Diversity in Primary Teacher Education : Gender differences in Student Factors and Curriculum perception

Abstract

In the Netherlands only a small number of male students opt for primary school teaching and a relatively large percentage of them leave without graduating. A small-scale research project was set up to explore the question: Can gender-specific student factors be identified in relation to the initial teacher education curriculum that leads to the differences in the dropout rate? Data were collected among a group of 15 female and 15 male students from one teacher training college (or college of education). Concepts with regard to student factors are: motivation for the profession and expectations as to the curriculum. As for the initial teacher education curriculum, the focus is on the way in which the students perceive the content, the didactic approach, the organisation and the evaluation of the curriculum. In addition, data are collected about student performance. We found meaningful gender-specific differences in students’ motives for the profession and expectations as to the curriculum, and gender differences in the way students experience and assess the curriculum offered. These gender differences may explain the gender-specific performance. In order to prevent that especially male students drop out or are not educated well, it is necessary that colleges of education pay attention to the needs and desires of this relatively small group of students.