Master's Theses

Department

Advanced Education Programs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in the frequency of teacher-initiated interactions with male and female students in a rural elementary classroom before and after training on gender equity issues. Additionally, qualitative data was used to determine if teachers would be accepting or resistive to the teacher-training program. The subjects were 6 female elementary teachers from a rural Kansas elementary school. The subjects participated in the 5 month teacher training program Gender/Ethnic/Expectations and Student Achievement (GESA, Grayson & Martin, 1990). The frequency of 10 interactions between the teacher and individual students was observed and coded during pre-training and post-training observations of each teacher. The Teacher's Self-Evaluation of Non-Biased Behavior, plus comments from feedback questionnaires and a post-training questionnaire provided qualitative self-response data. The Chi Square test was used to analyze the set of observed frequencies. The results of the totaled interactions of the pre-training observations indicated that female students received fewer interactions in 3 interaction conditions that were determined to be statistically significant. The results of the totaled interactions of the post-training observations indicated that female students received fewer interactions in one interaction condition. There were no examples of males receiving fewer interact ions for any of the coded interactions at a statistically significant level. The qualitative data supported that teachers had been accepting of the training on gender equity issues.

Keywords

Special Education

Advisor

Michael Kallam

Date of Award

Spring 1998

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

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