Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!aero-c!nadel
From: Chris.Holt@newcastle.ac.uk (Chris Holt)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: sexist space...
Message-ID: <1991Mar13.182858.15755@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 13 Mar 91 18:28:58 GMT
References: <9103091235.aa25111@orion.oac.uci.edu> <1991Mar11.234211.18056@panix.uucp>
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, NE1 7RU
Lines: 28
Approved: nadel@aerospace.aero.org
Originator: nadel@aerospace.aero.org



panix!mara@cmcl2.NYU.EDU (Mara Chibnik) writes:

>                                 But a secondary suggestion was made
>that this was due, at least in part, to a difference between the
>nature of the answers the women and the men had to offer, and in the
>kinds of questions that each found appealing.  In particular, the men
>tended to be quick with brief and relatively simple responses, while
>the women seemed to spend longer formulating more complex, less "to
>the point" answers.

>If (and it is a very big if) there is some truth to this, it behooves
>us to consider the nature of classroom reinforcement.  Unless we do
>this, we are skewing our definition of participation and of learning
>to favor a particular model.

Consider the nature of the net, and the kinds of answers that
are positively and negatively reinforced here.  We could be
brewing up a whole new level of problems (especially since
different kinds of newsgroups tend to have different styles,
and so reinforce the stereotypical behaviour within the various
disciplines.  Do you prefer sci.econ or alt.callahans? :-)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Chris.Holt@newcastle.ac.uk      Computing Lab, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
       "A peace I hope with honour." - Disraeli 1878