Bridging the gender gap: Investigating disparities in student communication skills in the digital education era

Communication skills are one of the primary skills that students must possess. Previous research has shown a tendency for communication skills to differ based on gender. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how learning in the digital era can improve communication skills among prospective teachers and to explore whether there are differences in communication skills based on gender. This study uses a comparative descriptive method to assess the level of students’ communication skills, considering gender as one of the influencing factors. The sample consists of 19 male students and 19 female students selected through quota sampling. Data analysis conducted using SPSS shows that overall communication skills are "good," except for multilingual skills, which are "adequate." The results indicate that students’ communication skills are generally good, as evidenced by oral participation such as expressing opinions and asking questions, as well as written work. Communication progress is influenced by learning based on digital technology. Based on gender, there is no significant difference between male and female students, indicating that both are able to develop communication skills at similar levels when given equal educational opportunities. This study contributes to scientific research by demonstrating that the use of digital technology in the learning process can enhance students’ communication skills. Additionally, this study proves that with equal education, gender differences do not affect communication skills. These findings can help in designing more inclusive and effective learning strategies to develop communication skills in the digital era.