Comparative Observations of Gender Equity in the English-Language Classroom in Korea

The question of fair and equal treatment of men and women in the college classroom has become more important as the proportion of female students has been increasing and the role of women in society has been increasing. Previous studies in the West have shown a discrepancy between perception of fairness and actual attempts to overcome gender bias in the classroom with a declining feeling of bias over time. This study attempted to determine the situation in an English-language Korean classroom setting by trying to determine perceived levels of fairness through surveys and then observed the same classrooms to evaluate gender equity through objective measures. Students were observed in eight classrooms taught by two professors perceived as fair in previous surveys and the actual impact of their pedagogical methods for pursuing gender equity in the classroom. Implications of the surveys and observations are drawn and recommendations are made for advancing perceived and actual gender equity in class.