An analysis of gender-role stereotype in the illustrations of Middle School Science textbooks developed under the 2009 revised national curriculum

Abstract

In this study, the illustrations in the 27 middle school science textbooks developed under the 2009 Revised National Curriculum were analyzed in the aspect of gender-role stereotype, and the results were compared with those of the 2007 Revised National Curriculum. The results of the analyses revealed that male pupils in the illustrations appeared more frequently than female pupils at all grades, and that the gender gap of pupils appeared in the illustrations slightly increased in comparison with those of the precedent curriculum. Similar to those of the precedent curriculum, the gender gap in other activities were particularly large regardless of publishers. In the illustrations of adults, the frequencies of male outnumbered female, and highly gender biased compared with those of pupils to mean that gender bias in the illustrations of adults were not improved at all. While the ratio of female was high in house works, that of male was high in outdoor activities regardless of publishers. The gender gap in outdoor activities increased in comparison with that of the precedent curriculum. Most occupations illustrated were male-dominated, and the majority of scientists were portrayed as male.