Date of Award

Summer 8-18-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Mike Moodian

Second Advisor

Wes Habley

Third Advisor

Keith Larick

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this correlational study was to identify whether there are differences in student satisfaction scores in academic advisement gender pairings in an undergraduate university setting.

Methodology: This study was a descriptive correlational research study utilizing archival survey data. The collected data consisted of numeric scale survey responses from 6 iterations of the annual advising assessment survey. This study examined the relationship between student-advisor gender pairing and the numeric satisfaction score provided by the student. This study was a correlational research study with 2 variables (gender of student, gender of advisor). Students T-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed.

Findings: Examination of from more than 4,000 student survey responses indicated a variety of findings. First, the data suggest that there is no difference in rated satisfaction based only on the gender of the advisor. Additionally, there is no difference in rated satisfaction based only on the gender of the student. The school that housed the student’s program of study was not a major factor in determining the satisfaction of the student with academic advising. Finally, male students have a slight preference toward a female advisor, while female students rate both male and female advisors about the same.

Conclusions: The study supported the conclusions that male undergraduate students have a preference for working with female academic advisors. A warm and relational advising style is even more important for males when it comes to their level of satisfaction with their advisor. Female students do not have a preference for working with an advisor of a specific gender.

Recommendations: Further research is recommended to determine whether this difference was a result of direct bias of the gender, general preference, or differences in typical advising approach utilized. Researchers should consider whether satisfaction differences exist based on the traits that show maleness and femaleness of advisors, regardless of specific gender. This study focused on professional academic advisors. Future researchers should examine whether similar preferences exist within faculty or peer advising models.

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