Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators

We perceive contestations between science, education and women’s engagement and have raised disruptions in their act of knowing and mobility in science education. This study explored science educators’ views, beliefs and actions of reproduction and subversion of gender stereotyping at a teacher educ...

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Main Authors: Daniel Allu, Nadaraj Govender, Angela James
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/9/621
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author Daniel Allu
Nadaraj Govender
Angela James
author_facet Daniel Allu
Nadaraj Govender
Angela James
author_sort Daniel Allu
collection DOAJ
description We perceive contestations between science, education and women’s engagement and have raised disruptions in their act of knowing and mobility in science education. This study explored science educators’ views, beliefs and actions of reproduction and subversion of gender stereotyping at a teacher education college in Nigeria. Six science educators were selected based on comprehensive gender information that facilitated conduction of the study. The six educators were purposively selected out of 11 educators who completed and returned the questionnaire. A qualitative approach and case study framed the research using instruments such as questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observation schedules. Thematic analysis and coding were done. Educators consciously and unconsciously reproduced gender stereotypes beliefs and practices. Educators explicitly and implicitly engaged in unequal distribution of cognitive activities amongst pre-service teachers influenced by their practice of cultural norms and patriarchal ideology. The findings revealed multiple oppressions females faced, contradictory science classrooms, and political and democratic classroom space for negotiating and renegotiating discriminatory classroom beliefs, perception and views of educators during science engagements. However, several possibilities such as political advocacy, productive activism and transformative resistance for educators to re-negotiate discriminatory gendered space through constructive gender equality awareness for freedom and intellectual growth in science education could be emancipatory possibilities.
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spelling doaj.art-25f1f1e6b97e487bbcde6122e072d96c2023-11-23T15:56:04ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-09-0112962110.3390/educsci12090621Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science EducatorsDaniel Allu0Nadaraj Govender1Angela James2School of Education Science and Technology Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaSchool of Education Science and Technology Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaSchool of Education Science and Technology Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaWe perceive contestations between science, education and women’s engagement and have raised disruptions in their act of knowing and mobility in science education. This study explored science educators’ views, beliefs and actions of reproduction and subversion of gender stereotyping at a teacher education college in Nigeria. Six science educators were selected based on comprehensive gender information that facilitated conduction of the study. The six educators were purposively selected out of 11 educators who completed and returned the questionnaire. A qualitative approach and case study framed the research using instruments such as questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observation schedules. Thematic analysis and coding were done. Educators consciously and unconsciously reproduced gender stereotypes beliefs and practices. Educators explicitly and implicitly engaged in unequal distribution of cognitive activities amongst pre-service teachers influenced by their practice of cultural norms and patriarchal ideology. The findings revealed multiple oppressions females faced, contradictory science classrooms, and political and democratic classroom space for negotiating and renegotiating discriminatory classroom beliefs, perception and views of educators during science engagements. However, several possibilities such as political advocacy, productive activism and transformative resistance for educators to re-negotiate discriminatory gendered space through constructive gender equality awareness for freedom and intellectual growth in science education could be emancipatory possibilities.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/9/621gender stereotypeproductionreproductionsubversionpre-service teacherscounter hegemony
spellingShingle Daniel Allu
Nadaraj Govender
Angela James
Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators
Education Sciences
gender stereotype
production
reproduction
subversion
pre-service teachers
counter hegemony
title Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators
title_full Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators
title_fullStr Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators
title_full_unstemmed Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators
title_short Cultural Production, Reproduction and Subversion of Gender Stereotyping among Pre-Service Science Teachers: Insights from Science Educators
title_sort cultural production reproduction and subversion of gender stereotyping among pre service science teachers insights from science educators
topic gender stereotype
production
reproduction
subversion
pre-service teachers
counter hegemony
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/9/621
work_keys_str_mv AT danielallu culturalproductionreproductionandsubversionofgenderstereotypingamongpreservicescienceteachersinsightsfromscienceeducators
AT nadarajgovender culturalproductionreproductionandsubversionofgenderstereotypingamongpreservicescienceteachersinsightsfromscienceeducators
AT angelajames culturalproductionreproductionandsubversionofgenderstereotypingamongpreservicescienceteachersinsightsfromscienceeducators