Abstract
Researchers interested in the role gender plays in the educational environment have investigated differences in the teaching styles of men and women in the face-to-face classroom (Caplan, 1994; Clegg, Trayhurn, & Johnson, 2000; Proost, Elen, & Lowyck, 1997; Statham, Richardson, & Cook, 1991; Sullivan, 1999). In distance education, the differences between the teaching styles of men and women are similar to those noted in the face-to-face classroom (Barrett, 2004; Dupin-Bryant, 2004). In both educational settings, men and women prefer different teaching styles. In the face-to-face classroom, differences in the teaching styles of male and female faculty members have depicted women as leaning more towards a learner-centered style than men, even though men and women are exposed to similar experiences in their own educational endeavors (Moulton, 1992; Scotney, 1986; Statham et al., 1991; Stickney-Taylor & Sasse, 1990). The purpose of this discussion is to use research on teaching styles to provide more information about the online environment for those who will be teaching, learning, or administrating online distance education.