The gendered nature of educational development in the United States

Abstract

ABSTRACTRecent research has explored the role of gender in educational development. International and national studies have shown that women predominate the field. In 2017, Bernhagen and Gravett analyzed the gendered nature of educational development in the U.S. specifically. What went unaddressed were the identities of the faculty served. Despite recent research from the U.S. that concluded gender is not predictive of participation, past literature, as well as our own lived experiences, suggests that there is an overrepresentation of women in center programming. In this article, we explore possible explanations for this imbalance, as well as potential consequences and solutions.KEYWORDS: CTLsdiversitygenderprofessional developmentwomen Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsEmily O. GravettEmily O. Gravett is currently an assistant director in the Center for Faculty Innovation and an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religion at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA. She has been in the field of educational development for over a decade and has published widely in journals such as the International Journal for Academic Development, To Improve the Academy, and the Journal of Faculty Development.Laurie L. McCartyLaurie L. McCarty is an experienced faculty member, educational developer, and higher education administrator. Her research interests include bilingual special education, change leadership, educational development, and reflective practice. In her faculty and leadership roles, she has engaged in efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion while supporting faculty in all aspects of their professional growth.Lindsay BernhagenLindsay Bernhagen is a learning strategist at Torch, a company that facilitates coaching and mentorship in professional settings. Before that, she was the director of the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). She worked in educational development for over a decade, publishing, presenting, and consulting on issues of equity and identity in education. Lindsay continues to teach courses and advise graduate students in the Educational Sustainability doctoral program at UWSP.