Exploring Gender Equality Awareness among Education Students: A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Methods Study

The study aimed to determine the level of knowledge that education students possess regarding gender equality, focusing on their knowledge, practices, and attitudes among men, women, and members of LGBTQ+. Utilizing a mixed-methods design with a parallel convergent approach, the research engaged 304 students across various disciplines—78 generalists, 97 English majors, 77 Filipino majors, and 52 mathematics students—selected through stratified sampling for quantitative data. For qualitative insights, 17 participants were purposefully chosen, comprising ten for in-depth interviews and seven for focus group discussions. Results, with the use of descriptive analysis, indicated a high overall awareness of gender equality among education students. Through a process of coding and condensing the code, gender-based expectations, discrimination, the need for equal treatment, alongside challenges in career development due to gender norms, the importance of embracing diverse identities, role modeling, empowering students through experiences, and enhancing advocacy for gender equality. This highlights the complexity of awareness and the need for actionable practices among future educators. The results from the quantitative and qualitative analysis converged when they were corroborated. Education workshops as a form of intervention scheme emerged.