Abstract

We report the results of a descriptive exploratory study of the perception of new and senior students and teachers of Universidad Austral de Chile, with regards to the concept and perspective of gender. A quantitative and qualitative approach to characterize and to explain the behavior and observed tendencies. Individual interviews structured in two dimensions, knowledge and opinion, were done to 252 students. The qualitative fieldwork was carried out with eleven focus groups of students and schools directors. The results show an undefined position with respect to knowledge and opinion in new and senior students and a traditional behavior of gender in students and school directors. This allows to infer that the university does not provide gender orientation in educative process and reproduces and legitimizes the traditional socialization of gender. © 2007 Universidad Austral de Chile Facultad de Filosof y Humanidades.