Visibility of gender inequalities in STEM careers at Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) through photovoice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/rr.v106i2.00007Keywords:
inequality, STEM, gender violenceAbstract
Introduction: This research has highlighted gender inequalities in STEM careers (of science, technology, engineering and mathematics) at the Universidad Estatal a Distancia de Costa Rica UNED through the implementation of photovoice during 2024. Through the implementation of photovoice, it has been confirmed that the gender gap in STEM is a result of the existing structural barriers and has revealed violence against women in these professional fields according to the students' perceptions.
Objective: To describe the results of photovoice in relation to the social problem of gender inequality that exists in STEM careers at UNED de Costa Rica
Method: The qualitative technique of photovoice was used to generate information under participatory action research. Grounded theory with emergent categories (Thornberg & Charmaz, 2014) was used for the analysis because it allows for simultaneous data collection and analysis.
Results: The gender gap, to the detriment of women, is observed in the results obtained from the students' perceptions, as a consequence of inequality in STEM fields. Other findings include stereotypes, prejudices, self-invisibility, and exclusion, which are also associated with these fields as factors that widen rather than reduce the gap. There are also positive results, such as support networks and self-belief in achieving their dreams.
[Continue reading in the article]
Downloads
References
Arredondo Trapero, Florina Guadalupe, José Carlos Vásquez Parra y Luz María Velázquez Sánchez. 2019. «STEM y brecha de género en Latinoamérica». Revista de El Colegio de San Luis, 18 (enero-abril): 137-158. http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1665-899X2019000100137 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21696/rcsl9182019947
Balcazar, Fabricio E. 2003. «Investigación acción participativa (iap): aspectos conceptuales y dificultades de implementación». Revista Fundamentos en Humanidades, IV (7-8), 59-77. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/184/18400804.pdf
Benjamín, W., ed. 1987. Pequeña historia de la fotografía en discursos Interrumpidos I: Filosofía del arte y de la historia. Madrid: Taurus.
Bonetto, María Julia. 2016. «El uso de la fotografía en la investigación social». Revista Latinoamericana de Metodología de la Investigación social, 11 (6), 71-83. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=5454287
Botella, Carmen, Silvia Rueda, Emilia López-Iñesta y Paula Marzal. 2019. «Gender Diversity in STEM Disciplines: A Multiple Factor Problem». Revista Entropy, 21 (enero), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/e21010030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/e21010030
Butschi, Corinne, Ingeborg, Nora. 2021. “How to involve young children in a photovoice Project: experiences and results. Forum Qualitative Socialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Research (FQS), 22 (enero) 1-27. https://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-22.1.3457
Cantero-Sánchez, Mayte. 2023. «Aportaciones de Kimberlé Crenshaw a la noción de interseccionalidad: mecanismos de invisibilización y reinvidicación». Lectora 29 (octubre) 137-151. https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/lectora/article/view/41431/40610 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1344/Lectora2023.29.8
Cervini, Rubén, Nora Dari y Silvia Quiroz. 2018. «Género y rendimiento escolar en América Latina. Los datos del SERCE en matemática y lectura». Revista Iberoamericana de Educación, 68 (mayo) 99-116. https://doi.org/10.35362/rie680206 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35362/rie680206
CEPAL (Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe). 2022. XV Conferencia Regional sobre la mujer de América Latina y el Caribe. https://conferenciamujer.cepal.org/15/es
Crenshaw, W. Kimberlé. 2020. «Interseccionalidad». https://www.solidaridadobrera.org/ateneo_nacho/libros/Kimberle%20W%20Crenshaw%20-%20Interseccionalidad.pdf
Cundiff, Jessica L. y Theresa K. Vescio. 2016. «Gender Stereotypes Influence How People Explain Gender Disparities in the Workplace». Sciencie+Business Media New York, 75 (febrero) 126-136. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-016-0593-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0593-2
Eternod, Marcela. 2018. «Brechas de género. Retos pendientes para garantizar el acceso a la salud sexual y reproductiva, y para cerrar las brechas de género». Tercera Reunión de la Conferencia Regional sobre Población y Desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe. Lima.
Programa Estado de la Nación. 2025. Estado de la Nación. https://estadonacion.or.cr/?informes=estado-de-la-nacion-2025
Ganley, Collen, George Casey, Joseph R Cimpian, y Martha Makowski. 2018. «Gender Equity in College Majors: Looking Beyond the STEM/ Non-STEM Dichotomy for Answers Regarding Female Participation». American Educational Research Journal, 55 (diciembre), 453-487. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831217740221 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831217740221
Ikkatai, Yuko, Atsushi Inoue, Azusa Minamizaki, Kei Kano, Euan McKay, y, Hiromi Yokoyama. 2021. «Effect of providing gender equality information on students’ motivations to choose STEM». PLoS ONE, 16 (junio), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252710 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252710
INEC (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos). 2023. “Encuesta Nacional de Uso del Tiempo, 2022). https://sistemas.inec.cr/pad5/index.php/catalog/316
Jarldorn, Michele. 2017. «Participatory action research with exprisoners: Using Photovoice and one woman’s story told through poetry». Action Research – Sage, 18 (julio), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476750317719140 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1476750317719140
Lagarde, Marcela. 1996. Género y feminismo. Desarrollo humano y democracia. España: Grafistaff.
Monroy, Merchán, María Luisa. 2019. «La sociedad del conocimiento y las brechas de género en ciencia, tecnología e innovación». Cuadernos Latinoamericanos de Administración, 15 (29) 1-14. https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=409661113007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18270/cuaderlam.v15i29.2871
Moss-Racusin, Corinne, Christina Sanzari, Nava Caluori, y Helena Rabasco. 2018. «Gender Bias Produces Gender Gaps in STEM Engagement». Science+Business Media, 79, 651-670. Disponible en https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-018-0902-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0902-z
Naciones Unidas. 1993. Declaración sobre la eliminación de la violencia contra la mujer. Disponible en https://www.ohchr.org/es/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/declaration-elimination-violence-against-women
Naciones Unidas. 2010. Convención sobre la eliminación de todas las formas de discriminación contra la mujer. https://www.acnur.org/fileadmin/Documentos/BDL/2012/8338.pdf?file=fileadmin/Documentos/BDL/2012/8338
Nancy, Fraser. 2015. Fortunas del feminismo. Madrid: Traficantes de sueños.
Nykiforuk, Candace, Helen Vallianatos, Laura Nieuwendyk. 2016. «Photovoice as a Method for Revealing Community Perceptions of the Built and Social Environment». Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Disponible en https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4933584/
ONU Mujeres. 2018. Conceptos básicos de género. Yo sé de género/ módulos de capacitación. Disponible en https://portal.trainingcentre.unwomen.org/
ONU Mujeres. 2018. Diálogo de políticas sobre el empoderamiento económico de las mujeres: reconocimiento, redistribución y reducción del trabajo del cuidado no remunerado y doméstico en América Latina y el Caribe. Disponible en https://lac.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Field%20Office%20Americas/Documentos/Publicaciones/2018/11/Estudio%20cuidados/2a%20UNW%20Estudio%20Cuidados-compressed.pdf
Organización Panamericana de la Salud ONU. 2025. Violencia contra la mujer. Disponible en https://www.paho.org/es/temas/violencia-contra-mujer
Paulo, Freire. 2005. Pedagogía del Oprimido. México: Siglo XXI Editores, S.A. de C.V.
Raabe, Isabel J, Zsófia Boda, y Christoph Stadfeld. 2019. «The Social Pipeline: How Friend Influence and Peer Exposure Widen the STEM Gender Gap». American Sociological Association, 92(2), 105-123. Disponible en https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0038040718824095 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040718824095
Radovic, Darinka, Rocío Veloso, Javiera Sánchez, Ziomara Gerdtzen, y Salomé Martínez. 2021. «Entrar no es suficiente: discursos de académicos y estudiantes sobre inclusión de mujeres en ingeniería en Chile». Revista Mexicana de Investigación Educativa, 26 (junio) 3-21. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=8073008
Rampin, Rémi y Vicky Rampin. 2021. Taguette: open-source qualitative data analysis. Disponible en https://joss.theoj.org/papers/10.21105/joss.03522 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.03522
Savinskaya, Olga Borisovna. 2017. «Gender Equality in Preschool STEM Programs as a Factor Determining Russia’s Successful Technological Development». Russian Education & Society, 59 (abril), 206-216. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322281876_Gender_Equality_in_Preschool_STEM_Programs_as_a_Factor_Determining_Russia's_Successful_Technological_Development DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10609393.2017.1399758
Selener, Daniel. 1997. Participatory action research and social change. New York: Cornell University Participatory Action Research Network. https://edepot.wur.nl/425683
Sen, Amartya. Inequality Reexamined. New York: Oxford University Press Inc, 2006.
SIATDGI - Sistema de Información para el Apoyo a la Toma de Decisiones y la Gestión Institucional. Sistema Institucional de la UNED. 2025.
Sirvent, María Teresa y Luis Rigal. 2012. Investigación acción participativa. Un desafío de nuestros tiempos para la construcción de una sociedad democrática. Proyecto Páramo Andino. https://biblio.flacsoandes.edu.ec/catalog/resGet.php?resId=56482
Sontag, S. 2010. Sobre la fotografía. Buenos Aires: De Bolsillo. https://docplayer.es/189866759-Susan-sontag-sobre-la-fotografia.html
Stromquist, Nelly P. 2006. «Equidad, género y políticas: el escenario nacional y global». En Ames, P. (Coord.). Las brechas invisibles. Desafíos para una equidad de género en la educación. 27–47. Lima: IEP Ediciones.
Thornberg, Robert y Kathy Charmaz. 2014. Grounded Theory and Theoretical Coding. In The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis, edited by Flick, Uwe, 153-69. London: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2014. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446282243.n11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446282243.n11
UNED (Universidad Estatal a Distancia). 2023. Historia. Disponible en https://www.uned.ac.cr/historia
--. 2023. Misión, visión y funciones de la UNED. Disponible en https://www.uned.ac.cr/mision-y-vision
UNED. 2025. Estructura organizacional. Disponible en https://www.uned.ac.cr/estructura-organizacional
UNICEF. 2017. El Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia. Glossary of Terms and Concepts. Concept of Gender Equality. Disponible en https://www.unicef.org/rosa/media/1761/file/Gender%20glossary%20of%20terms%20and%20concepts%20.pdf
Weeden, Kim A, Dafna Gelbiser, y Stephen L. Morgan. 2020. «Pipeline Dreams: Occupational Plans and Gender Differences in STEM Major Persistence and Completion». American Sociological Association. 93 (junio), 297-314. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0038040720928484 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040720928484
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ariana Acón Matamoros (Traductor/a)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Open Access Magazines Proposed Policy
The authors who publish in Reflexiones Journal agree with the following terms:
a. The authors preserve the article´s copyright and grant the journal its first publication. The work [SPECIFY PERIOD OF TIME] must be licensed after its publication under a:
a. The authors retain the copyright and grant to the journal the right of first publication, with the work [SPECIFY PERIOD OF TIME] as well as after publication is licensed under a Creative Common CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Internationa) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and initial publication in this journal.
b. The authors can separately establish additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published version (for example, place it in an institutional repository or publish it in a book), but, as stated above, with the recognition of its initial publication in this magazine.
c. Authors are allowed and encouraged to circulate their work electronically (for example, in institutional repositories or on their own website) before and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of their published works (See The Effect of Open Access).
d. Reflexiones Journal does not apply any fee or charge for the publishing process.
The authors who send their manuscripts to be evaluated by Reflexiones Journal, assign to it the publication rights for the article’s circulation in printed version or digital format. By being part of multiple indexers, databases and reference systems, the articles that are published by this journal will be available and downloaded from these websites, indicating, in all cases, the articles’ authorship, date of publication, and the number to which they correspond. All the documents published by Reflexiones can be downloaded on the journal’s website: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/reflexiones, and in all the databases where it is indexed.
The journal respects and follows all of the established by the Law No. 6683 Law on Copyright and Related Rights of the Republic of Costa Rica, as well as its reform in the 7979 Law.
Finally, Reflexiones applies in its publications the Creative Commons License, which can be consulted in the following link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en
