There is a persistent and well-documented shortage of teachers worldwide (Dupriez et al., 2016; European Commission, 2023; Heinz, 2015; Lindqvist & Gidlund, 2025; Symeonidis et al., 2025), with UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (2024) estimating a global deficit of 44 million teachers by 2030. This shortage is driven by structural factors such as low salaries (Singleton & Roberts, 2023; Wiggan et al., 2021), declining professional status, and increasing workload demands (Heffernan et al., 2022). These challenges not only affect teachers already in the workforce, but also the capacity of educational systems to attract new candidates into the profession. In Chile, this situation is reflected in declining enrolments in initial teacher education programs (Ministerio de Educación, 2024) and growing concerns regarding early career attrition (Orrego-Tapia, 2023).

Within this broader context, primary education remains a highly feminized field. Internationally, women represent approximately 81% of primary teachers (OECD, 2023), a pattern that is also evident in initial teacher education. Despite sustained policy interest in increasing male participation in teaching, particularly in primary education, initiatives aimed at attracting men have shown limited success (McGrath et al., 2020; Skelton, 2009). This suggests that barriers to gender diversity operate early in the professional trajectory, before individuals formally enter the teaching workforce.

While previous research has largely focused on male teachers already in the profession, this study shifts attention to earlier stages of the trajectory, examining entry into initial teacher education. This focus is particularly relevant given that decisions to enrol, persist, or withdraw from teacher education programs are shaped by gendered expectations, social norms, and structural conditions that precede professional practice.

Beyond workforce considerations, increasing male representation in primary education has broader social and educational implications. Given that schools are central spaces for children’s socialization (Heinz et al., 2021), greater gender diversity among teachers can challenge entrenched gender norms that associate teaching and care exclusively with women, which can contribute to more equitable representations of masculinity and caregiving (Fernández et al., 2020; Madrid, 2011; McGrath & Sinclair, 2013; Mistry & Sood, 2016).

Existing research has identified multiple factors discouraging men from entering primary teacher education. Gender stereotypes play a key role, as teaching young children is commonly associated with emotionality, patience, and nurturing, traits socially constructed as feminine (Kang et al., 2020; Meader & Larwin, 2022). Men who choose primary teaching often face questioning of their motivations and suitability, as well as suspicion within feminized educational spaces (Cruickshank, 2019; Parr & Gosse, 2011; Sargent, 2004). Structural conditions, including relatively low salaries and limited opportunities for career advancement, further constrain male participation, particularly in contexts where men continue to experience pressure to fulfil the role of primary economic provider (Arribas et al., 2022; Figueroa & Hernández, 2019; Mizala et al., 2022).

Conversely, facilitators of male participation in primary teacher education include intrinsic motivations linked to vocation and interest in teaching, altruistic motivations related to contributing to children’s development and social wellbeing, and the influence of prior educational experiences and significant role models (Arribas et al., 2022; Heinz, 2015; Montecinos & Nielsen, 1997; Mungarro & Zayas, 2009).

The study is theoretically informed by research on gendered career trajectories, motivational approaches to teacher education, and sociocultural perspectives on professional socialization. Its aim is to explore and understand the facilitators and barriers shaping the trajectories of male pre-service primary teachers as they enter and progress through initial teacher education. The guiding research question is: What facilitators and barriers shape male students’ decisions to enter and persist in primary teacher education, and how are these trajectories influenced by gendered expectations and institutional contexts?

This qualitative study adopts a phenomenologically informed approach to examine shared meanings and patterns across participants’ experiences related to a specific phenomenon (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Participants. From a larger quantitative sample (n = 110), 20 male pre-service primary teachers were purposefully selected based on motivational profiles identified through the administration of the FIT-Choice scale (Richardson & Watt, 2016). Additionally, variability among participants was ensured in terms of the universities they attended, geographic location (north, central, and south of the country), and stage in the teacher education program (year of study). Data collection technique. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 male pre-service primary teachers, exploring facilitators and barriers experienced before and during their initial teacher education. The interviews employed a sandboxing technique (de Vries & Guiney, 2023; Mannay & Timperley, 2025), a visual and projective method in which participants constructed representations of their trajectories using objects and figures, allowing them to reflect on key milestones, relationships, and experiences shaping their pathways into teacher education. Data analysis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed together with the visual and narrative data generated through the sandboxing process. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore facilitators and barriers in participants’ trajectories, moving beyond surface-level text to incorporate symbolic and relational meanings expressed in the sandbox constructions (Díaz, 2018; de Vries & Guiney, 2023). The analysis proceeded through iterative stages of open coding, codebook development, triangulation among researchers, and thematic interpretation using Atlas.ti (version 25.0.1). Ethical considerations. The participants signed an informed consent. Their participation was voluntary and confidential. Additionally, the research was reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of the affiliated university.

Findings emerging from the sandboxing interviews suggest that male pre-service primary teachers articulate their trajectories through a complex interplay of facilitators and barriers, represented symbolically in their sandbox constructions (Mannay & Timperley, 2025). The use of sandboxing allowed participants to highlight critical turning points, significant relationships, and moments of tension encountered prior to and during their training. Among the most recurrent barriers is the perception of low salary in comparison with other careers (Arribas et al., 2022; Johnson, 2008; Sacco & Poblete, 2023), linked to gendered expectations of men as primary economic providers (Fernández et al., 2020; Figueroa & Hernández, 2019), generating doubts about long-term career sustainability. Participants also anticipated persistent gender stereotypes and suspicion surrounding working with children (Cruickshank, 2019; Ovando & Falabella, 2021; Parr & Gosse, 2011). Additionally, they articulated counter-stereotypical views, emphasizing equal capacity for teaching and care across genders. During practicum experiences, pre-service teachers reported being positioned as alternative male or paternal figures, particularly in socially vulnerable contexts (McGrath & Sinclair, 2013). Conversely, facilitators highlighted include the influence of inspiring teachers, who legitimized teaching as a viable career choice (Mizala et al., 2011). Altruistic motivations related to contributing to children’s development and society (Li & Guo, 2024), alongside intrinsic motivations such as personal fulfillment derived from teaching (Arribas et al., 2022), also emerged as key factors. Additionally, anticipated social recognition and symbolic validation associated with the teaching role functioned as important motivational resources (Mungarro & Zayas, 2009). These findings highlight the need to address gendered barriers early in the professional trajectory and position initial teacher education as a key site for interventions that promote gender diversity and inclusive formative environments. Such spaces can support pre-service male teachers in critically examining gender stereotypes, articulating tensions, and collectively developing strategies to navigate gender-related challenges in feminized educational contexts.

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