Question: Why did you only look at the effect of instructor gender in the largest classes? The interaction between instructor and student in large classes is limited to static lecture with very little opportunity for individual interaction. In the largest classes, the actual ‘face’ of the class, to the student, is usually the TA who leads the discussion section or lab. I would not expect to see a large differential effect on student performance based on instructor gender in that kind of setting. Where we most often see significant differences in student motivation/retention based on same or opposite sex instructor, is in smaller classes where potential interactions with the professor are more numerous, more personal, and decidedly more visible. In these situations, especially when accompanied by gender imbalance in the classroom, negative interaction with a professor can trigger stereotype threat, decreased risk-taking, and contribute to decreased academic performance.

I would be careful not to generalize the findings of your study to the larger academic community as characteristic of ALL same or cross-gender student-instructor interactions, thereby giving those responsible for make hiring decisions yet another rationale for not considering the ramifications of gender as part of their decision-making processes.

Repeat this study in engineering, computer science, or math during students’ second or third undergraduate years, when classes become smaller, more focused, and much more interactive. If you can replicate your results under those conditions, I might be more inclined to see your results as genuinely contributing to our understanding of the complex interactions that occur in higher education based on gender.

As it stands, your results are only applicable within the narrowly defined context in which your study was conducted and extrapolation to anything other than instructor impact on student performance in “the largest classes” is dangerous.

Chris Brus, Director, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) at University of Iowa, at 4:40 am EDT on October 6, 2008

How shocking

Whether or not the instructor has a penis doesn’t have a big impact on student outcomes. Now that’s a shocker.

What’s next? A study that shows that skin color doesn’t have a big impact either?

Prof. Challenger, at 11:40 am EDT on June 21, 2007

Maybe Chuck is joking and I missed the humor, but if he is serious, he is overgeneralizing these findings. This study does not imply that diversity shouldn’t affect hiring — it only relates to grades and classroom performance (such as likelihood of taking another course). It says nothing about mentoring and advising.

I recall a study that showed that gifted classes had no impact on student performance but a large impact on academic self-confidence and aspirations, with those in such courses applying to more selective schools and attempting more ambitious careers requiring more preparation. In other words, the students in such courses were encouraged to reach higher.

I suspect that presence of female professors and others of diversity in the classroom does provide models for attempting graduate study, persevering in the face of obstacles faced largely by women, to reaching higher and aspiring to more ambitious goals. These things are typically not measured in such studies because how can anyone know what someone might have been or done, or is destined to do, without encouragement? As long as gaps continue to exist among those who are more diverse (including women in academia), it is fair to assume they might arise from the far greater number of male professors encouraging male students to reach higher, while female professors do their best to similarly nurture students but have far less opportunity to do so because their numbers are smaller.

When people like Chuck are willing use a study that does not apply to these other issues, to justify abandoning diversity in hiring, I think the need for a continued emphasis on diversity is pretty obvious.

Perry, at 10:00 pm EDT on June 21, 2007

Silly Chuck

So Chuck, listen to Perry. If you read the report and don’t agree, then you need to read more reports. Your disagreement could not possibly be the result of reason. After all, your conclusion differs from his. Case proven.

Vince, at 6:15 pm EDT on June 22, 2007

I do agree with Chuck.Just hire the best REGARDLESS....What matters after all is the instructor’s performance and students’ achievements.That what counts.

Lutfi Abulhaija, Professor at Yarmouk University, at 3:25 pm EDT on June 23, 2007