PurposeThe aims of this study are to identify and analyse prevalent gender roles and the persistence of sexist stereotypes among teachers in training in Spain, to determine the reasons for them and suggest solutions for eradicating sexist prejudices.Design/methodology/approachA gender role questionnaire was administered to 1260 workers from 54 different professions who were enrolled on a postgraduate training course to qualify as secondary education teachers. The instrument contained six variables for both quantitative and qualitative analysis: professional work, family (looking after children), feelings and emotions, household chores, body image and free time.FindingsHousehold chores, looking after children and gender roles linked to body image were those most indicated by both men and women. It is concluded that men participate little in bringing up children and household chores and that women continue to shoulder the responsibility. Both are concerned about their body image, but women have little self-acceptance of and satisfaction with their bodies and a stronger sense of being judged by how they look. Gender stereotypes persist, despite extensive legislation in Spain since 2004.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has limitations deriving from its choice of convenience sampling. Although it includes participants from six Spanish autonomous communities, the number from each region is not very high. Nevertheless, the sample is representative of almost all branches of knowledge (54 professions). Another limitation concerns the images used in the research instrument as a data collection strategy insofar, as they could not be obtained from a data bank specific to the research subject but instead had to be found in databases of general images. It can be inferred that a data collection strategy without any danger of bias would be to encourage each participant to design their own images, reflecting their perceptions and auto-perceptions of gender roles and stereotypes. The fact that there were no pre-existing studies using this type of research instrument in education sciences was a handicap for the investigation. Despite these methodological limitations, the results of the study may serve as a basis for implementing specific future actions originating from any area – but especially from the area of education – aimed at teaching people about equal roles in order to eliminate sexist sterotypes. This research was carried out as part of the Proyecto Diseño y Atención a las Oportunidades de Género en la Educación Superior (Project on Design and Gender Equality of Opportunities in Higher Education) funded by the Vicerrectorado de Cooperación al Desarrollo (Office for University Cooperation for Development) at the University of Alicante (Spain).Practical implicationsSpanish legislation has not been able to promote significant changes in the performance of traditional gender roles or to eliminate sexist stereotypes that perpetuate imbalances between men and women. The ideal and prevalent model of a Spanish woman is still that of a “self-sacrificing mother”, responsible for the household chores and childcare. She must combine this first job with a second profession, and, in addition, she must have a “desirable physical image”. The study puts forward various possible solutions for reducing and/or eradicating sexist attitudes with the participation of different social agents and in particular through education. The investigation could be of use when carrying out specific cross-sectional interventions on the subject of gender equality with students on postgraduate teacher training courses, for the purposes of encouraging the elimination of stereotypes and strengthening the capacity for critical judgement, positive self-concept and self-esteem.Originality/valueThe study may be useful for carrying out specific and transversal university training interventions in postgraduate teacher training on gender equality aimed at promoting the elimination of stereotypes, the strengthening of critical judgement capacity, positive self-concept and self-esteem.

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar si se incluye o no, y cómo se integra en su caso, el significado y alcance de la igualdad de género entre mujeres y hombres en la docencia universitaria. En la investigación, con enfoque cualitativo, participaron 25 profesores de los siete centros de la Universidad de Alicante. El instrumento utilizado para la recolección de datos fue una entrevista narrativa diseñada ad hoc para el estudio. El análisis de los datos se realizó con el software Aquad 7. Los hallazgos destacan que el profesorado considera que el enfoque de género es relevante en la docencia universitaria, aunque hay una considerable presencia de voces que señalan que no lo es, e incluso afirman que le quita calidad a los contenidos de las materias que imparten. Asimismo, los docentes que lo integran o están a favor de ello o arguyen que no requieren formación específica, aunque contradictoriamente destacan la existencia de factores limitantes como la complejidad y el desconocimiento del tema y la falta de referentes femeninas en su ámbito de conocimiento. Se concluye que la incorporación de la perspectiva de género no ha llegado a las aulas universitarias, que el marco legislativo en materia de género no ha tenido resultados efectivos ni funcionales, que hay una resistencia del profesorado para su inclusión en la docencia, y que la integración del género obedece a la voluntad solo de algunos profesores que están parcialmente convencidos de su beneficio y necesidad.

This study analyses the image that students of initial physical education teacher education (PETE) from two different universities (University of Alicante- UA, Spain, and Central University of Ecuador-UCE) have of physical education teachers. This qualitative and comparative study uses a metaphorical approach. Qualitative methodology was used to analyse the participating students metaphors in order to explore whether or not they suit the current learning and teaching perspectives in the field of Physical Education, and whether the images conveyed any differences between universities due to the influence of the context in the Physical Education teacher image and in gender stereotypes. A total of 190 students participated in the study (n= 105 men; n= 85 women). The software AQUAD 7 was used to process the data. The results showed that there were no obvious gender differences that keep women away from physical activity.  As well as not excessive differences due to the different context of the participants.

Within the framework of the perspectives of self-determination, self-control and self-regulation, this research analyses the management of difficulties encountered during the implementation of strategies to support autonomy and collaboration in gymnastic learning. The approach of the study is qualitative and is based on the experiences of university students of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, using personal diaries during classroom practice as an information tool. The data analysis is carried out using AQUAD 7 software. The results show that during the learning process, students experience difficulties associated with anxiety, especially in the final moments of educational process, together with perceptions of gymnastic incompetence, which decreases as the training period ends. As a response to coping with learning difficulties, students mainly resort to personal reflection, adopt attitudes of victimisation and, to a lesser extent, turn to their peers to help solve their problems, among others. The high level of the sense of victimisation in high pressure situations reveals the need to design emotional management strategies to reduce students' resistance to assessment tasks that can damage and distort the action achieved in the learning process and reduce self-control.

Esta investigación aporta una propuesta para la integración de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) en el Trabajo de Final de Máster de Estudios de Actividad Física y Deporte-AFD. Asimismo, como propuesta abierta, se podría aplicar al Trabajo Final de Grado de AFD, adaptando el nivel de exigencia al nivel de estudios de Grado. En ambos casos, el objetivo es asumir la responsabilidad social de las universidades en el compromiso por un desarrollo más equitativo del conocimiento y la acción social. El diseño curricular realizado se centra en la investigación basada en el diseño como medio para integrar valores y ODS en los estudios de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte. Esta propuesta se inserta en las innovaciones de aprendizaje e investigación en este campo del conocimiento. El diseño curricular de la asignatura nos ha permitido emprender la aventura de entrar en un aula de aprendizaje sabiendo para qué, por qué o cómo tenemos que actuar.

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