Eliminating Gender Bias from Mathematics Textbooks in Palestinian Schools from Grades 1 to 12: A Proposed Mechanism from Gender-Specific toward Gender-Neutral Norms

Muneer Jebreel Karama

Muneer Jebreel Karama Department of Applied Mathematics, College of Applied Science, Palestine Polytechnic University, muneerk@ppu.edu

Abstract

Eliminating gender bias from mathematics textbooks in Palestinian schools is not an easy task, given that 50% of the names, verbs, actions, professions, or pictures in mathematics textbooks portray traditionally feminine activities, such as sewing and embroidery. In these textbooks, these feminine activities do not involve males. Eliminating gender bias from mathematics textbooks in Palestinian schools is more challenging than we think because these biases are rooted in culturally-based mind-sets. Therefore, upon careful analysis of this important and crucial issue, the researcher suggested a new framework for developing mathematics curricula based on gender balance, which is a gender-neutral approach.

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