Use of gender gap results in large-scale educational assessments (Simce and DIA) by Chilean educational establishments

Abstract

One of the current challenges facing the education system is the eradication of gender inequalities, gaps and barriers. Therefore, having this information in learning assessments allows us to demonstrate this phenomenon and, in this way, manage improvements. The literature indicates that there are difficulties in the interpretation of gender data in education, specifically in understanding the magnitude of this gap and the pedagogical and biographical consequences of these results. This study sought to explore how pedagogical heads use the data reported in the learning assessments of the Chilean education system on gender gaps, specifically in large-scale assessments (Simce and DIA). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with heads of Pedagogical Technical Units of three educational establishments - municipal, subsidized private and paid private - in which the gap between men/boys and women/girls was eradicated in the Simce Reading and/or Mathematics tests over a period of five years (between 2014 and 2018). The results show that the paid private school acknowledges the existence of gender gap data in these assessments, while the subsidized private and municipal schools are unaware of the existence of this type of data and declare that they do not promote the use of gender gap data, alluding to the fact that this could violate the principle of equality. All schools have little training and weak notions of the concept of gender. However, they have school initiatives linked to equity strategies. It is concluded that the reduction of their gaps does not entail intentional actions on the part of the schools, and it is necessary to strengthen gender training and have guidelines that allow promoting a conscious use of this type of data.