GREEK ADULT LEARNERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON GENDER ROLES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD PLAY

Abstract

The present study investigates the perceptions of adult students in the third grade of the “Infant and Toddler Care Assistant” specialization regarding the gender dimension of children’s play. Adult learners represent a distinct category of students, as one of their defining characteristics compared to minors is that they approach learning already possessing established perceptions, values, and beliefs (Kapur, 2015; Kokkos, 2005). The study presented was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year with the aim of designing an appropriate educational intervention within the course “Infant and Toddler Education (Theory & Laboratory)”, targeting the elimination of educators’ gender stereotypes in children’s play. The sample consisted of eleven female students and one male student, aged 35–50, attending an evening vocational high school (EPAL) in Eastern Thessaloniki. Data were collected through two “diagnostic teaching” activities (Stylianou-Georgiou & Chatzianastasi, 2022), combined with the “focus group” research method (Vrasidas, 2014). Gender roles are often highlighted in ECEC research as the persistence of stereotypes (Blaise & Taylor, 2012; Lynch, 2015). The influence of teachers and educational staff in shaping gendered stereotypes within children’s play (Carlson & Meyer, 2014; Chapman, 2016; Mikkola, 2008, 2022) is emphasised in research. Freeman’s (2007, p. 357) findings describe how young children construct gender perceptions in the early years of life, how they reframe play activities based on gender by the age of three, and how they can anticipate parental views regarding gender-based and cross-gender play. Adults tend to transfer gender stereotypes into different types of toys and activities (Cannizzaro, 2019; Freeman, 2007). Girls are often encouraged to play with dolls, kitchen toys, makeup, and beauty accessories, while boys are more frequently offered construction tools, weapons, superhero, and explorer toys (Cannizzaro, 2019). The findings indicated that the majority of participants held prejudices and stereotypical beliefs concerning gender in young children’s play. The findings of the study underline the necessity of targeted educational interventions to raise awareness and reduce gender bias among future early childhood educators as well as early childhood educator assistants.