THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT

OF WOMEN!!!!!!!

The Low Representation of Women in

Science Academia

EXCEPTIONS OR THE RULE?

Presented by: Ms. D. MAYFOOD

FREDERICK DOUGLAS ACADEMY

HARLEM, NEW YORK

DR. HODGE – PRINCIPAL

JUST THINK! More than half of the population of America is female. We have woman lawyers, doctors, business people and one might even be president of the United States. But a not so close scrutiny of science departments in Universities and high schools in America find very few women; if any. Science departmental meetings seem almost like a male fraternity. In forty years of NASA and the space program there has been only a small percentage of woman involved. In a time when woman are taking more active roles in shaping American society, few have been accepted for doctoral degrees or professorships in science academia. What a catastrophe! Think of the brain power lost by this disenfranchisement! In the past, woman have made enormous advances in science. Madame Curie discovered radioactivity. Jane Goodall made strides in understanding animal behavior. Rachel Carson exposed DDT and other pollution that saved millions of lived if not the planet. Then why have woman been excluded now. Few women can be seen in college physics laboratories or chemical research. This must be changed.

In this web quest you will have an opportunity to investigate this social problem and devise policies to solve the disenfranchisement. You will become a public advocate and a public policy analyst. You have a chance to make a real difference. You can open the scientific doors to millions of woman who have been excluded. Good luck and good research!

The class will be divided into groups of four. Each group will be responsible for completing the task

Each group will complete a research paper of a minimum of FIVE Ms. Word typewritten pages.

The research paper must also have graphics, charts or illustrations to prove your thesis.

The Research paper must use the SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST as an outline. All the steps must be included in the paper. The PPA steps and links to the worksheets are listed in the “Process” section of the web quest.

1: The class will be divided into groups of four. Each group member will have a role. However all members will take part in research and must work cooperatively with other members. This will be part of the group grade.

The group roles are as follows

-Editor-in Chief-This student will be in charge of the final group presentation. He will edit and correct the paper. He will coordinate all activities and make members aware of assigned deadlines. This member will be critical of those who do not perform and find remedies for the problem.

-Writer-This student will write the text and coordinate the graphics used in the paper. He/she will use the PPA sheets as resource material to type the paper. All members of the group will be involved in organization.

The writer must work well with the researchers so all material is well understood

-Researcher-These TWO students will complete all the worksheets in the six step public policy analyst

using the Internet resources given in the section below. He/she will be responsible for instructing the

writer. Researchers may divide up the six PPA steps or work cooperatively on all.

THE PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST- The PPA is the outline to be used in completing the task research paper.

Each PPA step has a description of the step and a worksheet. These worksheets will be completed using the Internet resources below and other outside text material. This will be accomplished by the two “researchers”.

LINKS TO THE PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

STEP # 1: Define the problem:

STEP # 2: Gathering Evidence for the task

STEP # 3: Identifying Causes of the Problem

STEP #4: Evaluate Existing Public Policy

STEP # 5: Develop Public Policy Solutions

SREP # 6: Selecting the best Public Policy Solution

GENERAL INTERNET SITES

WWW.YAHOO.COM

WWW.ASK.COM

WWW.GOOGLE.COM

SPECIFIC WEB SITES

GENDER BIAS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

FACTORS IN GENDER BIAS IN SCIENCE

SEVERAL ARTICLES ON DEFICIENT EDUCATION FOR WOAMN IN SCIENCE

POWER POINT-STATISTICS AND PUBLIC POLICIES-great site

GENDER BIAS CHANGE AT M.I.T

GENDER DISTRIBUTION AT M.I.T

THESIS-WOMAN IN SCIENCE-very comprehensive and detailed report

RUBRIC FOR RESEARCH PAPER

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Organization	Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings. All steps in the PPA are used correctly.	Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs. Most steps in the PPA are used correctly.	Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed. All steps are in the PPA are used but some are incorrectly.	The information appears to be disorganized. Few steps in the PPA are used and they are used incorrectly.
Amount of Information	All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.	One or more topics were not addressed.
Quality of Information	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.	Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Mechanics	No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors	A few grammatical spelling or punctuation errors.	Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Paragraph Construction	All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well.	Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs.
Internet Use	Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.
Diagrams & Illustrations	Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader's understanding of the topic.

GRADING: “A’= 21-24 “B”= 17-20 “C”= 13-16 “F” = BELOW 13

You now have investigated a social problem and a very important one at that. You have defined the problem of the disenfranchisement of woman in science academia and proposed viable public policies to alleviate the problem. You have seen the seriousness of the problem as well. In reality, you have become a “public policy analyst. The role of this person is critical in our society. The public policy analyst finds solutions to problems that benefit millions. Let’s hope your policies can bring enfranchise woman and bring new discoveries that will save us all. Thanks for your participation! It was much appreciated!

English Language Arts

Standard 1:   Language for Information and Understanding

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 2:   Language for Literary Response and Expression

Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Social Studies

Standard 4:   Economics

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.

Standard 5:   Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.