New Research

The last decade has seen increasing numbers of students expressing a gender identity that does not accord with the sex assigned to them at their birth. A growing number of students are identifying under the umbrella of ‘gender diverse’; a term that describes “people who do not conform to their…

A University of California, Los Angles (UCLA) study of nearly 6,000 incoming female university students has found that graduates of all-girl schools are more likely to show higher levels of science self-confidence, consider themselves critical thinkers, score higher on measures of academic habits of mind, and demonstrate stronger study habits…

An American study exploring the association between gender expression and school-based bullying has revealed that violence, victimisation and discrimination within the school environment is strongly patterned by students’ conformity and non-conformity to societal gender norms. The authors provide recommendations that call for school-based programs to give greater attention to gender…

An Australian study has found that single-sex environments have a positive impact on girls through encouraging them to take more male-dominated subjects and university degrees than girls in co-educational schools. The study author, Kieu My Tran, found that, overall, girls’ demand for male-dominated degrees is less responsive than boys’ to…

A South African study has found that hormonal imbalances in girls aged 11-14 can lead to emotional reactions and possible relationship problems with their peer group. The researchers undertook a qualitative study to ascertain what kind of relationship problems young adolescent girls experienced and how they handled these problems. The…

A study led by Dr Terrance Fitzsimmons of the University of Queensland has found that girls educated in single-sex schools are equally as self-confident as boys educated at single-sex schools. The Hands up for Gender Equality study, based on a survey of over 10,000 students in Years 7 to 11…

The Hjalli single-sex model of preschools and primary schools in Iceland was founded by Margrét Pála Ólafsdóttir. Children are taught in single-sex classes for most of the day, but also come together each day in supervised activities where it is ensured that there are positive interactions between girls and boys.…

An Australian study of mathematics aspirations and disengagement has found that while girls and boys start middle school with similar levels of disengagement, boys have more positive aspirations over time, and therefore there is a need to promote mathematics aspirations in girls (Collie, Martin, Bobis, Way & Anderson, 2018, p.…

An American-Korean study of neuromyths believed by educators — such as that right-hemisphere learners are more creative than left-hemisphere learners, and that it has been scientifically proven that fatty acid supplements (omega-3 and omega-6) have a positive effect on academic achievement — has found that pre-service primary school teachers in…

Helicopter parenting (also called overparenting, overprotective parenting or controlling parenting) is a topic of great concern to today’s schools with parents becoming increasingly involved in every aspect of their child’s life, including their academic work, extracurricular activities and friendship issues. It is not uncommon for schools to report parents contacting…