Gender Stereotypes and Bias as Depicted in STEM Textbooks of School Education

Insight from Systematic Literature Review

Penulis

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31949/ijeir.v4i1.11008

Abstrak

STEM education is vital for fostering creativity and critical thinking among students. Researching gender bias in STEM textbooks is crucial as these materials significantly influence students’ perceptions of gender roles, career aspirations, and cultural beliefs, potentially perpetuating inequalities in STEM fields. This review paper examines five aspects of gender portrayal in STEM textbooks: (i) language and terminology, (ii) visual representation, (iii) professional and occupational roles, (iv) games and leisure activities, and (v) cultural and regional differences. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology, the study analyzed 39 selected papers from databases like Web of Science, Scopus, Springer Link, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and ERIC, spanning 2004 to 2024. The findings highlight a dominant male presence in leadership roles and adventurous activities, while females are underrepresented or confined to passive and domestic settings. Female achievements are often minimized across cultures and regions. These insights offer valuable guidance for textbook developers, authors, and educators to design gender-sensitive curricula and educational materials. Future research could explore the long-term impact of such biases on students’ career choices and societal attitudes.

Kata Kunci:

Gender Stereotypes, Gender Bias, Textbook, STEM, Systematic Literature Review

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Biografi Penulis

Ankur Nandi, Department of Education, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, India

Mr. Ankur Nandi is now acting as a Ph.D. scholar as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Education of the University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. He had done a B.A. (Hons), an M.A. in Education, and M.Phil. Education and he is qualified for UGC NET/JRF and WB-SET in Education. He has published more than 25 papers in peer-reviewed referred national and international journals and more than 10 book chapters in edited books. The author has participated in various National and international conferences and seminars where he has delivered papers.

Tarini Hader, Department of Education, Kalyani University, Nadia, West Bengal, India

Presently, Prof. (Dr.) Tarini Halder is working as a Professor in the Department of Education, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. He obtained an M.A. in History and Education, and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal, India. He has qualified for NET and SET in education. He has acted as a resource person in many national and international seminars and conferences and presented many research his research work at many universities, state, national, and international level seminars, and conferences. He has published more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed national and international journals and more than 20 book chapters in edited books. Along with these publications he also published more than 10 textbooks for different higher education level courses. Under his supervision, many scholars were awarded M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees.

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2025-01-20

Cara Mengutip

Nandi, A., Hader, T., & Das, T. (2025). Gender Stereotypes and Bias as Depicted in STEM Textbooks of School Education: Insight from Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research, 4(1), 34–57. https://doi.org/10.31949/ijeir.v4i1.11008

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