Research Info

This page unpacks the problem space, the research questions and the desired dream impact for this research project. 

Problem Space

We know that 15% of our 12-year-olds in Aotearoa New Zealand have the courage to say that they don't all the time identify with just one gender identity (Neumann et al., 2023). I have seen how hurtful and alienating our primary schools' cisnormative ways of working can be for our students who don’t fit that norm. The differences between different schools and different teachers are, of course, huge, but this problem seems to be a systemic one. 

I have also personally recognised the need to educate myself as an educator and reflect on ways to change. I have recognised and named the cisparalysis within. I'm hoping to codesign together with experts and teachers around Aotearoa New Zealand "How might we support teachers’ fostering gender-inclusive mental models in Aotearoa New Zealand?" 

Co-designing with the help of Design-Based Research (DBR) and mixed methods means I will need a lot of help understanding the causes of the problem and what holds it in place. I hope to resist the urge to jump to solutions too quickly since understanding the problem is crucial in successful design-based research. If you want to learn more about DBR as a methodology, I recommend reading an article by Amiel and Reeves (2008). 

Research Questions

Main Research Question - How might educators in Aotearoa New Zealand be supported in developing gender-inclusive mental models? 

Sub Question 1 - What support have educators in Aotearoa New Zealand received to develop gender-inclusive mental models?

Sub Question 2 - What barriers hinder educators in Aotearoa New Zealand from developing gender-inclusive mental models?

Sub Question 3 - What could be designed to help overcome barriers and support educators in Aotearoa New Zealand develop gender-inclusive mental models?

Keywords inclusion, gender, gender inclusion, belonging, othering, primary schools, support, cis-paralysis, mental models, systems thinking, professional development, work-based change, barriers to change, allyship, equity

Dream Impact

I hope to co-design solutions that support teachers in recognising and changing their mental models to allow kids of all genders to feel like they belong. Many places already offer support for educators, such as InsideOUT and Rainbow Hubs, but they need support, too. Raising awareness of the existing solutions and aroha, and testing new solutions will hopefully result in even more kids of all genders feeling safer and seen in their schools and institutions in Aotearoa, New Zealand.  

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