Psychology
Instructor vs. Student Gender and Lecture Content Effects on Learning
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Psychology
Start Date
13-4-2018 10:30 AM
End Date
13-4-2018 11:45 AM
Sponsor
John Neil Bohannon (Butler University)
Description
Research has indicated that mixed gender effects may be found when a subject is taught by either a female or male professor (You, 2010). Therefore, all students may learn better if taught by a professor of a matched gender and topic. We hypothesized that topic type would interact with instructor and student gender. 193 participants (Nfemale=150, Nmale=43) were shown either an art or science video lecture voiced by either a male or female, who was also pictured. Participants then answered free-recall, probed-recall, and recognition questions. Free-recall memory was scored from 0-3. There was an interrater reliability of 96.75% across conditions. A 2 (instructor gender) by 2(student gender) by 2(material types: science or art) ANOVA was conducted. Free-recall data showed a significant interaction for instructor gender by lecture type, F(1,153)=5.163, p=.0245. Participants performed best when taught science by a male (Mmale=.75, SD=.28; Mfemale=.67, SD=.28) and art by a female (Mmale=.68, SD=.28; Mfemale=.71, SD=.31). There was a significant 3-way interaction for lecture type by instructor gender by participant gender, F(1,153)= 4.28, p=.0403. The interaction occurred in the male student condition. Male participants performed best when taught by a male in science (Mmale=.81, SD=.26) and worst when taught science by a female (Mmale=.48, SD=.29). For art material males learned more from a female (Mmale=.68, SD=.33). For probed-recall date, there was a significant effect of subject gender, F(1,153)=4.684, p=.032. Male participants performed better overall (M=.435, SD=.106) than female participants (M=.380, SD=.012). Results are possibly due to role model theory and stereotype threat.
Instructor vs. Student Gender and Lecture Content Effects on Learning
Indianapolis, IN
Research has indicated that mixed gender effects may be found when a subject is taught by either a female or male professor (You, 2010). Therefore, all students may learn better if taught by a professor of a matched gender and topic. We hypothesized that topic type would interact with instructor and student gender. 193 participants (Nfemale=150, Nmale=43) were shown either an art or science video lecture voiced by either a male or female, who was also pictured. Participants then answered free-recall, probed-recall, and recognition questions. Free-recall memory was scored from 0-3. There was an interrater reliability of 96.75% across conditions. A 2 (instructor gender) by 2(student gender) by 2(material types: science or art) ANOVA was conducted. Free-recall data showed a significant interaction for instructor gender by lecture type, F(1,153)=5.163, p=.0245. Participants performed best when taught science by a male (Mmale=.75, SD=.28; Mfemale=.67, SD=.28) and art by a female (Mmale=.68, SD=.28; Mfemale=.71, SD=.31). There was a significant 3-way interaction for lecture type by instructor gender by participant gender, F(1,153)= 4.28, p=.0403. The interaction occurred in the male student condition. Male participants performed best when taught by a male in science (Mmale=.81, SD=.26) and worst when taught science by a female (Mmale=.48, SD=.29). For art material males learned more from a female (Mmale=.68, SD=.33). For probed-recall date, there was a significant effect of subject gender, F(1,153)=4.684, p=.032. Male participants performed better overall (M=.435, SD=.106) than female participants (M=.380, SD=.012). Results are possibly due to role model theory and stereotype threat.
