Educating prospective teachers for a sustainable gender equality practice: survey design and validation of a self-efficacy scale

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to assess future teachers’ beliefs in their capabilities for sustainable gender equality (GE) practice after graduation and to analyze differences across degree and sex using a self-efficacy scale specifically designed and validated for this study. Design/methodology/approach A survey was administered to three cohorts of undergraduate and graduate student teachers at the University of Alicante, Spain. Using a convenience sample that represented the three teacher majors in early childhood, elementary and secondary education, 610 students were asked to rate their confidence in gender knowledge, skills and awareness using a six-point Likert scale. Findings Upon graduation, teachers reported unrealistic perceptions of their ability to practice a sustainable GE. The level of self-efficacy was found moderate in the three teacher cohorts with no statistically significant differences across degrees in any of the three efficacy components but gender attitudes were rated significantly higher by female students. Originality/value This study provides a reliable and valid instrument specifically helpful for guiding the education for the sustainable development (SD) of GE in instructional settings. Because there is no systemic approach to teaching sustainability nor valid and reliable instruments to assess gender competence for practicing a gender pedagogy, this tool will hopefully provide teacher education institutions a conceptual and practical framework on how GE can successfully be mainstreamed into the curriculum. Infusing SD of GE in curricula and assessing interventions as a habitual practice could be useful to monitor sustainability performance over time and assess contributions to SDG5.

Self-Efficacy for Sustainable Gender Equality Practice in STEM Teacher Education in Spain and Greece

“…In addition, it may be the first time that scalar invariance is found across country and sex in secondary school STEM student teachers, since no studies have been carried out before with this population using the TEGEP. The finding of scalar invariance gives support to previous work by Miralles-Cardona et al [55,60] using the TEGEP with general elementary and secondary education student teachers. A second major finding is that while the Spanish participants had significantly lower gender knowledge and awareness scores than Greek participants, self-efficacy for developing gender attitudes was significantly higher among Spanish than Greek respondents.…”

“…In the current study, the TEGEP scale had a very high reliability (alpha coefficient for the whole scale was .94 Greek and .95 Spanish samples (.91, .93, and .89 vs .89, .93, and 85 for the subscales, Greek and Spanish, respectively). Previous studies using general education student teachers samples revealed that the scale is reliable and valid [55,59,60]. The scale allows us to obtain individual scores by item, factors, and a total score.…”

“…There seems to be unanimity in that it has to be specific to the construct and multi-dimensional. Therefore, since no specific instrument for measuring gender equality competence in STEM teacher education other than the TEGEP (Teacher Efficacy for Gender Equality Practice) scale [55] has been found, this study seeks to address this gap by adapting and validating this instrument to measure STEM student teachers self-efficacy based on their perception of their own GE competence. The study aimed:…”

“…A confirmatory sequential design for cross-culturally validating the TEGEP and a survey approach were used as main designs of the current study. The Spanish version of the Self-Efficacy for Gender Equality Practice (TEGEP) scale [55] was used to collect data from the Spanish participants and a Greek adapted version (the TEGEP-G) from the Greek participants [56]. All the sections of the instrument were first translated into Greek by the author whose native language is Greek, but who is fluent in Spanish and English.…”

Guest editorial

“…Three papers especially highlight how HEIs contribute to certain SDGs: Dalla Gasperina et al (2021) add the operations element with their research on smart campuses and how they contribute to the SDGs, especially numbers 4 and 9 in Brazil. Whereas Miralles-Cardona et al (2021) focuses on assessing SDG 4.7 and 5 by assessing gender competences within nascent teachers in Spain. Furthermore, Alm et al (this issue) add the student perspective on key competencies related to sustainable development, especially they conclude that real-life experiences enhance interpersonal competencies for sustainability.…”