Gender Gaps in The Classroom: Universities and Gender Bias

    

     As a woman going through my academic studies, I always hungered to learn more. My hand has always been the first to go up, then one day I sat back and left my hand down and looked around me…I was the only woman raising their hand. It appeared that even in courses where the male professors were inclusive of women, and teaching content related to diversity and feminism, women were apprehensive to lean in and share their thoughts. I wondered why this was, and when embarking upon this project decided to look deeper into the issue of gender-bias and female success. According to a study conducted by the Columbia University Teaching Center, “while women now constitute 57 percent of U.S. college students, gender inequalities still persist in the classroom. Instructors were found to call on male students more frequently than female students and were less likely to elaborate upon points made by female students…The Columbia study also found that male students spoke more frequently and longer in class discussions and are more likely to blurt out answers without raising their hands or being recognized by the instructor. Even when female students do speak in class, they are much more likely to be interrupted, articulate their responses at a lower volume and speak in shorter lengths than men” (Bryan, 2015).

     Considering significant socialization of women by society to be quiet, submissive, and in essence invisible in academic and professional settings, what can they do to overcome the screaming voices of men that too often drown out their desires to achieve more than mediocrity? Women must raise their voices, break out of their comfort zones, and continuously question the authority of those who tell them the only way to succeed is go through their day acting as a second-class citizen. Though Sheryl Sandberg is a woman of privilege, and her struggles aren’t exactly comparable to the average American woman, she offers insight by sharing her humble beginning and how she searched for mentors to help her pave a path to success. Throughout her book she speaks of insecurities that still plague her, and cites her lack of tact, and need to learn the skill. We aren’t all born with the natural ability to be honest in a way that can be received well by others, and women are judged harshly when they share their opinions. As Sheryl Sandberg writes, “We can reignite the revolution by internalizing the revolution. The shift to a more equal world will happen person by person. We move closer to the larger goal of true equality with each woman who leans in” (Sandberg, pg. 11).