Opinions+that+support+integration

The links on this page may be used to determine what existing opinions there are that support integration of math classes into mixed-sex classrooms (the current norm). Students should be directed to read these sites carefully to help form evidence for this side of the debate. Due to varying reading levels, it may be appropriate to further refine this list for some students.
 * __ Opinions That Support Integration of Genders __**

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411150856.htm Sciencedaily is an off-shoot of the National Geographic Channel. It seems to be a website that strives to make science interesting and accessible to the general population, particularly by focusing on topics that might be of interest to the mainstream population. The research represented while perhaps basic is from apparently well-known and reputable scientists. The reading level is appropriate for high school students, and the layout of the website is designed to appeal to those who enjoy a variety of options.

[] This article is from a website dedicated to Boston, MA, and appears to be reputable. This article actually discusses both sides of the issue, but appears to come down stronger on the side that the math gap between girls and boys is non-existent, as girls have caught up. There is some discussion that separation would be better, but the over tone is one that girls do not need it.

[] This article appears in the University of Alabama magazine, and given the educational source, appears to be credible. Given how much more difficult it has been to find credible sources supporting integration of gender in mathematics classes, this article discusses some of the reasons why separation might be a good idea, but then comes up with alternative options rather than separation of gender. Rather than separate students by gender, students work in small groups and with mentors to help overcome some of the perceived inequities among the sexes.

[] This research report is from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and appears to be a properly done reserach project out of the University of Michigan. The report discusses research in stereotyping that concludes that women tend to do worse in math than men when they are told ahead of time that tests are non-diagnostic, women perform better. An article such as this might be useful on this side in that it supports the idea of changing teaching methods to account for implicit stereotypes as opposed segregating genders, which does not necessarily address this important implication (stereotyping threats) in women's performance in math. One problem with this source is that it is at a high reading level, and would be most appropriate for the strongest of students.

[] This research paper was written by a student at Trinity College who was attempting to find a relationship between separation of the sexes in math at the college level. The faculty advisor is noted, so perhaps is part of a masters or PhD dissertation. It does appear that this paper is scholarly and reliable. In the literature review of this paper, the author points out both advantages and disadvantages research has found in single-sex math classrooms in high schools, which is relevant to the debate topic of this webquest. The disadvantages include lack of cross-sex socialization which cannot be compared to real-life scenarios (so assumptions cannot be made as to how females will perform outside of the articifical environment created by single-sex classrooms), inequity (lower income students have less access to single-sex classrooms), single-sex classes do not appear to change negative female attitudes toward math, and single-sex educated females show higher anxiety than males in coeducational classes. An article like this would support arguments that single-sex math education does not solve problems seen with women and mathematics performance. This article is still at a fairly high reading level, but is much easier to read and understand than the site directly above.

[] This is an interesting article from the Cincinnati Enquirer, which appears to be a reputable newspaper. The article discusses how single-sex classes that were run at a middle school has not been working. Much of the research that has been discussed focuses on girls, and how single-sex classrooms benefit them. What this article states is that segregating the sexes has a negative effect on boys. Teachers say disciplinary problems have increased among boys, who appear to work better when girls are present. The article is not scholarly, but it provides an interesting point of view, and shows that simple segregation is not necessarily the answer to problems seen, but may introduce other problems.