9450022 Scantlebury This project will study the impact that incorporating gender equity training into the secondary science education program has on the teaching practices of preservice and cooperating inservice teachers. Both groups will participate in summer workshops, coursework, seminars, and meetings which will have gender equity in the sciences as a central theme. Key components include: providing gender equity training for preservice and cooperating inservice teachers; providing professional development for both groups; utilizing inservice cooperating teachers in teaching preservice methods courses; examining the effect this involvement has on the cooperating teachers' gender-sensitive classroom practices; mentoring of preservice teachers by cooperating teachers and university faculty; establishing dialogues between university science faculty and teachers. Preservice teachers need specific training in equitable teaching strategies and supervision by high school science ("cooperating") teachers who are sensitive to gender equity issues. The project is aimed at encouraging preservice and cooperating teachers to develop the characteristics of gender-sensitive science teachers through: changing current coursework for preservice teachers; working directly with cooperating teachers; including scientific research opportunities for preservice teachers; transfer of educational and scientific research to the classroom; linking programs to other ongoing state and local efforts; providing integration between the Colleges of Arts & Sciences and Education, and local school systems; and presenting research at national meetings. ***
