Description
The gender gap of women in science is an important and unresolved issue in higher education and occupational opportunities. The present study was motivated by the fact that there are typically fewer females than males advancing in science, and therefore fewer female science instructor role models. This observation inspired the questions: Are female college students influenced in a positive way by female science teaching assistants (TAs), and if so how can their influence be measured? The study tested the hypothesis that female TAs act as role models for female students and thereby encourage interest and increase overall performance. To test this "role model" hypothesis, the reasoning ability and self-efficacy of a sample of 724 introductory college biology students were assessed at the beginning and end of the Spring 2010 semester. Achievement was measured by exams and course work. Performance of four randomly formed groups was compared: 1) female students with female TAs, 2) male students with female TAs, 3) female students with male TAs, and 4) male students with male TAs. Based on the role model hypothesis, female students with female TAs were predicted to perform better than female students with male TAs. However, group comparisons revealed similar performances across all four groups in achievement, reasoning ability and self-efficacy. The slight differences found between the four groups in student exam and coursework scores were not statistically significant. Therefore, the results did not support the role model hypothesis. Given that both lecture professors in the present study were males, and given that professors typically have more teaching experience, finer skills and knowledge of subject matter than do TAs, a future study that includes both female science professors and female TAs, may be more likely to find support for the hypothesis.
Details
Title
- The role model effect on gender equity: how are female college students influenced by female teaching assistants in science?
Contributors
- Ebert, Darilyn (Author)
- Lawson, Anton (Thesis advisor)
- Maienschein, Jane (Committee member)
- Mustard, Julie (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2010
Subjects
- science education
- Female
- gender effect
- Role Models
- Women college teachers
- Academic Achievement
- Self-efficacy
- Role models--Sex differences.
- Role Models
- Graduate teaching assistants--Sex differences.
- Graduate teaching assistants
- Science teachers--Sex differences.
- Science teachers
- Women science students--Psychology.
- Women science students
Resource Type
Collections this item is in
Note
- thesisPartial requirement for: M.S., Arizona State University, 2010
- bibliographyIncludes bibliographical referenes (p. 36-39)
- Field of study: Biology
Citation and reuse
Statement of Responsibility
by Darilyn Ebert