Research Sessions
Preliminary findings from three new research studies will be released for the first time at the Global Forum II
Do you look to NCGS to provide research on the benefits of girls’ schools? The Global Forum II is the perfect opportunity to learn first-hand from several researchers overseeing current studies.
Research related programming includes:
The Truth is in the Data: New Research on the Value of Girls’ Schools
The principal investigators leading three national research studies involving NCGS member schools at all division levels (elementary, middle, and high school) will present for the first time their preliminary findings. You will dive into the three studies, discuss what the preliminary findings mean for girls’ schools, and explore practices that can transform research into evidence to be used to enhance the student experience and as advocacy resources for the benefits of girls’ schools. Read more about this Pre-Conference Workshop.
PRESENTERS: Dr. Katherine Kinzler, Associate Professor of Psychology | Cornell University; Dr. Nilanjana “Buju” Dasgupta, Professor of Psychology | University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and Dr. Tiffani Riggers-Piehl, Assistant Professor of Higher Education | University of Missouri, Kansas City in partnership with the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA.
Can’t arrive early for the pre-conference programming? Dr. Kinzler and Dr. Riggers-Piehl will also present dedicated breakout sessions:
The Role of Single-sex Education for College-bound Women, Revisited: A Multilevel Analysis
What characteristics and experiences exemplify women graduates of single-sex high schools? How do women graduates of single-sex high schools differ from their co-educational high school-attending peers at college entry? These questions and others form the basis for this session. Revisiting the 2009 NCGS report on the effects of single-sex schooling (Sax et al., 2009), this session will present findings from an updated collaborative investigation between NCGS, the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA and University of Missouri-Kansas City. Using data from the 2016 Freshman Survey, we will identify ways in which women from single-sex schools are different from, and similar to, their coeducational school-attending counterparts. Additional differences will be presented by school type and race/ethnicity, where possible.
PRESENTER: Tiffani Riggers-Piehl, Assistant Professor of Higher Education | University of Missouri-Kansas City
Girls in STEM and in Leadership: The Development of Cultural Attitudes
In this talk Dr, Kinzler will discuss on-going projects testing the development of cultural attitudes about leadership among girls and boys growing up in the U.S. in different schooling environments and in India. Borrowing from methods and theory seeking to understand the underrepresentation of women in science fields, these studies probe the development of children’s thinking about leadership as tied to cultural notions of gender and race. How early are cultural attitudes about STEM and about leadership transmitted, and how can we equip girls and members of underrepresented groups with the tools necessary to combat biased stereotypes?
PRESENTER: Dr. Katherine Kinzler, Associate Professor of Psychology | Cornell University
Additional research related sessions include:
Classroom Experiences That Motivate and Engage: What Girls and Their Teachers Told Us
This session is for middle and high school educators of girls (both teachers and administrators). In it we discuss the findings from our national study of nearly 2,000 students and teachers from 14 girls’ schools about the lessons that most engage and motivate them. Covering pedagogical approaches as well as qualities of engaging classrooms, we explore the best lessons for girls, why they are effective, and the ways in which gender does (and does not) matter in the classroom. Educators will depart with concrete approaches to captivate and motivate their students.
PRESENTERS: Shannon Andrus, Educational Researcher | Teaching Girls Well and Dr. Charlotte Jacobs, Associate Director | University of Pennsylvania’s Independent School Teaching Residency
Gender Stereotypes About Intellectual Ability Emerge Early and Influence Children’s Interests
Common stereotypes associate high-level intellectual ability (brilliance, genius, etc.) with men more than women. These stereotypes discourage women’s pursuit of many prestigious careers; that is, women are underrepresented in fields whose members cherish brilliance (e.g., physics, philosophy). In this talk, I will describe evidence that these stereotypes are endorsed by, and influence the interests of, children as young as 6. Specifically, 6-year-old girls are less likely than boys to believe that members of their gender are “really, really smart.” Also at 6, girls begin to avoid activities said to be for children who are “really, really smart.” These findings suggest that gendered notions of brilliance are acquired early and have an immediate impact on children’s interests.
PRESENTER: Dr. Andrei Cimpian, Associate Professor of Psychology | New York University
Getting Outside the Bubble: Using Research to Set Strategic Priorities
This panel will combine perspectives of a School Head and an expert in market-informed strategy to discuss examples of how substantive initiatives regarding curriculum, student life, learning modes, and experiential opportunities can have a profound impact on applications, enrollment, class profile and net revenue. These leaders will share details of how they affected transformative institutional change to gain a competitive advantage, while remaining true to the mission of their institution. Further, they will examine the underlying principles for a less painful and more effective strategic planning and positioning process, as well as the roles of various school leaders.
PRESENTERS: Craig Goebel, Principal and Stacy Williams, Director of Client Relations & Communications | Art & Science Group, LLC and Charley Stillwell, Head of School | Episcopal High School
Using STEAM to Engage Girls: Results from the National Study of Girls’ Schools
Drawing on findings from the National Study of Girls’ Schools, this session explores what nearly 1,500 girls and 500 of their teachers told us about what motivates and engages them in the classroom. Using the students’ and teachers’ own examples, we delve into the ways that elements of STEAM and Maker approaches to education are empowering young women and helping disrupt persistent internal and external stereotypes that continue to divert many young women from STEM fields. We will present classroom activities and approaches that teachers can apply to their lessons to engage both ardent and reluctant students.
PRESENTERS: Shannon Andrus, Educational Researcher | Teaching Girls Well and Dr. Charlotte Jacobs, Associate Director | University of Pennsylvania’s Independent School Teaching Residency
Youth Participatory Action Research: Asian Students’ Sense of Belonging at a Boarding School
Students engaged in Youth Participatory Action Research will present their research: question posing, data collection through surveys and focus groups, analysis, conclusions, and reporting to school for action. This year’s research involves looking at the experience of international students at a US boarding school—focusing on students from Asian countries—and at the connections between peer culture, student self-confidence, emotional well-being, school culture, and “belonging.”
PRESENTERS: Jessica Watkin, Academic Dean; Olivia G., Class of 2018; and Lydia D., Class of 2018 | Miss Porter’s School