| During the last four decades early childhood educators have stressed the importance of male workers entering the occupation. Claims have been made that both children and programs benefit from the presence of male caregivers. However, the actual percentage of men working with young children is very small and has not increased.;The current study measured the different equipment and supply preferences of men and women working in the field of early childhood education. Participants were each given a booklet with 50 pictures of daycare equipment and supplies and requested to choose 15 items that they would like to use to supplement an already equipped classroom. A panel had previously rated these items on a 5 point scale from very feminine to very masculine. Participants were also requested to complete an education and experience survey as well as a Sex Role Preference scale.;Analysis of variance showed that sex was a significant variable in differentiating male and female equipment preference scores. Neither education nor experience influenced the choices, but Sex Role Preference did affect scores. Traditional women chose significantly more feminine equipment than modern women, traditional men, or modern men did. Sex was the only significant predictor of equipment preference scores in a multiple regression analysis, explaining 26% of the variance in Sex Equipment Preference Scores.;Recommendations were that studies of the educational environment in daycare should consider the variables of sex and Sex Role Preference. Further recommendations were that the dependent variable of children's behaviors should not be classified as either male or female, but that the criterion of situational appropriateness be used.;While professionals have accepted, as a matter of faith, that the presence of male workers is beneficial, no empirical data support this claim. Research efforts have failed to document unique male contributions to the early childhood environment. The current study suggests that previous studies may have been measuring the wrong variables. |
