Teachers' perceptions of ongoing gender equality training during the health emergency

Abstract

One of the most significant changes that has affected Mexico and the world is the health contingency caused by COVID-19. The spread of the virus brought multidimensional impacts across various social spheres, one of them being education. In order to prevent exposure and infection, educational authorities implemented social isolation measures to guarantee access to and the right to education at all levels, including teacher training. This paper presents an initial approach to the object of study to be developed during the Doctorate in Educational Sciences, using a mixed-method perspective with a qualitative predominance. The objective is to identify the social representations held by teachers, principals, supervisors, and technical-pedagogical advisors from several municipalities in the state of Hidalgo regarding the impact of the continuous training program “Gender Equality in the Classroom.” To achieve this, the theoretical and methodological framework of social representations was adopted, using the participants’ responses from the discussion forum on the online training platform where the course was conducted. The preliminary findings indicate that participants view training as an improvement tool that positively influences their educational practices. They express gratitude for the opportunity to engage in these learning spaces; however, most teachers mention that time becomes a limiting factor preventing them from optimally developing their training process.