Research in Higher Education, Vol. 33, No. 3, 1992 STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN AND MEN AS LEARNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION Elisabeth Hayes , ù ° . . . . ° . ° ù ° ù . ù ° ° ù ° , . . . . ° ° ù , ~ ° , ° ° . . . . ° ° , , ° ° ù ù . . . . . ù . . . . ~ . . . . . ~ , ~ . . . . , ° , ° ù . . . . . . . . . . ° ° , ° ° . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . J . ° ~ ° . . . . . . ° . . . . . . . . The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in women and men's class- room behavior from the perspective of both traditional college-age and adult stu- dents in higher education. A sample of 358 students in four institutions responded to a questionnaire with 39 classroom behaviors. Factor analysis of the survey re- sponses yielded seven dimensions of perceived classroom behavior. Perceptions of male and female behavior differed significantly on six of the seven factors. Perceived differences did not conform entirely to the findings of other research. Gender and age of respondent were related to perceptions of behavior. • . ù , ù ù . , . ù , 1 ù . ù , ù , , , . . . . , . ° ù ~ ° ù ù , ù ù . , . ® , , . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . ~ ° , , ù , , , , ° ° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ° . . . . ° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . ° . . . . . . . . . ,,,ù Differences in women and men's characteristics and behavior as learners have received considerable attention from educators and researchers in higher education over the past several decades. Understanding gender-related differ- ences is important due to their potential relationship to educational outcomes. In particular, differences in female and male classroom behavior and interaction have been identified as a source of inequities in student achievement and affec- tive outcomes, such as self-confidence (Hall, 1982). By clafifying these differ- ences, educators can bettet develop strategies to foster a more equitabte class- room environment for both women and men. However, this attention has not led to the development of a substantiat body of conclusive knowledge regarding gender differences in higher education or their relationship to outcomes. One of the most widely cited publicafions on differences in women and men's classroom experience and behavior, Hall's The Classroom Climate: A Chilly One for Women? (1982), is a synthesis of limited empirical studies. Other research has yielded mixed evidence of consis- tent gender-related differences across settings and samples. In a discussion of communicator style, Staley and Cohen (1988) identify two major reasons for the controversial and inconclusive nature of research on gender differences: (l) Elisabeth Hayes, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Continuing & Vocational Educa- tion, 276 Teacher Education Building, Madison, WI 53706 377 0361-0365/92/0600-0377506.50/0 © 1992 Human Sciences Press, Inc.