Classroom interaction: A study of undergraduate teaching examining the existence of gender bias in freshman english instruction

Abstract

This study over a four month period of freshman English Composition classrooms provided a data based analysis for determining if the independent variables of (1) Instructor gender and (2) Instructor Gender Communication Quotient affect the quality of teacher-student interaction in the college classroom setting. Five areas of teacher-student interaction are examined (1) frequency of interactions, (2) praise, (3) acceptance, (4) remediation and (5) criticism.

Thirty-six classrooms of twenty-six freshman students were monitored by three trained observers. Eighteen instructors of both sexes were observed, each instructor gender group (six groups in all) represented a high, medium and low rating on the Sadker Gender Communication Quotient Questionnaire. Coders were not informed as to the Communication Gender Quotient Rating of the instructors observed.

These classrooms were observed three times over the course of the semester during fifty minute periods. The INTERSECT Observation Instrument was used by trained observers to code classroom interactions for each observation. Analysis of Variance procedures were used to search for significant differences in between group and within group means within and between cells.