Courtney McManus, Afra A. Hersi, Ph.D.
A Snapshot of Student Engagement in a Catholic All-Girl School
Single-sex education has been popular at the secondary level, particularly in the
private and religious sectors. As with any trend, there is debate surrounding the
topic of single-sex education, particularly whether or not students benefit from such
an education. This qualitative study focuses on the experiences and stories of seven
female students enrolled in an all-girl Catholic high school in suburban New Jersey.
The study examined student engagement in academics and extracurricular activities
in an all-girl high school. The study was framed by the following research question:
What are the factors which promote engagement in an all-girl school. Data collection
included student journals, a student focus group, individual student interviews, and
the researcher’s reflexivity journal notes. Data was analyzed within and across the
seven participants, identifying categories and themes across the focus students. Drawing
on the review of the literature within the data, I identified five themes that influenced
the participants’ academic engagement and participation in extracurricular activities.
Initial data suggests that the participants attributed their engagement in academics
and extracurricular activities to the opportunities they have had in an all-girl school
environment. In terms of academics, the participants identified a stronger willingness
to participate in class, engage in leadership roles, and attempt activities they have
never tried before. The data also suggests that this school has its own distinct culture,
along with a complex peer culture, which influences the students’ engagement and personal
investment in the school environment. All findings will be further discussed.