ABSTRACT
W hy aren’t women and minorities rushing into the science vac uum? I contend that an important reason is that the science cur riculum itself and the dominant views of science as an a-historical and hyper-rational system of thought makes the science classroom an alien and hostile place for women and people of color. Students often decide whether to pursue a particular line of study based on a combination of intrinsic interest in the subject and something I might call the “comfort zone.” Baldly stated, the science classroom is usually an uncomfortable place for women and people of color. If we are to address the crisis in science personnel we must ask not only about how we teach science but also about the subject matter itself. (Fausto-Sterling 5)
The call for science-education reform has been fueled by the plethora of recent reports suggesting that traditional science-education environ ments neither attract nor retain sufficient numbers of women or men of color-the most underrepresented groups in the natural sciences (Ameri can Association of University Women; National Center for Education Sta tistics; National Science Board; National Science Foundation [NSF]). In response, some science educators across the country are employing new pedagogical approaches and curricular materials in hopes of developing learning environments and course materials that are more inclusive of the rich perspectives, learning styles, and cultural backgrounds of an increas ingly diverse student population.
