The innovative process of curriculum development reported in this paper entailed reversing the usual approach, from top down to bottom up; an approach consistent with decentralisation initiatives and programs presently being implemented in Philippine education particularly the localisation and indigenisation of curricular programmes. Important curriculum developers such as faculty and student teachers were actively involved in the successful creation of a multicultural teacher education curriculum through a collaborative participatory process. Multicultural content, pedagogy and assessment strategies were identified for infusion in the three components of the teacher education programme. The indigenous student teachers contributed much to the multicultural content. Faculty members contributed to the content, pedagogy and assessment. The administrators contributed to curriculum decisions for policy making and took other non-traditional roles

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The study compared the gender differences perceived by teachers and students on the current Science Technology Engineering Agriculture Mathematics (STEAM) practices in Philippine Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). It is assumed in this study that STEAM fields are often male-dominated, and STEAM courses are less attractive to female students. A descriptive survey was used in this study. Data were collected from a validated questionnaire. Teachers of STEAM disciplines (n=1,016), and students (n=24,172) were selected using multi-stage random sampling. Purposive sampling was used in selecting CHED higher education institutions centers of excellence in selected regions. Means and t-tests were computed in analyzing the data using a statistical tool. Findings revealed that male and female students are significantly different in the perception of the program objectives and program outcomes, faculty, program curricula, instructional materials, procedures and techniques, assessment and evaluation, and administrative support and policies. Male and female teachers similarly perceived the factors except for some in specific STEAM fields. The research suggests that gender disparity could be minimized in STEAM degrees by implementing gender policies.

Gender mainstreaming in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and the labor market is a goal that is not yet fully achieved. Despite social, political, and economic changes, disparities, discrimination, and bias persist. The lack of gender responsiveness in school-based pedagogy has hindered women’s access, retention, and performance in TVET institutions. While gender imbalances exist in TVET, teachers are often unaware or unwilling to address them, implying that they lack the knowledge to deal with gender issues in practice. Thus, this study was conducted to identify the emerging gender issues that hinder gender responsiveness in technical-vocational teacher education (TVTEd) curriculum practices. The cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was used as the theoretical lens to generate and analyze the data. The data were generated from document analysis, interviews, and focus group discussions among teachers, students, and graduates. Having gender-responsive curriculum practice as the object of the study, findings revealed that subjects (teachers) create the main contradictions in emerging gender issues. These are characterized by gender biases, stereotyping that hinders women’s progress in technical-vocational fields, and stereotypes in resources, content, and language. The subject was followed by the contradiction within the rules, tools, community, and division of labor. The study recommends interventions to hone gender responsiveness and thereby mainstream gender in TVTEd curriculum practices. Policy-practice gaps should also be studied and gender-related research in TVET and technical-vocational teacher education should be initiated and funded.