Integrating gender into mainstream teaching

Abstract

Equity for women in Canadian geography can begin by introducing gender awareness into undergraduate course content. This paper proposes that of two approaches available, introduction of gender geography courses and integration of gender content into traditional courses, latter is more feasible. Three reasons can be suggested to support this. Implementation of a new course requires additional financial and faculty resources that may not be available, especially to a small department. Second, if a new course is going to be required as part of a degree program then either number of electives must be reduced or an existing course has to be dropped. Conversely, a Geography of Gender course added as an elective may only attract those already interested in topic. Third, from a pedagogical standpoint, it may be better to integrate gender content into a variety, if not all, traditional courses rather than place it in isolation. As Kobayashi (this issue, 247) points out, there is a need to critically examine the range of courses taught, parts of world that receive greatest attention, kind of questions that are asked. Indeed, as Hall et al. (this issue, 238) put it, we need to pay attention to what counts as geographic knowledge. Creating a New University When University of Northern British Columbia was established, five mandated areas of interest were identified: Environmental Studies, First Nations Studies, International Studies, Northern Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies. These areas of interest were further defined in a series of guiding principles or values including gender and equity. A Women's Studies Program was established as one of twenty-five original academic departments, as part of university's commitment to `interdisciplinarity', and `pedagogical and curricular innovation' (University Planning Committee 1997, 3). The current Calendar states that women's studies degree program looks at women's social and cultural contributions, contemporary roles, and structures and processes of gender differentiation (Office of Associate Vice President of Student Services 2000, 82). It makes sense then to choose to introduce gender into mainstreem geography courses instead of singling out gender as a course topic. A geography program was designed for university and it was left to institution's first geographer, Dr. Ellen Petticrew, to make modifications. As other members were appointed, a program evolved that fitted new geographers' skills. When these founding members, two females and four males, developed degree requirements, in addition to standard geography courses, they wanted to comply with five mandated areas identified by university. Thus, courses included Geography in a Changing World (environmental), Aboriginal Geography, International Geography, and Geography of Circumpolar North. However, faculty size and workload became a limiting factor in offering courses in all five areas. The faculty decided that rather than offer a gender geography course, all B.A. majors in geography would be required to take at least one course from women's studies program. Kobayashi and Berg (both in this issue) make point that gender is marginalized in university and in course curricula. This is not case at UNBC, Gender issues are central to establishment of all programs at university. Yet because of constraints in teaching resources, geography program at UNBC was not able to accommodate all of five significant interest areas identified. Our intentions were not to purposefully exclude gender. As is often case, students in geography programs have opportunities to learn about gender in other disciplines, women's studies included. After operating in this manner for a number of years, geography faculty members found that students of both sexes often complained about women's studies requirement. …