Gender has a significant influence on a leaders willingness and ability to respond to and make use of the teaching learning

situation. In recent years these factors have been the focus of increased attention with respect to their effects of learning. Understanding those characteristics among learners related to gender is one of the major importance when designing and implementing education programs to meet the needs of an increasingly unique population of learners. There are, however, characteristics of male and female orientations that affect learning and need to be addressed more closely (Gage & Berliner,1998;Omrod,1995;Woolfolk,1998).

According to Gorman, 1992, there remains a gap in knowledge of how males and females might think and behave if they were not influenced by their environment right from birth.

Of course, men and women are different. But the question is: Are they different or the same when it comes to learning and to what can the similarities and differences be attributed? The fact remains that there are sex characteristics as to how males and females act, react and perform in situations affecting every aspect of life. In navigation, women tend to have difficulty finding their way, while men seem to have a better sense of direction. Scientists are beginning to

believe that gender differences have as much to do with the biology of the brain as with the way people are raised (Gorman, 1992; BaronCohen,2005).

In

general

Intelligence,

various

studies

have

not

yielded

consistent findings on whether males and females differ in general intelligence. While in the verbal ability girls learn to talk, use sentences, and use a greater variety of word than boys. In addition, girls speak more clearly, read earlier, and do consistently better on tests of spelling and grammar. Boys show signs of excelling in mathematical reasoning, and the differences in Math abilities of boys over girls. Of all possible gender- related differences in intellectual activity, the Spatial ability of males is consistently higher than that of females, and probably has a genetic origin(Gorman,1992).

Men tend to try new approaches in problem solving and are less likely to be influenced by irrelevant cues and more focused on common features in certain learning tasks. Males also show more curiosity and significantly less conservatism than woman in risk- taking situations. In the area of human relations, however, women perform better at problem solving than do men. Without exception, girls get better

grades on average than boys particularly at the elementary school level (Gage & Berliner, 1998; Omrod, 1995; Woolfolk, 1998).

As health educators, nurses must become aware of the extent to which social and heredity- related differences between the genders affect health- seeking behaviors and influence individual health needs. As stated previously, in some areas males and females display different orientations and learning styles. The differences seem to depend on their interests and past experiences in the biological and social roles of men and women in our society.women and men are part of different social cultures, too. They use different symbols, belief systems, and ways to express themselves, much in the same manner that different ethnic groups have distinct culture (Tear, 1995).