Gender roles are being constructed in the socialization processes at school. Through the construction of gender roles gender stereotypes and gendered power relations in the society are being reproduced (Paechter 2007, Holm 2010). Based on statistical data and the evidence emerging from everyday school practices, the problems of gender in education have internationally given rise to several so-called travelling discourses (Holm 2010, Lahelma, 2005), such as the feminization of school, school failure of boys, essentialist explanations for different school achievement of boys and girls, gender neutrality of schools, the marginalized position of boys in education, etc. In gender research, the general position is that masculinity is still more valued than femininity at school and in everyday life, education is of different value for men and women, female competences and achievements are valued less than male ones, different expectations are directed towards boys and girls, boys are more visible in the everyday school life and receive more attention from teachers, etc. (Walkerdine 2001, Paechter 2007, Renold & Allan 2006, Lahelma 2005).

The problems of gender equality put the suistanable development of Estonia at risk (Towards a Balanced Society II 2010). Several tendencies in the Estonian society, such as the largest pay gap in Europe and the lowest indicators of men’s health and well-being, can be explained as being affected by underlying gender stereotypes. A major gender imbalance is also reflected in education as shown in the statistics about general and higher education. For example, 87% of teachers in general education are women, 70% of basic school drop-outs are male, women form around 65-70% of all students receiving bachelor and master degrees (Statistics Estonia). In our opinion, the gender imbalances evident in today’s Estonian society are a warning sign for the sustainability of our country and nation, as they are for any country in the postmodern age (see Beck 1998, for further discussion).

In attempting to provide some explanations to such imbalances, our theoretical stance derives from a postmodern/poststructuralist view of gender (Paechter 2001). Parallel to the developments in feminist theories, studies of gender in education have been transforming  towards having an increased focus on the nature of gender identity and the analysis of the educational discourses that shape individuals in the society (Dillabough 2001).

The objective of our research project was to study the reflections of the so-called travelling discourses in the views and attitudes of Estonian teachers and other people employed in education (further collectively referred to as educational specialists)  in problematizing gender, and to look for indications that could direct us towards finding solutions.

The research questions included the following:

How do educational specialists explain the current gender-related problems in education?

How do they conceptualize the relationship between education and gender inequality in the society?

In which ways can and should education, in their opinion, deal with the issues of gender inequality in the society? Do their views express readiness for more sensitive gender pedagogy?

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