Female Higher Education Teachers Use Digital Technologies More and Better than They Think

Abstract

The unequal status of female teachers in higher education is a reality. However, are digital technologies another reason for their exclusion? The main aim of this study was to analyze the integration of digital technologies in teaching from a gender perspective. The research was a multiple case study applying the quantitative method. The sample comprised 527 teachers from four Spanish universities. The instrument utilized was a self-administered survey. The results confirm both types of segregation and the fact that female teachers see themselves as less digitally competent than their male counterparts; ironically, the findings also show that the former use information and communication technologies in teaching more than the latter. In conclusion, we highlight the need to study more deeply the intersection between digital breach and gender in higher education, and to take measures during the early stages of education to overcome female teachers’ tendency of underestimating their digital competence.

Conocimiento del profesorado universitario sobre el uso de recursos digitales para atender a personas con discapacidad. El caso de la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha

“…Tanto los hombres como las mujeres presentan una puntuación menor de 3 en todas las dimensiones. Nuestro estudio no se alinea con aquellos realizados desde una perspectiva de género y que ofrecen resultados contrarios, manifestando la relevancia del género en el nivel de competencia digital (Marcelo et al, 2015;Martínez-Cantos & Castaño, 2017;Mercader & Duran-Bellonch, 2021).…”

Knowledge of university teachers on the use of digital resources to assist people with disabilities. The case of Spain

“…The answer to the question of whether the gender of university teachers has a relevant influence on the level of digital competence (RQ4) is that in our study the results show that the gender variable is not relevant in predicting the level of digital competence. Despite the existence of studies in higher education institutions, from a gender perspective they offer contrary results and show the relevance of gender in the level of digital competence (Marcelo et al, 2015 ; Martínez-Cantos & Castaño, 2017 ; Mercader & Duran-Bellonch, 2021 ).…”

“…Studies on the level of digital teaching competence in higher education institutions from a gender perspective offer disparate results: the works of Marcelo et al ( 2015 ) and Martínez-Cantos and Castaño ( 2017 ) show that the use of digital technologies for teaching purposes is more common among male teachers, while for Mercader and Duran-Bellonch ( 2021 ) it is women who make more use of them and therefore have a higher level of competence.…”

Social inclusion as a perspective for the validation of the "DigCompEdu Check-In" questionnaire for teaching digital competence

“…The phenomenon of ICTs and their impact on the scope of education could be contemplated from a double perspective. On the one hand, they have contributed to the expansion of the digital divide, and their incorporation has promoted aspects of inequality (e.g., people who have access vs those who do not; people who have skills vs those who do not) and differences of not only development spaces, but also in the frontiers that are set in terms of digital literacy (Nilholm, 2021 ; Vyrastekova, 2021 ; Mercader & Duran-Bellonch, 2021 ). On the other hand, ITCs are presented as an opportunity for the inclusion of all disadvantaged people (training, work, health, access to information, expression, etc.).…”