The Impact of Gender on Student Learning: Lessons from a Model UN Course

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Abstract

What is the impact of gender on deep learning and professional skills attainment in the classroom? Using a 15-week Model United Nations course, I gather data on student progress in four levels of knowledge: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive. I use pre- and post-activity surveys as well as instructor’s own assessments designed to capture students’ initial knowledge/skill levels and measure the improvement they achieve throughout the semester. The statistical findings suggest that the Model UN experience has a more substantial impact on female students’ deep learning and professional skills. More specifically, female students on average not only pass the course with a significantly higher grade but also improve their professional skills considerably more than male students during the course of the semester. Moreover, a comparison of students’ self-evaluations and the instructor’s assessment of student progress reveals that male students, compared to their female peers, tend to drastically overestimate their initial levels of knowledge and professional skills. One-on-one interviews with each student reveal that such misplaced confidence hinders student learning and, thus, explains the gender gap in student success.

Author

• Mert Kartal, St. Lawrence University