Does Gender Have a Role in Using Information and Communications Technologies for Online Learning During the COVID-19 Era?

• In Event: Honoring Diversity in Online Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In light of the dismal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on female students, we aimed to promote learning for female students by focusing on the gender responsiveness of ICT-integrated online learning. We investigated information and communications technology (ICT) uses for specific and collaborative learning as potential gender-responsive ICT uses. We analyzed data from students who experienced an online transition during the 2020 spring semester in one large public university in the United States, using a latent moderated structural equation model. Our findings empirically support ICT uses for specific learning as gender-equitable ICT uses and for collaborative learning as gender-transformative ICT uses. We discuss the implications of our findings in the context of narrowing gender inequalities during the (post) COVID-19 era.

Authors

• Sunha Kim, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Suzanne N. Rosenblith, University at Buffalo - SUNY