Gender Differences and the Online Classroom: Male and Female College Students Evaluate Their Experiences

There has been considerable scholarly interest in issues related to gender and the online classroom. Some evidence suggests that male and female college students experience the online environment differently. The study reported here was designed to gather information regarding this matter. The Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium (CTDLC) included two open-ended questions on their CT s standard course evaluation form for the fall 2000 semester. These questions invited students to comment on their experiences as learners in the online classroom in as much length and detail as they wished. This report is based on an analysis of the 195 responses to these two questions. Significant differences were found between the way male and female students identified the strengths and weaknesses of the online environment on a range of questions regarding flexibility, face-to-face interaction, shy and quiet students, self-discipline, and self-motivation. The data provide compelling evidence that online courses are of great value to nontraditional students, particularly female adult learners with children or family responsibilities. Because this is a primary demographic profile for community colleges, these data should be of special interest to community faculty and administrators.