Are Traditional Chemistry Courses Male-Gendered?

Research in education reveals problematic differences in the motivation, performance, and persistence of female students versus male students in STEM courses. These differences can be linked to structural and systemic factors influencing curricular, instruction, and assessment decisions that disproportionally affect female students. In this article, I summarize relevant results from the research literature on gender issues in STEM courses and analyze data collected in general chemistry classes to delve into the problem. Findings suggest that traditional learning environments in foundational chemistry courses at the university level are likely inequitable to female students and thus are male-gendered. Implications for teaching these courses are discussed.