Gender Mainstreaming in Teacher Education

النوع : Article

Gender mainstreaming is an equity demand that can best be implemented by professors in teacher education programs using right course material and pedagogical methods that integrate gender issues. The present paper explores whether the gender approach has been integrated in teacher education programs at 11 universities in Lebanon. Vision, mission, program learning outcomes of the teacher education programs in the various participating universities were collected upon request to check whether they were effective tools in guiding goals, plans and activities as they related to gender. The following course syllabi were also collected from the participating universities: a) one course in educational psychology b) one course in subject matter; c) one course in educational assessment; d) one course in generic instructional methods; e) one subject specific method course; f) one specific methods course early childhood; and g) one practicum course. It is clear, from the minimal available data, that none of the teacher education programs at the different universities integrates gender into its policy, mission, curriculum, or resources. The paper suggests a set of recommendations that can be implemented to mainstream gender in teacher education programs.