Learning Style
When instructors and technology courses account for different male and female learning styles the retention rates of women improve. Also see Curriculum for more articles on the type of learning that appeals to women and girls.
A large study of college students examines different ways men and women like to learn new technology. Among the findings: women preferred to learn in a collaborative setting where they could put the technology tools to work.
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Rajagopal, Indhu and Nis Bojin, "A Gendered World: Students and Instructional Technologies," First Monday, volume 8, number 1, January 2003. |
This study looked at math instruction with content that appeals to feminine or masculine interests. It found that gender-adapted instruction makes a difference in student attitudes, which may affect persistence.
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Leonard, Mary J.; Derry, Sharon J., "Can Gender-Adapted Instruction Improve Mathematics Performance and Attitudes?" Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, WA, April 10-14, 2001. |
How do women feel about mathematics and math classes? Discover issues facing women, such as gaining confidence in their abilities and seeing math as part of a bigger picture.
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Tobias, Sheila, "Gender Equity for Mathematics and Science: Notes on Invited Faculty Presentations," Woodrow Wilson Leadership Program in Mathematics. |
This article explains the differences in female and male learning styles and provides suggestions for appealing to female interests.
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Milgram, Donna, "Gender Differences in Learning Style Specific to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)" Tech Equity Project of California State University, Channel Islands. The Tech Equity Project of California State University Channel Islands was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Women's Educational Equity Act. |
This article looks at approaches to learning by men and women. Among its findings: women tend to look for personal connections and relevance in their coursework.
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Lim Yuen Lie, Lisa-Angelique, and Emil Cheong, "How do Male and Female Students Approach Learning at NUS?" Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning, Vol. 7, No.1, January 2004. |
The WomenTech Educators Training got us thinking intentionally about who we were going to target for outreach, how we were going to target them, and how we would follow up to make sure we had actual results linked to the different programs and events that we were holding. Since then, it has grown organically and blossomed into something that our college just does naturally.
I think getting together as a team with intention—because we're all so busy—and developing a written plan that we could stick to was what made all the difference. I don’t think we would have ever done that if it wasn't for the WomenTech Educators Training.