Abstract
Education prepares students by equipping them with critical knowledge and the skills to respond to the needs of an ever-changing workforce. Prevailing gender disparities in education directly impacts economic growth in the sense that they decrease the average level of human capital. The under-representation and dearth of research regarding females in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) are worldwide phenomena. STEM teaching is based on educating learners in these four defined disciplines, using an integrated and conceptual framework. This study explored the lived experiences of STEM lead teachers in their attempt to close the gender equity gap in science and mathematics teaching and learning (SMTL). In the context of this study, a lead teacher is a teacher who heads a grade level or department. In an inclusive leadership environment, individuals with the necessary expertise and competencies embrace and share leadership authority and accountability. The Gender Schema Theory, the insights of Expectancy-Value Theory and the Inclusive Leadership Theory provided the theoretical lenses for this study. Thus, this phenomenological qualitative study investigated the expertise of former South African science and mathematics teachers who obtained their teaching qualifications from South African institutions of higher learning. These educators currently lead STEM education in secondary schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study explored the perceptions of lead teachers of gender equity in SMTL, and whether STEM education promotes gender equity in SMTL. Individual semi-structured interviews, science and mathematics textbook reviews, and relevant sections from policy statements from South Africa and the United Arab Emirates were used to explore these perceptions. The study also identified the challenges experienced and opportunities afforded to managing teachers when enacting STEM theories and practices in SMTL. Leading themes that emerged from the study include (a) lead teachers’ conceptualisation of STEM education, (b) gender representation in SMTL, (c) the promotion of gender equity in SMTL, and (d) inclusive leadership in SMTL. The study recommends, in this regard, the continuous monitoring of the learning environment to ensure the fostering of inclusive spaces that encourage female students’ participation. Furthermore, putting emphasis on an integrated STEM curriculum that focuses on SMTL for underrepresented individuals will augur well for women’s future in STEM careers. The study also makes recommendations and offer suggestions for future research. A paradigm shift from traditional education to the more profound knowledge offered in integrated science and mathematics (SM) is advocated. It is also suggested that SM leadership regularly assess
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the learning environment to ensure inclusive, gender-sensitive environments. Furthermore, in response to the difficulties encountered by SMTL leadership, it is recommended that SM educators be given ample time to successfully integrate SMTL.
Keywords: gender equity; phenomenology; lead teachers; inclusive leadership; STEM education; United Arab Emirates