AN ANALYSIS OF SEX DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER-STUDENT INTERACTION IN ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY MATHEMATICS/SCIENCE AND COMPOSITION/LITERATURE/LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOMS

This exploratory field study had three purposes: to determine sex differences in postsecondary teacher-student classroom interaction, to compare relationships between sex bias and interaction patterns in elementary/secondary and postsecondary classes, and to contribute information on equity and interaction in postsecondary education. Minor modifications were made to the INTERSECT Observation System (developed by The Network, Inc., for Project INTERSECT's elementary/secondary study) to collect postsecondary data. Similar collection methods allowed for comparisons between postsecondary and elementary/secondary classes. Total sample size was 64 classes/60 teachers: the elementary/secondary population had 30 classes/28 teachers in mathematics/science and language arts for grades four, six, and eight; the postsecondary population had 34 classes/32 teachers in mathematics and composition/literature classes for majors and nonmajors. Each class was observed twice. This study found approximately one-third more teacher-student interaction in elementary/secondary classes than in postsecondary. At all educational levels, males got more teacher interaction than expected and females less (coefficient of distribution, (+OR-) 4%). This inequity increased over time. However, the bias against females was greater in elementary/secondary classrooms. Elementary/secondary and postsecondary teachers used acceptance interactions the most frequently when responding to students (elementary/secondary, 53%; postsecondary, 65% of total interactions), followed by remediation (elementary/secondary, 31%; postsecondary, 33% of total interactions). These teachers rarely used praise and criticism. Similar patterns were found for the four types of intellectual interactions. Conduct, "other," and student-initiated interactions, and student call outs were more reflective of elementary/secondary education; they rarely occurred in postsecondary classes. There were no main effects for subject matter differences in teacher-male/female student interaction at any educational level. There was a rare interaction effect between subject matter and institution level. The postsecondary students in this study appeared to receive a more equitable education than the elementary/secondary students. Higher education classes appeared to offer a "blander" education. There was less student participation and less diverse teacher response to student comments.