The views of secondary school teachers on the role of gender in the educational process

This paper attempts to explore the perceptions of secondary school teachers regarding the role of gender in the educational process. The broadness of the subject matter that the author deals with has forced the limitation of the problematic to certain areas of contemporary Greek educational reality: teachers’ perceptions of the role of gender in relation to teachers’ practices in the school environment, students’ performance and, finally, students’ behaviour. In order to provide an adequate basis for exploring these areas, however, it was deemed necessary to approach teachers’ perceptions of the role of gender in society in general and especially in the broader educational reality of today.

The research was carried out starting from a reflection developed on the basis of the newest research data presented initially, in order to trigger further reflection. This initial theoretical approach was deemed necessary by constituting the foundation for the following empirical investigation of teachers’ perceptions of the issue under consideration in the dimensions of the topic analysed. Both the theoretical starting point of the overall project and the empirical approach could be considered as stimuli for a reflection on a subject of Pedagogy in a constantly evolving subject. How, after all, could things be otherwise, since gender has been and remains one of the key factors influencing our perception of the world?