Abstract:

Dealing with “gender blindness” in the educational context and promoting a gender-sensitive education has become a high priority in educational policies in many world countries in recent years, since gender equality in education is increasingly understood as a fundamental premise of equality in society. The paper argues that a gender-sensitive education is the education in which academic, social and physical learning environment is created (planned, realised and evaluated) from the standpoint of its adaptation to different individual needs of girls and boys, women and men. In that holistic concept of pedagogical reflection and educational practice, gender is postulated in all aspects of the formal education and the hidden curriculum, which includes teaching methods, resources, facilities, social interaction, as well as managing the processes of learning and teaching. In order to increase the gender sensitivity of the educational system and its impact on the development of gender equality in the wider community and society, broad and coordinated system of normative, political and professional support is needed, as well as awareness and recognition of the influence of stereotypical and discriminatory situations in the educational process. In order to raise consciousness about gender prejudices and stereotypes, undeniably it is essential to start from the teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about gender. It is necessary first of all to develop the teachers’ awareness about gender differences, gender discrimination and gender equality, as well as their knowledge and skills for the achievement of educational practice that will provide equal opportunities (requirements and expectations) for boys and girls and for their academic and social promotion, and will encourage their awareness about gender issues. The subject of this paper is the analysis of contemporary teacher education programs in the Republic of Serbia from a gender perspective (general and specific objectives of curricula, thematic content, scope, duration and expected outcomes of the program). Relevant modern researches, the European educational policies and programs for teacher education were the starting point for the mentioned analysis of teachers’ competences to create a gender-sensitive learning environment. The paper presents basic information about teacher education programs in the Republic of Serbia, followed by the results of the analysis of initial teacher education programs (PRESET) and accredited programs for professional development of teachers (INSET). In order to improve current and future teachers’ competencies for planning, implementation and evaluation of gender-sensitive education in Serbia, in the last part of the paper the authors offer suggestions for the improvement and the inclusion of the gender dimension in the existing educational system, especially in the system of initial teacher education.

Reference: The paper is a result of a study within a project "The quality of educational systen in Serbia from the European perspective“ (KOSSEP) supported by Ministry of Science of the Republic of Serbia [OI/ 179010/ 2011-2014].

Keywords:

Gender, teacher education, gender sensitive education.