Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses
ABSTRACT Allowing students to ask and answer questions is a common practice employed by college science instructors. However, recent literature has identified that women participate in whole-class discussions less often than men. One hypothesized reason for this gender gap is that women may be less...
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American Society for Microbiology
2021
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oai:doaj.org-article:1829743c49fa4f40925ac7d62ee9b7da2021-11-15T15:04:52ZGender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses10.1128/jmbe.00100-211935-78851935-7877https://doaj.org/article/1829743c49fa4f40925ac7d62ee9b7da2021-09-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00100-21https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7877https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7885ABSTRACT Allowing students to ask and answer questions is a common practice employed by college science instructors. However, recent literature has identified that women participate in whole-class discussions less often than men. One hypothesized reason for this gender gap is that women may be less comfortable participating. However, no studies have examined students’ comfort with asking and answering questions in large-enrollment science courses, identified what about these practices might make students uncomfortable, or explored whether there are gender differences with regard to student comfort. To answer these questions, we surveyed 417 undergraduates at an R1 institution about their experiences asking and answering questions in large-enrollment college science courses. Students answered questions about the extent to which they felt comfortable both asking and answering questions and selected possible factors that could make them uncomfortable participating. Using binary logistic regression, we tested whether student demographics predicted their opinions about these practices. Over half of students reported feeling uncomfortable both asking and answering questions in front of college science classes, and women were significantly less comfortable than men both asking and answering questions. Furthermore, we identified student confidence regarding their knowledge of the material and a concern that other students would judge them as some of the primary factors that could cause students to feel uncomfortable asking and answering questions in front of the whole class. This work highlights factors that instructors can target in hopes of maximizing student comfort participating in large-enrollment college science courses.Erika M. NadileKeonti D. WilliamsNicholas J. WiesenthalKatherine N. StahlhutKrystian A. SindaChristopher F. SellasFlor SalcedoYasiel I. Rivera CamachoShannon G. PerezMeagan L. KingAiryn E. HuttAlyssa HeidenGeorge GoodingJomaries O. Gomez-RosadoSariah A. FordIsabella FerreiraMegan R. ChinWilliam D. Bevan-ThomasBriana M. BarreirosEmilie AlfonsoYi ZhengKatelyn M. CooperAmerican Society for Microbiologyarticlecomfortgenderparticipationasking questionsanswering questionsactive learningSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691Biology (General)QH301-705.5ENJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education, Vol 22, Iss 2 (2021) |
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comfort gender participation asking questions answering questions active learning Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
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comfort gender participation asking questions answering questions active learning Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Erika M. Nadile Keonti D. Williams Nicholas J. Wiesenthal Katherine N. Stahlhut Krystian A. Sinda Christopher F. Sellas Flor Salcedo Yasiel I. Rivera Camacho Shannon G. Perez Meagan L. King Airyn E. Hutt Alyssa Heiden George Gooding Jomaries O. Gomez-Rosado Sariah A. Ford Isabella Ferreira Megan R. Chin William D. Bevan-Thomas Briana M. Barreiros Emilie Alfonso Yi Zheng Katelyn M. Cooper Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses |
| description |
ABSTRACT Allowing students to ask and answer questions is a common practice employed by college science instructors. However, recent literature has identified that women participate in whole-class discussions less often than men. One hypothesized reason for this gender gap is that women may be less comfortable participating. However, no studies have examined students’ comfort with asking and answering questions in large-enrollment science courses, identified what about these practices might make students uncomfortable, or explored whether there are gender differences with regard to student comfort. To answer these questions, we surveyed 417 undergraduates at an R1 institution about their experiences asking and answering questions in large-enrollment college science courses. Students answered questions about the extent to which they felt comfortable both asking and answering questions and selected possible factors that could make them uncomfortable participating. Using binary logistic regression, we tested whether student demographics predicted their opinions about these practices. Over half of students reported feeling uncomfortable both asking and answering questions in front of college science classes, and women were significantly less comfortable than men both asking and answering questions. Furthermore, we identified student confidence regarding their knowledge of the material and a concern that other students would judge them as some of the primary factors that could cause students to feel uncomfortable asking and answering questions in front of the whole class. This work highlights factors that instructors can target in hopes of maximizing student comfort participating in large-enrollment college science courses. |
| format |
article |
| author |
Erika M. Nadile Keonti D. Williams Nicholas J. Wiesenthal Katherine N. Stahlhut Krystian A. Sinda Christopher F. Sellas Flor Salcedo Yasiel I. Rivera Camacho Shannon G. Perez Meagan L. King Airyn E. Hutt Alyssa Heiden George Gooding Jomaries O. Gomez-Rosado Sariah A. Ford Isabella Ferreira Megan R. Chin William D. Bevan-Thomas Briana M. Barreiros Emilie Alfonso Yi Zheng Katelyn M. Cooper |
| author_facet |
Erika M. Nadile Keonti D. Williams Nicholas J. Wiesenthal Katherine N. Stahlhut Krystian A. Sinda Christopher F. Sellas Flor Salcedo Yasiel I. Rivera Camacho Shannon G. Perez Meagan L. King Airyn E. Hutt Alyssa Heiden George Gooding Jomaries O. Gomez-Rosado Sariah A. Ford Isabella Ferreira Megan R. Chin William D. Bevan-Thomas Briana M. Barreiros Emilie Alfonso Yi Zheng Katelyn M. Cooper |
| author_sort |
Erika M. Nadile |
| title |
Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses |
| title_short |
Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses |
| title_full |
Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses |
| title_fullStr |
Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Gender Differences in Student Comfort Voluntarily Asking and Answering Questions in Large-Enrollment College Science Courses |
| title_sort |
gender differences in student comfort voluntarily asking and answering questions in large-enrollment college science courses |
| publisher |
American Society for Microbiology |
| publishDate |
2021 |
| url |
https://doaj.org/article/1829743c49fa4f40925ac7d62ee9b7da |
| work_keys_str_mv |
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