Practices for gender equality in university teaching within the context of the National University

Abstract

This essay focuses on the problem of gender inequality in higher education settings, particularly at the Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Currently, even when there are guidelines and policies for gender equity and equality in the university context, teaching practices and the interrelationship between students continue to show that it is a latent challenge and that gender stereotypes are still present. The posing of transversality by the university teaching, its relationship with the hidden curriculum, and inclusive methodologies are means for the internalization and awareness of the relevance of gender equality and equity in the educational context. It is seeked to propose practices for gender equity in university teaching within the context of the National University from the design of course syllabus and the implementation of inclusive methodologies. The foregoing is achieved from the constant and evident use of inclusive language, the equitable inclusion of bibliographic resources to the course, the potentialization and practice of slogans proposed at the institutional level, the design of parity educational materials, the participatory spaces in equal conditions, and specific courses on the subject in each academic year. Gender equality is not entered only into teaching practice and makes it is necessary in teacher training, hence new university policies must emerge to endorse methodologies of and for inclusion, since the transformation must also aim at equality and gender equality.