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Online teaching and gender bias

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  • Ayllón, Sara

Abstract

I study the impact of online instruction on teaching evaluations at a higher education institution in Spain. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I show that in the semester when teaching moved online, female lecturers were evaluated more poorly than in previous semesters. The performance of male lecturers was not impacted by the new teaching environment, according to student opinion. I rule out several mechanisms: for example, poorer adaptation to online teaching by female lecturers, less experience in taught courses or student sorting. Additional results indicate that among the female lecturers, those who were younger and who did not have a permanent contract were those impacted most negatively. The bias was driven by male students and by low achievers (who were going to fail the course), and was particularly pronounced in Social Sciences. If the online environment keeps gaining in importance in higher education, the gender gap in teaching evaluations that I document is likely to have important direct and indirect effects on the career progression of women.

Suggested Citation

  • Ayllón, Sara, 2022. "Online teaching and gender bias," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:89:y:2022:i:c:s0272775722000565
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102280
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    3. Cantet, Natalia & Feld, Brian & Hernández, Mónica, 2024. "Is there discrimination against children of same-sex households? Evidence from an experimental study in Colombia," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender bias; Online instruction; Teaching evaluations; Higher education; Spain;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J45 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Public Sector Labor Markets

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