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From: schoi@teri.bio.uci.edu (SamLord Byron Choi)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: sexist space...
Message-ID: <9103181225.aa00916@orion.oac.uci.edu>
Date: 28 Mar 91 03:24:04 GMT
Sender: ambar@ora.com (Jean Marie Diaz)
Organization: University of California, Irvine
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etbe_cif@uhura.cc.rochester.EDU (elisa) writes:

>There
>could been several reasons for the class to be
>"quiet."  The first one that comes to mind is
>that the person teaching the class doesn't
>"inspire" the class.  Some people, no matter
>how good their intentions, are lousy teachers.

>        There seems to be a misconception
>associating quiet with female.  In the studies
>that I have read, it isn't -the males- in the
>class who are the most active.  -A small group-
>of males (meaning between two and four) are in
>control of the class participation. The rest of
>the males in the class are just as quiet as "the
>females."  It seems to be a well established
>pattern.

This is consistent with my experiences too.  I can usually guess how
much class discussion there is going to be in a class after the first
hour or so of class.  I think students "read" the instructor and try
to get a feel of how receptive he/she is going to be to comments,
particularly those that might be "dumb" comments.  I think that the
way students will react to another student's comments is, well not
determined by, but greatly influenced by the way they think the
instructor will react.

>        And just because the males in the class
>are not threatening to beat up all the females
>if they say anything, doesn't mean that they don't
>exert any influence.  What can happen in discussions
>is this... A group discussion is going on, a person
>(doesn't actually have to be female) contributes an
>idea, the group pauses for a moment, and then goes
>back to the discussion as if the person hadn't spoken,
>the idea was ignored.

Again, very true.  The main problem as I see is that people tend to
see classroom discussion as a sort of competition.  I am sure every
student would like to say something absolutely brilliant to dazzle the
instructor and the entire class, but just can't think of anything.  Or
actually, doesn't think that what he/she has to say is all that
interesting.  You certainly can't look dumb in front of your peers, so
the old adage kicks in and everyone shuts up.

So I guess the problem then lies not so much in anyone intimidating
the others, but more in the self-consciousness of the quiet ones.  Of
course if there is someone rather aggresive in the class, then that
certainly compounds the problem.

My question now is, so how does this new version of this scenario
present itself as a gender-based problem?

Sam Choi
schoi@teri.bio.uci.edu
(No need for a disclaimer.  Yes I am the mouth of the university ;)