Exploring early childhood teacher's perceptions and pedagogical practices of gender identity

The purpose of this research was to challenge teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices regarding children’s gender identity in Early Childhood Development centres. It was imperative to gain insight into how teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices influenced gender identities to understand how to challenge teachers’ perceptions of gender. As part of the research design, the interpretive paradigm, the qualitative research approach, and the case study methods were utilised. The qualitative research approach was most appropriate for the present study because it allowed the use of different methods and a wide range of designs. The data was collected and analysed through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations and workshops. The four phases of data collection were as follows:

Phase 1: Observation

Phase 2: Interviews with teachers

Phase 3: Workshops with teachers and focus group discussions (PAR)

Phase 4: Workshops with teachers and focus group discussions

The data was collected and analysed within the interpretive paradigm and the methods were used to ensure trustworthiness, ethical considerations and the limitations of the research were explored. The research aimed to challenge teacher perceptions and pedagogical practices about gender identity. To do this, the research methodology assisted with making sense of the data by:

a) Eliciting the experiences of teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices about gender identity.

b) Enabling the analysis of the data in determining whether teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices influence gender identity and, if so, how perception and pedagogical practices influence gender.

c) Determining whether challenging teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices influence gender identity

d) Probing teachers on whether there is a visible difference in children’s identity when perceptions and pedagogical practices are challenged.