1. A Comparison of Mixed-Sex and Single-Sex Grouping in Year 5 Science Lessons.
- Author
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Rennie, Leonie J. and Parker, Lesley H.
- Abstract
The observational data from a project which was designed to implement and monitor the effects of an inservice program in facilitating a non-sexist approach to the teaching of science in Australian primary schools are reported in this paper. Descriptions and analyses are provided both of the children's participation in activity-centered lessons on electricity and the nature of the teachers' interactins with the children. All 20 participating teachers received instruction in the teaching of electricity but only ten were designated as the experimental group which was involved in an awareness program on the possibilities of sexism in the physical sciences. Results of this study showed that in the experimental classes, boys and girls in mixed-sex and single-sex groups exhibited the same pattern of activity, whereas the control classes showed behavior differences in the mixed-sex group. It was concluded that single-sex grouping may be beneficial to girls' science education in cases where teachers have a low level of awareness and skills in relation to creating and maintaining a non-sexist learning environment. (ML)
- Published
- 1986