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The purpose of this longitudinal case study is to describe the educational trajectories of a sample of 152 young women from urban, low-income, single-parent families who participated in the Women in Natural Sciences (WINS) program during high school. Utilizing data drawn from program records, surveys, and interviews, this study also attempts to determine how the program affected the participants' educational and career choices to provide insight into the role informal science education programs play in increasing the participation of women and minorities in science, math, engineering, and technology (SMET)-related fields. Findings revealed 109 participants (93.16%) enrolled in a college program following high school completion. Careers in medical or health-related fields followed by careers in SMET emerged as the highest ranking career paths with 24 students (23.76%) and 21 students (20.79%), respectively, employed in or pursuing careers in these areas. The majority of participants perceived having staff to talk to, the job skills learned, and having the museum as a safe place to go as having influenced their educational and career decisions. These findings reflect the need for continued support of informal science education programs for urban girls and at-risk youth. 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 835-860, 2004 Percentages remain low despite efforts over the past several decades to achieve more equitable numbers of women and minorities in the science, math, engineering, and technology (SMET) careers. The discrepancy in SMET careers has been attributed to numerous issues relating to education, psychology, and society. It is impossible to identify one single cause since all issues affecting women's choices whether to participate in SMET careers are complex and interrelated. It is likely that a combination of factors is still deterring young women from choosing a profession that involves science.

The objective of this research was to determine if a computerized simulated dental exercise predicts students9 subsequent performance in preclinical technique courses. Twenty-nine first-year dental students voluntarily participated in the investigation prior to their first experience with a dental handpiece. These students prepared an ideal Class I amalgam on an ivorine mandibular first molar tooth after viewing ten-minute videotaped instructions. Students completed the Class I amalgam on a computerized dental treatment simulator (SIM). All participants9 SIM scores were correlated with sub-test scores of the Dental Admission Test (DAT), predental overall grade point average (GPA), predental Biology/Chemistry/Physics grade point average (BCP), and grades from the first two preclinical laboratory technique courses (Lab 1 and Lab 2). The results showed a significant correlation between the simulator scores and DAT sub-test scores of Academic Average and Total Science, as well as Lab 1 scores. Based on these results, the simulator appears to be a good measure of general cognitive ability, including cognitive ability required to complete uncomplicated preclinical exercises.

What is proportional reasoning? many word problems emphasize realworld situations, with the focus on a single variable. Word problems involving proportional reasoning situations are more complex. Solving these types of problems requires students to identify the two variables involved, then identify the relationship between these two variables. Helping students develop a true understanding of proportional reasoning cannot be accomplished with one isolated topic or situation. For students to use proportional reasoning skills, especially in situations involving rational numbers or unfamiliar story settings, several prerequisite topics must be mastered, including equivalence, fraction, ratio, and scale (Levin 1999; Weinberg 2002). Until these foundational topics are seen as interconnected concepts rather than as isolated skills, students may learn how to solve a single proportion item but fail to recognize the many proportional instances found in and out of the classroom.

Sisters in Science, like many other programs aimed at fostering girls’ interest and achievement in science, is designed to encourage more girls and woment to prepare for the careers in math, science, and technology that will dominate the 21st century. One of the foci of Sisters in Science was on the role of teachers as decisiomnakers in promoting science literacy for all students. The overall goal was to familiarize teachers with reform initiatives in science education and to chart their progress as change agents of gender equity in the classroom. Twenty-one teachers from seven different schools located in Philadelphia’s inner city participated in the program during the 1997–1998 academic year. This paper reports on teachers’ reflections and dialogue concerning their conception changes of teaching and mathematics as they confront the issue of equitable practice.

(1998). What the Science Standards Say: Implications for Teacher Education. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 165-186.

One ideal instructional strategy for examining elementary teacher candidates’ conceptions of the nature of science is cooperative controversy. This strategy forces students to actively engage in a debate of two opposing sides of an issue. Thirty-seven upper-level elementary education majors at an urban University participated in the cooperative controversy lesson. Results show that before the cooperative controversy lesson, a majority 27(73%) of the students felt that the nature of science was fact based. After participating in the cooperative controversy exercise, a majority 22(60%) of the students felt that the nature of science was a combination of factual information and belief.

Teacher educators constantly search for the best models of instruction to help teacher education students become effective teachers. Remembering many failed reform efforts, teacher educators sense the here today, gone tomorrow sentiment that follows their demise. Wheeler (1996) notes, Systemic reform has a temporal character (p. 308). Reform has been on the national agenda in science education for more than a decade, and key leaders have offered their perspectives of progress to date (Rutherford, 1996; Strassenburg, 1996; Vos, 1996). Science educators have little disagreement about the need for reform, but they have little agreement about the specific modes to achieve this reform (Linn, 1992). Most science educators agree that even great materials, excellent summer programs for teachers, and incorporating the best educational methods do not suffice. A commonly agreed-upon theme for reform in science education is active involvement of learners in the teaching and learning process. As teacher educators embed the principles of science reform initiatives into their classrooms, they must involve teacher education students. Yager (1992) states that teachers are central to solutions and successes for current reform efforts (p. 907). Teacher education students must also be involved. Professional science associations, including the National Resource Council (NRC) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), have developed national science standards for grades K-12: the National Science Education Standards (National Resource Council, 1996) and Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993). Both documents elaborate ideas emerging from Project 2061 (Rutherford & Ahlgren, 1990) and other efforts focusing on the science knowledge and skills literate citizens should possess. Developed by two separate groups, the projects share common goals and recommendations; both aim to develop a nation of scientifically literate citizens. The national movement has trickled down to state and local boards of education through the development of state and local science curriculum standards. Schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs) across the country are incorporating the curriculum standards into their science methods courses. The standards movement has specific implications for the preparation of teachers. They provide a map for teacher development of curricula with improved content, teaching methods, and assessment, and a guide for institutions of higher education to refine programs for learning science through inquiry (Close, Miller, Titterington, & Westwood, 1996). Educational reform in science education is about both what students should learn and how teachers should teach science (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993; National Research Council, 1996). Science instruction should facilitate the development or understanding of science as a way of knowing (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993; National Research Council, 1996; Rutherford & Ahlgren, 1990). Effective instruction helps students sort and distinguish among a multitude of ideas; the purpose of teaching is to encourage students to actively engage in the process of lifelong learning. The national standards support the development of environments; how teachers teach greatly influences students' learning (National Research Council, 1996; Rutherford & Ahlgren, 1990). An environment conducive to promoting students' construction of understanding by conveying attitudes and habits of mind enabling them to challenge ideas will empower them with knowledge, abilities, and attitudes conducive to understanding. Some researchers (Bates & Culpepper, 1991; Ganem, 1993; Keeports & Morier, 1994; Rutherford & Ahlgren, 1990) argue that prospective teachers must understand how science works. …

(1997). Confronting Teacher Candidates' Conceptions of the Nature of Science. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 141-151.

This study tested assumptions of a servocontrol model of test item feedback. High school students responded to multiple-choice items and rated their certainty of correctness in each response. Next, learners either received feedback on the items or responded again to the same test. The same items were tested again after 1 and 8 days, with the order to alternatives randomized for half of the subjects in each feedback group. The results generally supported the control model and suggest that response certitude estimates can be treated as an index of comprehension.