Current Location: [ Home Whose Knowledge? Recommendations ]

Data on gender and its consequences within a school setting can come from many sources - and examples of these emerge from the many strategies reported in the Data Gathering Strategies section. However it is useful for schools to focus on the three key groups whose knowledge can readily be tapped to find, at first hand, what is happening in terms of gender. The three key groups are students, parents and teachers.

The following are offered as ways of ensuring that the voices of students, parents and teachers are heard.

Student knowledge

• List all the ways that you already use students as a source of data on gender equity.

• What are the gaps in your student information on gender?

• How might you be able to access the additional information from your students?

• What formal procedures are already in place at your school through which you can tap into student knowledge of gender and gender equity.

• Provide forums for students to share their knowledge.

• List all the ways that you already use parents as a source of information on gender equity.

• What other information on gender do you think you need to access from the parents?

• How might you be able to access the additional information from parents?

• Seek out and invite parents with interest and/or expertise in gender equity to share their perspectives with staff and other parents.

• Provide forums for parents to share their knowledge.

• List all the ways that you already use teachers as a source of information on gender equity.

• What other information on gender do you think you need to access from teachers?

• How might you be able to access the additional information from teachers?

• Find out from staff about particular expertise and interests in gender issues.

• Are members of staff involved in further education and/or research on gender? List these and encourage them to be a resource to all staff.

• Invite individual staff members to take responsibility to research and present papers on specific gender issues.

• Invite new staff members (especially those with an interest in gender equity) to share their first impressions of the school from a gender perspective.

• Provide forums for staff to share their knowledge.