CONTENTS
INFUSING GENDER EQUITY

A Framework for Infusing Gender Equity
into Preservice Teacher Education Programs

An Integrated, Multicultural Strategy for Curriculum Enhancement
The rationale for infusing gender equity concepts and strategies into preservice teacher education is found in Myra and David Sadker’s mandate for transforming our educational institutions to promote full participation of female students (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Recent research studies on the disproportionately low participation of females in science and mathematics majors and careers, and on the status of women in leadership roles in business and industry (Campbell, 1996; Schiemberger, 1995) also highlight the need for change. The AAUW’s continuing research on issues relating to girls and education shows that "teachers can be particularly effective in helping to bring about change" to address the problem of gender bias within our society.

At issue is how to most effectively design and implement a program that will address this problem through intervention at a level that promises a far-reaching and lasting impact. Such an intervention must complement the existing curriculum without adding undue coursework or experiences that burden student and teacher. In essence, such an intervention must be obvious but unobtrusive--building on and linking with concepts and content already in place, specifically the multicultural concepts. Multicultural education, a key component in teacher education programs, will serve as the organizing element for gender equity. Not only will there be a linkage with the respective program’s multicultural education thrust and philosophy, the framework will be interpreted within the cultural context of the host program.

Finally, the intervention should be adaptable so that it adheres to the host curriculum with minimum distraction. The design should allow for incremental implementation with each phase giving impetus to the next.

The Purpose

The purpose of this activity is to prepare preservice teachers to change the way they accommodate girls in the classroom in order to effect equal access for Georgia’s girls and boys to quality science, engineering and mathematics (SEM) education. To this end, the curriculum framework is supported by social reconstructionist thought: the curriculum will be used as an agent of social change.

The Strategy

The strategy for the program is centered in accepted curriculum development procedures:
1) Developing and validating goals, 2) Writing enabling objectives, 3) Designing learning activities, 4) Selecting instructional strategies, 5) Identifying and building instructional resources, and 6) Developing assessment tools and techniques. The challenge comes in the careful integration of the elements of gender equity--the concepts, values and skills--into the existing program.

The Contents

At present, the framework consists of goals, objectives and activities for three major areas of the teacher education curriculum: [[1) professional core]]; [[2) pedagogy and practices]] [[3) field experience]]. The final piece of the framework is a discussion of a possible [[strategy for infusing the framework]] into an existing teacher education program.


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