Browsing by Author "Elonen, Jenni"

In 2014 the core curriculum for basic education was published. The curriculum acknowledges gender diversity and aims to provide students with equal starting points without roles tied to their gender. The aim of the research is to examine how gender is represented in geography textbooks made according to the new curriculum. In this research gender is comprehended as an entity that is constructed in time and space. It is constructed in social interaction and societal communication. School, as an institution of society, act as a developer of gender identities. Curriculum controls what are taught in schools. According to research gender bias in textbooks is a global issue. Researches conducted in Finland prove that gender bias exists also in Finnish textbooks. The amount of masculine characters in textbooks is greater than the amount of feminine characters. Masculine characters are also displayed in more active roles. The research material compiled of textbooks for grades of 7-9. There were 6 examined textbooks from two different publishers. The representation of gender was researched using content analysis method. In quantitative analysis visual representation and gendered words are examined. In addition to the absolute amounts of feminine and masculine characters, roles attached to the gendered characters were looked into. Also, text parts discussing about gender equality were analysed. Masculine characters were overrepresented in the textbooks compared to feminine characters. In one out of six books the amount of feminine characters exceeded the amount of masculine characters. The gendered characters often had professions or other functional roles attached to them. Many roles had both feminine and masculine performers. However, roles performed solely by masculine characters outnumbered the roles performed solely by feminine characters. The research material provided examples of representation of gender that break gender role stereotypes. Gender diversity was acknowledged in some of the texts. The equality of gender was mainly discussed through education of girls and women. Equality problems were presented generally as a problem in developing countries although gender equality is recognized as a global target. Sexuality as a theme was not striking and therefore the textbooks might produce heteronormative worldview. The researched textbooks provide one openly homosexual character who was accompanied by an openly heterosexual character. The sexuality of other characters was not highlighted. However, visual representations of family mainly presented two characters from opposing sexes as parents. The analysed textbooks did not construct a really stereotypical representation of gender. Comparing to the earlier research conducted in Finland, it is possible to state that the representation of gender has become more norm breaking. The books offered alternatives to stereotypes. As teaching instruments, textbooks enable equality discussions and taking different identities into account in classrooms.