Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Gender in STEM Education: an Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions of Math and Science Instructors in the United Arab Emirates

  • Published:
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study addresses student perceptions of math and science professors in the Middle East. Gender disparity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education continues to exist in higher education, with male professors holding a normative position. This disparity can also be seen in the United Arab Emirates. As female participation in STEM education lags behind men, it is possible that gender stereotypes may influence students’ first impressions of male and female instructors. The United Arab Emirates provides a unique context to study this phenomenon as it is a traditional patriarchal society that is highly dependent on the engineering discipline, especially within the oil and gas sectors. A total of 176 undergraduate students from 2 universities in the United Arab Emirates completed a survey about teaching effectiveness based on their perceptions of photographs of hypothetical male and female instructors. A factor analysis of survey items revealed 2 main subcategories of teacher effectiveness: namely teacher warmth and professionalism. A 2-way between-groups analysis of variance was conducted to explore the impact of teacher gender and student gender on perceptions of overall teaching effectiveness, as well as their perceptions of teacher warmth and professionalism. Findings revealed that there was a significant cross-gender effect on student perceptions of math and science instructors in the United Arab Emirates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali, S. (2009). Teaching English as an International Language (EIL) in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) countries: The brown man’s burden. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), English as an international language: Perspectives and pedagogical issues (pp. 34–57). Bristol, England: Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allport, G. (1954). The nature of prejudice. New York, NY: Addison-Wesley.

  • Amin, N. (1997). Race and the identity of the nonnative ESL teacher. TESOL Quarterly, 31(3), 580–583. doi:10.2307/3587841.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, K. & Miller, E. D. (1997). Gender and student evaluations of teaching. PS: Political Science & Politics, 30(02), 216–219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachen, C. M., McLoughlin, M. M. & Garcia, S. S. (1999). Assessing the role of gender in college students’ evaluations of faculty. Communication Education, 48(3), 193–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barclay, D., Higgins, C. & Thompson, R. (1995). The partial least squares (PLS) approach to causal modeling: Personal computer adoption and uses as an illustration. Technology Studies, 2, 285–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett, M. S. (1954). A note on the multiplying factors for various chi square approximations. Journal of Royal Statistical Society, 16(Series B), 296–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basow, S. A. (2000). Best and worst professors: Gender patterns in students’ choices. Sex Roles, 43(5–6), 407–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basow, S. A. & Silberg, N. T. (1987). Student evaluations of college professors: Are female and male professors rated differently? Journal of Educational Psychology, 79(3), 308–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, S. K. (1982). Student perceptions of and expectations for male and female instructors: Evidence relating to the question of gender bias in teaching evaluation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 170–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, D. S. (1990). Taking people at face value: Evidence for the kernel of truth hypothesis. Social Cognition, 8, 343–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bettinger, E. P., & Long, B. T. (2005). Do faculty serve as role models? The impact of instructor gender on female students. American Economic Review, 95(2), 152–157.

  • Bianchini, S., Lissoni, F. & Pezzoni, M. (2013). Instructor characteristics and students’ evaluations of teaching effectiveness. European Journal of Engineering Education, 38(1), 1–20.

  • Branscombe, N. R., & Smith, E. R. (1990). Gender and racial stereotypes in impression formation and social decision-making processes. Sex Roles, 22(9–10), 627–647.

  • Buck, S., & Tiene, D. (1989). The impact of physical attractiveness, gender, and teaching philosophy on teacher evaluations. The Journal of Educational Research, 82(3), 172–177.

  • Ceci, S. J. & Williams, W. M. (2010). Sex differences in math-intensive fields. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(5), 275–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centra, J. A., & Gaubatz, N. B. (2000). Is there gender bias in student evaluations of teaching? Journal of Higher Education, 71(1), 17–33.

  • Cheryan, S., Plaut, V. C., Davies, P. G. & Steele, C. M. (2009). Ambient belonging: How stereotypical cues impact gender participation in computer science. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 1045–1060.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chin, W.W. (1998). Issues and opinion on structural equation modeling. MIS Quarterly, 22(1), vii–xvi.

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis: A computer program. Routledge.

  • Committee on Gender Differences in the Careers of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty (2010). Gender differences at critical transitions in the careers of science, engineering, and mathematics faculty. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, G. B., Sartore, M. L., Chaney, J. D., & Chaney, E. (2009). Student ratings of women and men in the classroom: A match-up hypothesis perspective. American Journal of Health Studies, 24(3), 365–373.

  • Dixon, T. L. & Maddox, K. B. (2005). Skin tone, crime news, and social reality judgments: Priming the stereotype of the dark and dangerous black criminal. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35(8), 1555–1570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etaugh, C. & Riley, S. (1983). Evaluating competence of women and men: Effects of marital and parental status and occupational sex-typing. Sex Roles, 9, 943–952.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiske, S. T. (1998). Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology (4th ed., pp. 357–411). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

  • Fiske, S. T. (2004). Social beings. New York, NY: Wiley.

  • Fiske, S. T. & Neuberg, S. L. (1990). A continuum model of impression formation from category-based to individuated processes: Influences of information and motivation on attention and interpretation. In M. P. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 1–74). New York, NY: Academic.

  • Fornell, C. & Larker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18, 39–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, H. R. (1994). Student evaluations of college instructors: Effects of type of course taught, instructor gender and gender role, and student gender. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(4), 627–630.

  • Gandara, F. & Silva, M. (2015). Understanding the gender gap in science and engineering: Evidence from the Chilean college admissions tests. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s10763-015-9637-2.

  • Ginther D. K. & Kahn S. (2006). Does science promote women? Evidence from academia 1973–2001. Cambridge, England: National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w12691.

  • Griffin, A. M. & Langlois, J. H. (2006). Stereotype directionality and attractiveness stereotyping: Is beauty good or is ugly bad? Social Cognition, 24(2), 187–206.

  • Hair, J., Black, W., Babin, B. & Anderson, R. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

  • Heilman, M. E. (1984). Information as a deterrent against sex discrimination: The effects of applicant sex and information type on preliminary employment decisions. Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 33, 174–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hulland, J. (1999). Use of partial least squares (PLS) in strategic management research: A review of four recent studies. Strategic Management Journal, 20, 195–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, H. F. (1960). The application of electronic computers to factor analysis. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20, 141–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kapiszewski, A. (2006). Arab versus Asian migrant workers in the GCC countries. In United Nations Expert Group Meeting on International Migration and Development in the Arab Region (pp. 1-21). Beirut, Lebanon: United Nations Secretariat. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/events/pdf/expert/11/P02_Kapiszewski.pdf

  • Kierstead, D., D’Agostino, P. & Dill, H. (1988). Sex role stereotyping of college professors: Bias in student ratings of instructors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 342–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, M. (2013). Championing Indian TESOL teachers in the Arabian Gulf. Journal of ESL Teachers and Learners, 2, 163–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, A. C. & Perrett, D. I. (2007). Using composite images to assess accuracy in personality attribution to faces. British Journal of Psychology, 98, 111–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lubinski, D. & Benbow, C. P. (2006). Study of mathematically precocious youth after 35 years: Uncovering antecedents for math science expertise. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1, 316–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacNell, L., Driscoll, A. & Hunt, A.N. (2014). What’s in a name: Exposing gender bias in student ratings of teaching. Innovative Higher Education, Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s10755-014-9313-4.

  • Macrae, C. N., Mitchell, J. P. & Pendry, L. F. (2002). What’s in a forename: Cue familiarity and stereotypical thinking. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 186–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahani, S. & Molki, A. (2011). Factors influencing female Emirati students’ decision to study engineering. Global Journal of Engineering Education, 13(1), 26–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makhmasi, S., Zaki, R., Barada, H. & Al-Hammadi, Y. (2012). Gender perceptions of STEM education among UAE students. In Proceedings of SCET Spring World Congress on Engineering and Technology Conference, Xi’an, China.

  • Marsh, H. W., Bornmann, L., Mutz, R., Daniel, H. D. & O’Mara, A. (2009). Gender effects in the reviews of grant proposals: A comprehensive meta-analysis comparing traditional and multilevel approaches. Review of Educational Research, 79, 1290–1326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merritt, R. D. & Harrison, T. W. (2006). Gender and ethnicity attributions to a gender-and ethnicity-unspecified individual: Is there a people = white male bias? Sex Roles, 54(11–12), 787–797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moghadam, V. M. (2004). Patriarchy in transition: Women and the changing family in the Middle East. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 35(2),137–162.

  • Moru, E. K., Persens, J. & Breiteig, T. (2010). Investigating a possible gap between students’ expectations and perceptions: The case of a pre-entry science program. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(2), 323–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moshavi, D., Dana, S., Standifird, S. S. & Pons, F. (2008). Gender effects in the business school classroom: A social power perspective. Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management, 10(1), 3–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss-Racusin, C. A., Dovidio, J. F., Brescoll, V. L., Graham, M. J. & Handelsman, J. (2012). Science faculty’s subtle gender biases favor male students. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(41), 16474–16479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, M. C., Steele, C. & Gross, J. (2007). Signaling threat: How situational cues affect women in math, science, and engineering settings. Psychological Science, 18, 879–885.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norton, B. & Syed, Z. (2003). TESOL in the Gulf: The sociocultural context of English language teaching in the Gulf. TESOL Quarterly, 37(2), 337–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally, J. C. & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

  • Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS survival manual: A step-by-step guide to data analysis using SPSS. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

  • Pasha-Zaidi, N., Holtby, A., Afari, E., & Thomson, D. (2014). Face value: The effect of ethnicity and gender on student expectations of english language instructors in the UAE. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies, 2(1), 54–68. Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org.

  • Quinn, K. A., Macrae, C. N. & Bodenhausen, G. V. (2003). Stereotyping and impression formation: How categorical thinking shapes person perception. In M. A. Hogg & J. Cooper (Eds.), Sage handbook of social psychology (pp. 87–109). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

  • Richardson, P. M. (2004). Possible influences of Arabic-Islamic culture on the reflective practices proposed for an education degree at the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Educational Development, 24(4), 429–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ridge, N. (2010). Teacher quality, gender and nationality in the United Arab Emirates: A crisis for boys. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai School of Government.

  • Riegle-Crumb, C. & King, B. (2010). Questioning a white male advantage in STEM examining disparities in college major by gender and race/ethnicity. Educational Researcher, 39(9), 656–664.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shah, R. & Ogden, J. (2006). ‘What’s in a face?’ The role of doctor ethnicity, age and gender in the formation of patients’ judgements: An experimental study. Patient Education and Counseling, 60(2), 136–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, J. R. & Williams, A. M. (2012). The role of stereotype threats in undermining girls’ and women’s performance and interest in STEM fields. Sex Roles, 66(3–4), 175–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sprinkle, J. E. (2008). Student perceptions of effectiveness: An examination of the influence of student biases. College Student Journal, 42(2), 276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinpreis, R. E., Anders, K. A. & Ritzke, D. (1999). The impact of gender on the review of the CVs of job applicants and tenure candidates: A national empirical study. Sex Roles, 41, 509–528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stout, J. G., Dasgupta, N., Hunsinger, M. & McManus, M. A. (2011). STEMing the tide: using ingroup experts to inoculate women’s self-concept in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100(2), 255–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trix, F. & Psenka, C. (2003). Exploring the color of glass: Letters of recommendation for female and male medical faculty. Discourse & Society, 14, 191–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United Arab Emirates National Bureau of Statistics. (2010). UAE in figures. Retrieved from http://www.uaestatistics.gov.ae/ReportPDF/Population%20Estimates%202006%20-%202010.pdf

  • Valian, V. (1998). Why so slow? The advancement of women. Cambridge, England: MIT Press.

  • Walton, G. & Cohen, H. (2007). A question of fit: Race, social fit, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 82–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins, M. W. (2000). Monte Carlo PCA for parallel analysis [computer software]. State College: Ed & Psych Associates.

  • Wheeler, M. E. & Fiske, S. T. (2005). Controlling racial prejudice social-cognitive goals affect amygdala and stereotype activation. Psychological Science, 16(1), 56–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkins, S. & Epps, A. (2011). Student evaluation web sites as potential sources of consumer information in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Educational Management, 25(5), 410–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willis, J. & Todorov, A. (2006). First impressions making up your mind after a 100-ms exposure to a face. Psychological Science, 17(7), 592–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Petroleum Institute, PO Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi & Ernest Afari

Authors
  1. Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ernest Afari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi.

Appendix

Appendix

Imagine that next semester you are assigned to a math class that is taught by the professor in the photo. This professor has recently joined from another university. Although you do not know this person, please rate your level of agreement with the statements below.

Put a tick in the box that most correctly describes your expectations of the professor.

 

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

1

The instructor is an expert in his/her field

1

2

3

4

2

The instructor will speak clearly and use precise English

1

2

3

4

3

The instructor will motivate me to succeed in the class

1

2

3

4

4

The instructor will assess my work fairly

1

2

3

4

5

The instructor will treat me with respect

1

2

3

4

6

The instructor will treat me fairly

1

2

3

4

7

The instructor will explain the lessons clearly

1

2

3

4

8

The instructor will treat students with respect

1

2

3

4

9

The instructor will treat students fairly

1

2

3

4

10

The instructor will motivate students to succeed in the class

1

2

3

4

11

The instructor is interested in student success

1

2

3

4

12

The instructor will encourage students to ask questions and participate in class

1

2

3

4

13

This person will be an excellent instructor for this course

1

2

3

4

14

I want to be in this instructor’s class

1

2

3

4

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pasha-Zaidi, N., Afari, E. Gender in STEM Education: an Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions of Math and Science Instructors in the United Arab Emirates. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 14, 1215–1231 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-015-9656-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-015-9656-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation