Influences of Gender on Computer Simulation Outcomes

Classroom environments considered to be technology rich tend to show little difference between male and female achievement outcomes in the science classroom. This study investigates the effects of internet-based chemistry simulations viewed through the lens of gender in a high school chemistry classroom. This study examines 201 students enrolled in a chemistry class nested in an urban high school setting. A pretest, post test, quasi-experimental model was used to establish the change in student achievement using gender as a predictor variable. The change in student achievement was examined using a two-way repeated measure analysis of variance (F>0.01, p<0.5). Results suggest online simulation is an effective intervention to address gender related outcomes difference in the science classroom. A continuation of this trend would suggest that technology use and science education outcomes would eventually become gender neutral.