A primary goal of science and mathematics education is the developing of students who believe in their ability to be successful scientific and mathematical thinkers. The environment in which that education occurs is vitally important. Central to that environment is an atmosphere in which students and student ideas are respected and valued. Achieving that environment is the responsibility of the classroom teacher, the school system, and the community.

While philosophically there may be a commitment to equity-based science and mathematical literacy for all, recent history suggests that gender equity and equity for minorities and disabled citizens has not been the case in practice in American mathematics and science education.

Women and non-Asian minorities are underrepresented in the science, mathematics, and technology work force. Although women's share of the professional work force had risen to 40 percent in 1996, they still constituted only 15 percent of the employed scientists, mathematicians and engineers. In the same year, Blacks (who constitute 10 percent of all employed workers and 7 percent of the professional workers) and Hispanics (5 percent of all employed workers and 3 percent of professionals) each represented about 2 percent of the scientific work force. The physically disabled represented approximately 2 percent of scientists and engineers. [26]

Oakes identified three critical factors contributing to the inequality of participation in careers in science, mathematics, and technology:

1. The lack of opportunities for women and minorities to learn science, mathematics, and technology.

2. The low achievement of these groups in these subjects.

3. The decisions made by members of these subgroups not to pursue science, mathematics, or technology as a career.

Equity and Excellence: Compatible Goals (Malcom), the 1984 report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, summarizes the characteristics shared by high-quality programs that are designed to encourage participation in sciences by underrepresented groups. This report was reinforced by Investing in Human Potential (Matayas & Malcom, 1991). High quality programs share the following characteristics:

• Strong academic components in science, mathematics, and communication that focus on enrichment rather than remediation.

• Applications and career emphasis.

• Integrative approaches.

• Involvement of community resources.

• Opportunities for in-school and out-of-school learning.

• Involvement of parents and other significant adults in students' learning and goal-setting process.

• Support systems for the achievement of high academic and personal goals. [27]

It is important to note that the techniques and characteristics which define quality programs are the same as those necessary for students to construct their own knowledge. The idea that an environment that nurtures and supports minority students is beneficial for all students finds support in a curriculum-development project at the Lawrence Hall of Science in the 1980s.

One of the most important ways to achieve excellence and equity is through hands-on experiences. Research suggests that the perceived deficits in logical thinking, visual-spatial tasks, mathematics, and mechanical tasks of low-achieving groups are due to differences in developed interests and past experience rather than inherent ability. Teachers must remember to make instruction relate to all students.

Simply "doing activities" does not in itself produce learning. Hands-on activities that are not accompanied by "minds-on" activities may be interesting, but this will fail to help students construct meaningful understanding.

All hands-on activities involve materials. The student learns by doing, using everyday materials such as plants, batteries and bulbs, or water, specially designed materials such as attribute blocks or algebra tiles, or instruments such as microscopes or meter sticks. But instructional materials must be sequenced to facilitate the students' construction of meaning. Giving students sets of activities without connections drawn among them leads to isolated hits of knowledge or skills that do not promote understanding but rather the forming of naive conceptions. The minds-on part of instruction comes with dialogue, discussion and exploration using the hands-on materials. [28]

Technology is part of the physical and instructional setting. Technology provides important tools for learning. Technology may be as simple as games or calculators that assist in concept development, or as complex as CD ROM, distance learning, and multi-site telecommunications.

Technology transforms the classroom. Through video tours and electronic field trips, the world comes to the classroom. Through technology, students do not have to be flown to an erupting volcano and risk injury from molten lava; issues such as access, safety, and cost become non-issues. Technology brings to the classroom experiences that were heretofore previously unavailable to all students. However, decisions about when, how, and why to use technology are important, for technology is a tool and not an end, in and of itself.

Teachers need support and encouragement to transform science and mathematics learning opportunities for all Georgia children. Preparing today's youth for tomorrow's world requires systemic change. Parents and the communities must feel welcomed and encouraged to participate actively in the learning process. The schools, communities, business, industry, and families must join together with students' families to ensure success for all Georgia children.

In support of this transformation of mathematics and science, an expanded vision of assessment is emerging.

"Instead of assuming that the purpose of assessment is to rank students on a particular trait, the new approach assumes that high public expectations can be set that every student can strive for and achieve, that different performances can and will meet agreed-on expectations, and that teachers can be fair and consistent judges of diverse student performances. Setting high expectations and striving to achieve them are quite different from comparing students with one another and indicating where each student ranks. ... (D)ecisions regarding students' achievement should be made on the basis of a convergence of information from a variety of balanced and equitable sources. Furthermore, much of the information needs to be derived by teachers during the process of instruction. Teachers are the persons who are in the best position to judge the development of students' progress and, hence, must be considered the primary assessors of students" (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Assessment Standards for School Mathematics, 1995, p. 1).