Designing the Finnish basic education core curriculum: the issue of gender binarism

Figures & data

Table 1. Primary dataset: feedback on the finnish national basic education core curriculum 2014 draft.

Data		Subject curricula												Total
	G	L	Ma	P/C	HEd	B	C	HEc	PE	Mu	E/R	H/SS	SC
Gender or equality mentioned	92	15	3	6	15	2	14	1	14	1	3 / 1	0 / 2	2	168
Focus on gender equality	49	14	2	4	11	2	10	1	14	1	3 / 1	0 / 2	3	117
Gender equality problems represented	21	11	2	0	10	1	6	1	14	1	3 / 1	0 / 2	0	73
Cumulative number of data excerpts	G1–G21	L22–L32	Ma33–Ma34	–	HEd35–HEd44	B45	C46–C51	HEc52	PE53–PE66	Mu67	R68, E69–E71	H/SS72–H/SS73	–

G: general principles; L: languages; Ma: mathematics; P/C: physics or chemistry; HEd: health education; B: biology; C: crafts; HEc: home economics; PE: physical education; Mu: music; E/R: ethics or religion; H/SS: history or social sciences; SC: study counselling.

Table 2. Comparison of the draft and final finnish national basic education core curriculum 2014 statements and gender equality discourses emerging from the feedback on the draft.

School subjects	Draft	Discourse	Final version
General	(1G) ‘In the selection of working methods, developmental differences between sexes are also taken into account’.	AIR	(1G) ‘The individual and developmental differences between pupils are also taken into account in the selection of working methods’.
	(2G) ‘Boys’ relatively slower maturation compared to girls is taken into account in teaching’. (3G) ‘The different paces of girls’ and boys’ development become apparent’.	AIR	(2G+3G) ‘The differences in the individual development of pupils and in the developmental pace of girls and boys often become more apparent and start to affect schoolwork’.
	(4G) ‘Basic education encourages girls and boys to study different subjects equally and promotes information on and an understanding of gender diversity’.	TDR/ADM	(4G) [No changes]
Languages	(1L) ‘Each pupil’s uniqueness and gender equality are taken into account in teaching, learning environments, and selection of teaching methods’.	AIR	(1L) ‘Each pupil’s uniqueness, equity, and gender equality are taken into account in teaching, learning environments, and the selection of teaching methods’.
	(2L) ‘Texts and working methods are selected to ensure equity and gender equality among pupils.’	AIR	(2L) [No changes]
	(3L) ‘Gender equality is strengthened with the possibility of choosing texts and working methods that fascinate pupils’.	AIR	(3L) ‘Gender equality is strengthened in language choices and language learning by providing information about language learning opportunities that appeal to different types of pupils, by encouraging pupils to make decisions based on genuine interest regardless of gender, by discussing a diverse range of topics in the classroom, and by using varying and functional working methods’.
Crafts	(1C) ‘The instruction supports gender equality and the development of versatile working abilities’.	AIR	(1C) ‘The instruction supports the development of versatile working abilities’.
PE	(1PE) ‘PE promotes equality and togetherness’.	AIR/ TDR	(1PE) [No changes]
Health education	(1HEd) ‘Sexual orientation and gender diversity’ (mentioned as study content).	TDR/ADM	(1HEd) [Deleted]
Music	(1Mu) [No statements]	TDR	(1Mu) ‘When selecting working methods, the potentially gendered practices of music culture and music instruction are changed’.

AIR: affirmative individual redistribution; TDR: transformative diversity recognition; ADM: affirmative diversity misrecognition; G: general principles; L: languages; C: crafts; PE: physical education; HEd: health education; Mu: music.

Uncommented draft statements were not included in the analysis.