The under-representation of women in mathematical, scientific, and technological fields is a national concern. Women make up 45% of the workforce in the United States but only 16% of the science and engineering workforce (National Science Foundation, 1992). Though women receive over half of all bachelor's degrees awarded, they receive only one-fourth of the degrees awarded in natural sciences and engineering. This shortage of women in mathematical, scientific, and technological fields presents a problem that we can no longer afford to ignore (AAUW, 1992).

The U.S. Department of Labor (1987) predicts that nearly two thirds of the new entrants into the workforce will be women and that 80% to 90% of the workforce growth by the year 2000 will be women and minorities. Our workforce increasingly requires mathematical, scientific and technological proficiency, but women and minorities have not traditionally been attracted to these areas. Research suggests that girls and women are systematically discouraged from courses of study in higher level mathematics and science. A report from the Office of Technology Assessment (1985) described a pipeline for students in the natural sciences and engineering in which the number of women in the pipeline decreases more rapidly than the number of men. Given an initial cohort of 2000 male and 2000 female students at the ninth grade level, 280 men and 220 women will have the mathematical background needed to pursue a technical career. Upon entering college, 140 men and 44 women will choose scientific careers. Forty-six men and 20 women will actually earn a BS degree in a science-related field. Of the original 4000 students, five men and one woman will earn a Ph.D. in a science-related field (Widnall, 1988). To prepare women for an increasingly complex technological world, we must focus on recruiting and retaining women in mathematics, science, and technology.

Retaining women in mathematics, science, and technology becomes a problem between early elementary school and high school. During this time period, many girls lose interest in mathematics and science and also lose confidence in their ability to succeed in these areas. Though girls start elementary school even with boys in their interest and ability in mathematics and science, by grade twelve, girls find themselves behind (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Girls score lower on standardized tests such as the GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT. On the SAT, girls score 50 to 60 points lower than boys. On the ACT, girls score one point higher than boys in English, but lower in every other area. Girls also score lower than boys on the GRE; on the quantitative section, girls score 80 points lower than boys. In order to retain more women in mathematics, science, and technology, we must work to reduce this gap and encourage all students to persevere and succeed in mathematics and science.

Research suggests that in order to attract more women to mathematics, science, and technology, changes should be made in the way these subjects are taught. The ways in which these subjects are traditionally taught and practiced may reflect a masculine approach to the world that tends to marginalize women (Damarin, 1990; 1995; Harding, 1986; Keller, 1985). As teachers and teacher educators, we must examine the content and pedagogy of mathematics and science courses and work to make these courses more "female-friendly" (Rosser, 1990, 1993). The purpose of the InGEAR toolkit is to provide resources that may help teachers and teacher educators in developing curricular content and pedagogical practices that include women.