Teaching Gender Equality in Teacher Education: Does Existing Practice Actually Support Gender Mainstreaming Implementation?

Cristina Miralles-Cardona^*

• University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain

Gender equality in education remains a global priority, yet its integration into teacher education programs remains inconsistent, despite having been recognized as essential for sustainable development and democratic progress. Being one of the primary obstacles to achieving gender equality the absence of a gender-responsive education, this study examines the extent to which gender-responsive pedagogy is incorporated into teacher education at the University of Alicante, focusing on the teaching content and methods used by faculty and their impact on pre-service teachers' self-efficacy for gender-responsive practice. Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 161 pre-service teachers through validated scales measuring gender-responsive teaching and teacher efficacy for gender equality practice. The results indicated that gender-related topics are only moderately integrated into coursework, with content primarily focused on gender-based violence and equal opportunities, while foundational gender concepts receive little attention. Teaching methods tend to rely on traditional approaches, such as lectures and project-based learning, rather than interactive or inquiry-based strategies. Additionally, pre-service teachers with gender training reported higher perceived self-efficacy in gender pedagogy, but no statistically significant differences were found in overall competence levels. These findings highlight the limited institutional commitment to gender mainstreaming and underscore the need for comprehensive reforms in teacher education, including curricular revision, faculty training, and institutional accountability to ensure meaningful progress in gender equality.