Why Do Women Feel Ignored? Gender Differences in Computer-Mediated Classroom Interactions

Recant research on gender and computer-mediated communication (CMC) indicates that, despite claims to the contrary, electronic hommunication does not automatically equalize the proportion of discourse spoken by men and women. This study investigates the relationship between the quality of cross-gendered interactions online and the often-expressed complaint that women are ignored in these environments. The computer-mediated interactions of students in one undergraduate classroom consisting of equal numbers of male and female students are analyzed to determine the effects different kinds of conversational work have on the discourse of men and women. The results find the women in this, study initiating more agreements and open-ended questions, but equivalent numbers of disagreements as their male classmates. However, even though female students are willing to challenge iheir classmates’ comments, when fhey are confronted, they fail fo speak in their own defense, thus suggesting o relationship between adversariol discourse and the low proportion of female discourse online.