Gender Dynamics in University Classrooms in Ghana Journal of Higher Education Volume 8 Ghana: The Academic, Social and Psychological Effect on the Quality of Student Learning

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate how gender dynamics in university classrooms affect the quality of students’ learning  experiences academically, socially and psychologically. The study was informed by the perception that gender biases are perpetuated in  university classrooms. A case study approach involving 553 students randomly selected from four faculties of a University in Ghana was taken given that, the context of institutions differs. The quantitative data collected using a semi-structured questionnaire was analysed  using descriptive and correlation analysis aided by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The qualitative data on the other  hand was analysed using thematic analysis. The study showed that gender biases were often exhibited in areas such as classroom  participation, lecturer-student relationships, discipline and assessment. Key academic, psychological and social effects identified included students’ inability to answer questions in class, loss of self-esteem, inferiority, shyness, timidity, feelings of exclusion and nervousness.  The study is expected to help educators and stakeholders alike to better understand the gender dynamics present in tertiary classrooms  so as to design and implement instructional interventions that mitigate such, and improve the quality of students’ learning experience.