Abstract
Research into gender bias in attitudes, access, and effectiveness associated with computers has produced conflicting results, resulting in conflicting opinions as to whether a technological gender gap favoring male students exists. No previous study, however, has ever demonstrated a preference for female use of a particular computer application. This work describes gender differences in the use of on-line (“chat room”) tutorials by non-traditional chemistry students enrolled in distance learning sections of a general chemistry course. Higher percentages of female students participated in the on-line tutorials and they participated with greater frequency than male students. Furthermore, the correlation between frequency of participation and course performance was higher among the female students. Various explanations for this unusual gender bias are offered, and the conclusion that the diversity of computer applications available today requires that research into gender bias refrain from viewing the computer as a single entity is supported.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Arnold, J. C., Kuh, G. D., Vesper, N., and Schuh, J. H. (1993). Student age and enrollment status as determinants of learning and personal development at metropolitan institutions. Journal of College Student Development 34: 11–16.
Chen, M. (1986). Gender and computers: the beneficial effects of experience on attitudes. Journal of Educational Computing Research 2: 265–282.
Colley, A. M., Gale, M. T., and Harris, T. A. (1994). Effects of gender role identity and experience on computer attitude components. Journal of Educational Computing Research 10: 129–137.
Collis, B. A. (1985). Psychosocial implications of sex differences in attitudes toward computers: results of a survey. International Women's Studies 8: 207–213.
Dambrot, F. H., Watkins-Malek, M. A., Silling, S. M., Marshall, R. S., and Garver, J. A. (1985). Correlates of sex differences in attitudes toward and involvement with computers. J. Vocational Behav. 27: 71–86.
DeLoughry, T. J. (1993). Two researchers say technophobia may afflict millions of students. Chronicle of Higher Education 28 April: A25–A26.
Dukes, L. R., Discenza, R., and Couger, D. (1989). Convergent validity of four computer anxiety scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement 49: 195–203.
Fariña, F., Arce, R., Sobral, J., and Carames, R. (1991). Predictors of anxiety toward computers. Computers in Human Behavior 7: 263–267.
Fetler, M. (1985). Sex differences on the California state-wide assessment of computer literacy. Sex Roles 13: 181–191.
Francis, L. J. (1993). Measuring attitude toward computers among undergraduate college students: the affective domain. Computers in Education 20: 251–255.
Harvey, T. J., and Wilson, B. (1985). Gender differences in attitudes towards microcomputers shown by primary and secondary school pupils. Br. J. Educ. Technol. 3: 183–187.
Hatton, D. (1995). Womyn and the “L”:Astudy of the relationship between communication apprehension, gender and bulletin boards. (ERIC Report #ED397454). Paper presented at the 81st Annual Meeting of the Speech Communication Association, San Antonio, Texas, November 18–21.
Hess, R. D., and Miura, I. T. (1985). Gender differences in enrollment in computer camps and classes. Sex Roles 13: 181–191.
Honeyman, D. S., and White, W. J. (1987). Computer anxiety in educators learning to use the computer: A preliminary report. Journal of Research on Computing in Education 20: 129–138.
Howard, G., and Smith, R. (1986). Computer anxiety in management: Myth or reality. Communications of the ACM 29: 611–615.
Jones, P. E., and Wall, R. E. (1989). Effects of psychology courseware use on computer anxiety in students. Computers in Human Behavior 18: 161–168.
Kimbrough, D. R., Hochgurtel, B. D. and Smith, S. S. (1998). Using internet relay chat to provide on-line tutorials in a distance learning chemistry course. Journal of College Science Teaching, 23: 197–219.
King, P. M., and Bauer, B. A. (1988). Leadership issues for nontraditional-aged women students. New Directions for Student Services, Winter 77–88.
Knupfer, N. N., and Rust, W. J. (1997). Technology, mass media, and gender. ERIC Report #ED409844; Clearninghouse number: IR018433.
Levin, T., and Gordon, D. (1989). Effect of gender and computer experience on attitudes towards computers. Journal of Educational Computing Research 5: 69–88.
Limbert, C. A. (1991). The non-traditional female student: a report from both sides of the desk. Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association, 24(2): 1–10.
Loyd, B. H., Loyd, D. E., and Gressard, C. P. (1987). Gender and computer experience as factors in the computer attitudes of middle school students. Journal of Early Adolescence 7: 13–19.
Martin, R. (1991). School children's attitudes towards computers as a function of gender, course subjects and availability of home computers. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 7: 187–194.
Matyas, M. L. and Dix, L. S. (Eds.) (1992). Science and Engineering Programs: On Target for Women? National Academy Press, Washington.
Morrow, P. C., Prell, E. R., and McElroy, J. C. (1986). Attitudinal and behavioral correlates of computer anxiety. Psychological Reports 59: 1199–1204.
Nelson, C. S. and Watson, J. A. (1991). The computer gender gap: Children's attitudes, performance and socialization. Journal of Educational Technology Systems 19: 345–353.
Nye, E. F. (1991). Computers and gender: Noticing what perpetuates inequality. English Journal 80(1): 94–95.
Pascarella, E. T., Duby, P. B., and Iverson, B. K. (1983). A test and reconceptualization of a theoretical model of college withdrawal in a commuter institution setting. Sociology of Education 56: 88–100.
Parasuraman, S., and Igbaria, M. (1988). Gender, computer anxiety, and attitudes toward microcomputers. In Proceedings of the 1988 Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, Decision Science Institute, Atlanta, pp. 588–591.
Reinen, I. J., and Plomp, T. (1997). Information technology and gender equality: A contradiction in terminus? Computers and Education 28(2): 65–78.
Scott, C. R., and Rockwell, S. C. (1997). The effect of communication, writing, and technology apprehension on likelihood to use new communication technologies. Communication Education 46: 44–62.
Seymour, E. (1995). The loss of women from science, mathematics, and engineering undergraduate majors: An explanatory account. Science Education 79: 437–473.
Seymour, E. and Hewitt, N. (1994). Talking About Leaving: Factors Contributing to High Attrition Rates Among Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Undergraduate Majors, Final Report to The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation on an Ethnographic Inquiry at Seven Institutions.
Shashaani, L. (1993). Gender-based differences in attitudes toward computers. Computers and Education 20(2): 169–181.
Shrigley, R. (1990). Attitude and behavior are correlates. Journal of Research and Science Teaching 27: 97–113.
Siann, G., Macleod, H., Glissov, P., and Durndell, A. (1990). The effect of computer use on gender differences in attitudes to computers. Computers in Education 14: 183–191.
Sutton, R. E. (1991). Equity and computers in the schools: A decade of research. Review of Educational Research 61: 475–503.
U. S. Department of Education (1996). Digest of Education Statistics 1996, NCES 96–133, Thomas D. Snyder, Project Director, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC.
Wiburg, K. (1994–5). Gender issues, personal characteristics, and computing. The Computing Teacher December/January: 7–10.
Wilcox, K. J., and Jensen, M. S. (1997). Computer use in the science classroom: Proceed with caution! Journal of College Science Teaching 26: 258–264.
Wilder, G., Mackie, D., and Cooper, J. (1985). Gender and computers: two surveys of computer-related attitudes. Sex Roles 13: 215–241.
Wolfe, J. S. (1993). Institutional integration, academic success and persistence of first-year commuter and resident students. Journal of College Student Development 34: 321–326.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kimbrough, D.R. On-Line “Chat Room” Tutorials—An Unusual Gender Bias in Computer Use. Journal of Science Education and Technology 8, 227–234 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009460330400
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009460330400