Att synliggöra det osynliga: Läsloggar som verktyg för analys av jämställdhetsnormer i hemmet

Gender equality is a central aspect of teacher education and home and consumer studies (HCS) in Sweden. Despite clear educational goals, studies indicate that gender equality perspectives are insufficiently integrated into teaching. This study explores how student teachers engage with gender equality issues through reading logs based on a literary text. The study is grounded in social constructionism and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). A qualitative method was applied, analyzing reading logs from 97 teacher students in eight HCS courses. The students read a short story, wrote individual reading logs under structured headings (likes, dislikes, questions, patterns, and connections), and participated in group discussions in 12 different groups. This resulted in 12 collective reading logs. Thematic analysis identified seven key themes related to gender roles in family life, working life, and society. The findings indicate that most students critically engaged with gender norms and reflected on the societal structures shaping them. The study highlights the potential of literary texts as tools for discussing complex equality issues, facilitating student reflection from personal experiences to broader societal perspectives. The results suggest that integrating literature in HCS education can enhance gender awareness and critical thinking among teacher students, preparing them to address equality issues in their future teaching.