth grade males in single-gender classes compared to mixed-gender classes; however, significant differences were found in fifth grade overall scale scores in the single-gender classes. Furthermore, the study did not reveal any significant differences in the percentages of questions answered correctly in vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar of third and fourth grade males in single-gender classes. However, significant differences were found in the overall percent correct for fifth grade reading comprehension and writing. Results indicate there is no advantage in terms of achievement in English Language Arts for third and fourth grade males in single-gender classes, but there is a moderate effect of single-gender education on fifth grade scale scores, reading comprehension, and writing. Suggestions for further research are also included.

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