Does the Instructors Gender Identity and Syllabus Design Affect Students Perceptions of Their Instructor?

Abstract

Background Learner-centered syllabi influence students’ perceptions of their instructors; however, studies have not investigated the gender identity of the instructor. Objective We sought to investigate whether the gender of the instructor and the syllabus design affected students' perceptions of the instructor, course, and memory of the syllabus. Method Participants were randomly assigned to read either learner- or instructor-centered syllabi for a course taught by a male, female, or gender-neutral instructor. They reported their perceptions of the instructor (i.e., Teacher Behavior Checklist), how they perceived the syllabus (i.e., Syllabus Tone Survey), and their memory of syllabus information. Results Students who received a learner-centered syllabus perceived the instructor as possessing higher master teacher behaviors, positive tone and remembered more of the course syllabus. Students perceived gender-neutral instructors as more caring, supportive, professional, and communicative compared to male and female instructors. Perceptions of male instructors were the least negative, and female instructors were the least positive. Conclusion The current study adds to the growing body of research demonstrating that a learner-centered syllabus can positively influence students' perceptions of the instructor. The initial evidence suggests that gender may also have an effect. Teaching Implications Instructors should consider designing their syllabus using learner-centered principles and be cautious and aware of a potential gender bias.