Abstract
The need to incorporate the gender dimension in higher education is a central element of gender equality policies within the European Union (EU). When most institutions of higher education have already strengthened and consolidated their curricula, the next challenge is to include and ensure that all people have the same opportunities to progress in education. This study intends to incorporate the gender dimension in teaching through a guide providing recommendations for the introduction of changes that will allow its effective incorporation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) areas. It will take into account the administration in charge of formulating policies in the field of education, the students, and, mainly, the teaching staff. Its objective is to cover aspects related to the principles of equal opportunities and gender equality in STEM higher education disciplines. For this purpose, 41 volunteer teachers from 8 degrees and master’s degrees from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain participated. To achieve the results of this study, aspects related to social and gender relevance of the subjects, inclusive methodology, classroom management and assessment were considered. As a preliminary step to the development of the guide of recommendations, a teacher’s self-assessment tool and a questionnaire for students to analyze the perception of the gender dimension were developed.
Highlights
To build capacity of participating academic staff of Gender Dimension in Teaching (GDT) project, giving them the appropriate tools, so that they could redefine their courses incorporating the gender dimension in teaching; To create a survey template to assess the perception and situation regarding the gender dimension in teaching in both teachers and students; To help integrating this much-needed dimension in all the curricula of the UPC, in the medium–long term in order to comply with the requirements of the AQU, which enforces the incorporation of the gender dimension in all the Bachelor and Master degrees in Catalonia by 2021
Before commenting on the results of the questionnaire, participants received a brief training on the fundamentals of the gender dimension in teaching and the four fundamental pillars of the GDT project were presented
Students must be prepared to learn and develop the skills required by the technologies of the 21st century. These changes will educate students as citizens of a more sustainable future in terms of equity, inclusion, diversity, prosperity and justice, key aspects included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Summary
The lack of engineers is a challenge for society in the future. There is currently a shortage of women in these sectors and especially in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, so it is necessary to offer the female group the opportunities for a social lift related to a professional future in these fields [2,3]. This lack means a loss of talent and diversity for society as a whole (women make up more than 50% of the population).
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