Abstract:

The underrepresentation of female figures in educational materials is a substantial global issue. A 2014 study from Universitat de València [1] found that a mere 7.6% of references in textbooks are women. This disparity reflects a predominantly masculinized cultural discourse, delegitimizing women by not recognizing their contributions. This situation perpetuates gender inequalities, contributes to cultural heritage loss, and hinders female students from pursuing STEM fields due to the lack of role models. To address this challenge, the Erasmus+ K210 project ‘Women’s Legacy’ [2] was initiated, involving six countries and over 130 associate members, including 25 universities and 100+ high schools.

‘Women’s Legacy’ aims to re-incorporate women’s cultural contributions into the classroom, thereby recognizing their fundamental roles throughout history and narrowing gender gaps. The project has developed five open-access educational tools: a training course for STEM teachers, three catalogs of women’s work in music, art and literature, and a comprehensive resource bank.

The resource bank, a standout feature, aims to integrate female contributions across all subjects of the mandatory education curriculum. This method, already implemented in the Spanish educational system, is adaptable to various educational frameworks. It is currently being integrated into the French educational system through collaborations with regional academic ministries. The methodology involves three steps:
(i) identifying the core content of each subject and level;
(ii) linking women's achievements to these contents (e.g., Mary Tharp in Earth studies, Countess of Dia in troubadour lyrics); and
(iii) creating simple, adaptable, and subject-focused didactic activities that emphasize the subject matter rather than the female figure.

These activities, framed within normative contents and courses, are already available for classroom use. They come with built-in answers, are free, openly accessible, and constantly expanding.

Moreover, the project frames women's figures and works within cultural movements, redefining them and bringing to light other women-led movements such as the "querelle des femmes". These are the new foundations of a truly global cultural narrative. Furthermore, all provided biographies include a context of female creation that places these women in a collective panorama of female authorship. This is one of the key tools for reversing the exceptionality with which they are presented. Lastly, we highlight the importance of making the works accessible to teachers.

The Women’s Legacy resource bank aims to weave female references into the fabric of educational content, not as exceptions or mere additions, but as integral components of the curriculum. The project continues to expand, embracing new cultures and languages, such as Arabic and French, further widening its impact.

Our presentation will focus on the methodology and implementation of the Women’s Legacy resource bank, highlighting its transformative potential in global educational systems.

References:
[1] A. López-Navajas, “Análisis de la ausencia de las mujeres en los manuales de la ESO: una genealogía de conocimiento ocultada”, Revista de Educación, vol. 363, pp. 282-308, 2014.
[2] Women’s Legacy Project, Accessed 20 September, 2023. Retrieved from https://womenslegacyproject.eu/

Keywords:

Female cultural legacy, female role models, educational resource bank, equality, educational system.