Weaving Gender Equity - Electronic Resources

The following is a list of web sites, videos, and CD-ROMS related to equity in education.

"The Achievement Gap." http://www.edweek.org/sreports/gap.htm

Despite decades of attention, gaps in the achievement of minority students remain one of the most pressing problems in education. In this four-part series, Education Week asks: Why do achievement gaps persist? Reasons for the achievement gap are covered ranging from dumbed-down curriculum for students of color to peer pressure on not appearing too White to less qualified teachers. Some successes are also highlighted, including smaller gaps in achievement rates for students at schools run by the Pentagon and increasing the number of advanced courses offered in some urban schools.

American Association for the Advancement of Science. http://ehrweb.aaas.org/ehr/pubs.htm

The AAAS provides a guide to publications on-line that can be accessed at no cost. The Environmental Checklist, "How Would I Handle That?" equity vignettes, and an article on moving equity from the margin into the center of education are especially worth noting.

Community Learning Network. http://www.cln.org/cln.html

CLN is designed to help K-12 teachers integrate technology into their classrooms.

Connecting the Past With the Future: Women in Mathematics and Science Video
Curriculum Publications Clearinghouse - Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL 61455
Phone: 800-322-3905

This series of four videos details the historical contributions of women in mathematics and science, discusses career choices, and provides contemporary role models for girls.

"Classroom Interactions", UC Davis, Creating Gender Equity in Your Teaching. http://www.engr.ucdavis.edu/college/information/gender/hand3.html

Covers a variety of classroom interactions and points out ways to ensure that those interactions are equitable.

EducatingJane.com http://www.educatingjane.com

This site is for the positive intellectual and social development of girls so that they can be successful. It's replete with female role models, current news articles of issues that affect girls and links to explore academic interests. Geared mostly towards girls, the site also has resources for parents and educators.

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). http://ericeece.org/index.html

ERIC is a national information system designed to provide users with access to an extensive body of education-related literature. The site contains a conference calendar, links for parents, a searchable database of publications, and web resources on many areas of education.

Education Week and Teacher Magazine. http://www.edweek.org

The on-line versions of these two popular magazines contain articles, links to a variety of issues in education, and an archive of past issues.

Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Teacher Change. http://change.enc.org/

This project is a collection of resources to help educators and professional development providers facilitate discussion and reflection on improving K-12 mathematics. The materials include professional development activities, TIMSS publications, articles about teacher change, and teacher narratives.

ENC Focus "Making Schools Work for Every Child." http://www.enc.org/focus/equity
What kinds of classrooms and programs help educators to reach all students? What unique ways can teachers explore engaging students with particular needs? These articles on the theme of equity for all cover a range of issues in the standards-based classroom. Contributors cover equity issues relating to cooperative groups, elementary math and science classrooms, technology, language diversity, and gender parity.

ENC Focus "Teaching in the Standards-Based Classroom." http://www.enc.org/focus/standards

What does a standards-based classroom look like? How has it affected teachers and students? Learn how to optimize the curriculum to meet several standards in one lesson, how to enhance the effectiveness of learning groups, and how to create a standards-based classroom. Articles on systemic reform, inquiry-based learning, assessment, and technology are included.

Engineer Girl. http://www.engineergirl.org

The National Academy of Engineering has developed a site geared towards girls, to promote and foster interest in becoming an engineer. The site highlights the different types of engineering and how they relate to and effect everyday life. There are lots of cool facts and reasons to become an engineer.

Equity Education On-line. http://www.etdc.wednet.edu/equity/index.html

The five areas on this web site - organizations, research, student actions and organizations, equity tools and materials, and state resources - link to an array of resources related to equity.

"Equity is More Than Coping With Change." http://ra.terc.edu/alliance/template/ state_connections/nh/nh-equity/toc.html

Written by a team of educators from New Hampshire, the Equity Handbook provides insights and strategies for teachers to use in the classroom that will help build a more equitable atmosphere. Issues of gender, race/ethnicity, language, class, and special needs are all covered. The chapters include: Educator Expectations; Classroom Practice: Curriculum, Instruction, Pedagogy and Assessment; Professional Development; and Theory and Research Concerning Equity in Math and Science Education.

"Equity Self-Evaluation and Planning Document." http://equity.enc.org/equity/eqtyres/ erg/111584/1584.htm

Used periodically, and at least annually, this audit can be used to assess the performance of a school district, school or program in meeting the needs of all its students. The audit details disparities between the sexes and among various racial, ethnic and language groups in terms of academic achievement, resource distribution and representation in special programs.

"ERASE (Expose Racism and Advance School Excellence) Factsheet." http://www.arc.org/Pages/EFactsheet.html

This up-to-date factsheet sheds light on some of the persisting disparities in education. Some statistics from the factsheet include: (1) the proportion of Latino and African-American students in segregated schools is rising, not falling; (2) the most intense school segregation happens in the North and in large central cities; and (3) teachers in poor schools earn much less - 28% less on average - than those in richer schools.

"Examining Beliefs and Defining Equity." http://equity.enc.org/equity/selfeval/ index2.htm

The eight activities on this part of ENC's "Making Schools Work for Every Child" web site and CD-ROM help educators self-assess their beliefs about equity. Among the activities are an "equitable school" walk, a comparison of the terms equity, equality, and excellence, and a survey designed to probe individual's beliefs about who can learn math and science.

"Facing the Consequences: An Examination of Racial Discrimination in U.S. Public Schools." http://www.arc.orc/erase/FTC1intro.html

Gathering data from 12 cities around the U.S., the Applied Research Center compiled this report which analyzes some of the critical issues for students of color in public schools. Eleven of the twelve cities failed the "report card"; the twelve received a "D". Key findings include: African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans are suspended or expelled at higher rates than their peers from other racial groups; students of color are more likely to drop out or be pushed out of school; students of color have less access to advanced classes; and the racial composition of teachers rarely reflects that of the student body.

Gender Equity in the Classroom Video
WGBY57
44 Hampden St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Phone: 800-639-8879

David Sadker hosts this hour-long video that steps inside three classrooms to investigate inequitable teaching practices. Strategies for creating a more equitable classroom are detailed at the end of the video.

Girls and Technology Video. http://www.ncgs.org/Pages/publi.htm

This video created by the National Coalition of Girls' Schools presents information and teaching tips for educators and parents that focus on girls and technology.

Girls Can! Video. http://www.aauw.org/home.html
Phone: 800-225-9998, X 459

Complement to Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America, this video looks at programs around the country that are making a difference in fighting gender bias in schools.

"Girls Byte Back". http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/vol-10/07girls.h10

Girls' Middle School provides a single-sex education to girls in Mountain View, California. With an emphasis on math, science, and technology, the schools aims to academically challenge its students while also meeting their emotional needs.

"Girls: 'If I'm a good student overall, I can't be good at math'". http://www.stanford.edu/dept/ news/report/news/february10/mathpath210.html

This article covers some of the psychological factors impacting girls and mathematics achievement.

Integrating Gender Equity and Reform (InGear). http://www.coe.uga.edu/ingear/

This web site is a compilation of curriculum materials that promote excellence and equity in mathematics, science, and engineering instruction. Includes background information, instructional resources, teaching strategies, and curricula.

"In This Issue: High Poverty, High Performing Schools." http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/1997/Jun/Zarate.htm

Debunking the myth that high poverty equals low performance in schools, this series of articles looks at some of the strategies used in poverty-stricken schools that have successfully raised student achievement. Parental involvement, challenging curriculum, technology labs, high expectations for all students, celebrating diversity, and creating a nurturing environment were all given as successful strategies.

Making Schools Work for Every Child CD-ROM
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education
1929 Kenney Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1079
Phone: 614-292-7784

This CD-ROM available free of charge tackles a variety of issues related to equity. It also offers examples of innovative programs, real-life stories, information on professional development and self-assessment, and full-text copies of related articles.

Massachusetts Gender Equity Centers. http://www.genderequity.org/index.html

This site features TechTalk for female students, a list of women role models, games, events, and links for parents, educators, and young women.

The Math Forum. http://forum.swarthmore.edu/

The Math Forum links to many areas of math education, including curriculum, lesson planning, reform, constuctivism, equity and access, Ask Dr. Math, organizations of interest, resources for parents, and a discussion area for teachers.

Mentornet. http://www.mentornet.net
The National Electronic Industrial Mentoring Network for Women in Engineering and Science is a website that links women engineering students with volunteers in the industry, to promote and development the careers of women in math, science, and engineering fields.

Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory. http://www.mcrel.org/resources/plus/

"Connections+" consists of Internet resources - lesson plans, activities, curriculum resources - linked with corresponding subject-area content standards.

Multicultural Pavilion. http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/multicultural/

The Multicultural Pavilion offers educators a host of resources to support a multicultural classroom. Proverbs, songs, research articles, poetry, lesson plans, and other tools cover an range of classroom ages and subject areas.

National Center for Education Statistics. http://www.ed.gov/NCES/search.html

The NCES offers a searchable database of education statistics, with the opportunity to order many publications for free.

National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform. http://www.goodschools.gwu. edu/pubs/book/jul01.html#2

This collection of articles and tools provides teachers and administrators with a variety of resources related to school reform. Topics include reforming schools to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, supporting students with special needs, creating rich learning environments for English language learners, and building upon school reform methods that provide access to all students.

"No Room at the Top for Women in Education." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/archive/1999/10/10/NEWS14475.dtl

Leading off with the fact that while women comprise nearly 80 percent of the nation's teachers they account for only 10 percent of the superintendents of leading public school systems, the article delves into some of the reasons behind this disparity.

North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. http://www.ncrel.org/ncrel/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/math/ma100.htm

"Critical Issue: Ensuring Equity and Excellence in Math" is the topic of this site that contains a brief overview of equity issues in mathematics as well as action items for promoting equity.

Program for Gender Equity - NSF. http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/ehr/hrd/ge/ge-index.htm

This National Science Foundation program targets the underrepresentation of women and minorities in mathematics, science, and engineering. The web site contains guidelines for submitting grant proposals to the program, a listing of current and past awardees, and links to a variety of equity resources.

Profile of an Equitable Math and Science Classroom and Teacher (VISMT). http://equity.enc.org/equity/eqtyres/erg/111583/1583.htm

The profile lists the traits of an equitable math and science classroom in the areas of: physical environment, curriculum, language, teaching methodology, behavior management, academic evaluation, and classroom integration.

"Quick Takes." http://www.sedl.org/scimath/quicktakes/

The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory has created this series of briefs of various issues in education. Titles include "Tracking Decisions Change Lives," "Calculators in the Classroom," and "Using the TIMSS Report."

"Reaching the Top: A Report of the National Task Force on Minority High Achievement." The College Board. http://www.collegeboard.org/

This report looks at the shortage of high-achieving minority students and proposes a plan of action - termed "affirmative development" - to help address this issue. A wide range of subject areas is covered, as well as an analysis of overall school structures. Copies of the report can be downloaded from the web site.

The Regional Alliance HUB. http://ra.terc.edu/alliance/HubHome.html

The Hub will connect you with information on these and other topics: equity, assessment, informal education, school reform, professional development, science, and technology. It also offers several on-line communities, a calendar, and a description of the project's work.

Research for Better Schools. http://www2.rbs.org

Research for Better Schools operates the Mid-Atlantic Eisenhower Regional Laboratory. The web site features links to resources for curriculum, professional development, equity, events, and news.

Through the Glass Wall. http://www.terc.edu/mathequity/gw/html/gwhome.html

This project has looked at how girls and boys play mathematical computer games in order to describe what makes a good mathematical and equitable computer game. The web site includes descriptions of over 60 games.

"Where the Girls Are." http://www.teachermagazine.org/ew/vol-16/01sadker.h16

David Sadker comments on the current disparities between girls and boys in math, in areas such as standardized testing, college degrees, and career choices.

"Women in Nontraditional Careers Videos." http://www.herownwords.com
Her Own Words
PO Box 5264
Madison, WI 53705-0264
608-271-7083

These are ten 15-minute videos and ten resource guides on women in nontraditional careers are: Women in Construction, Women in Dentistry, Women in Engineering, Women in Firefighting, Women in Machining, Women in Nontraditional Careers: An Introduction, Women in Policing, Women in Welding, Women Talk: Women in Nontraditional Careers in Their Own Words.