ERIC Number: ED325143
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1989-Oct-28
Pages: 13
Abstractor: N/A
Reference Count: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
Women in Science and Technology.
Fabricant, Mona; Adner, Haya
In 1985-86 the "Women in the Technical Curricula" project was developed at Queensborough Community College to encourage more women to choose a technical curriculum and to provide support services to help them successfully complete the curriculum. The project activities were designed to eliminate the stereotype of mathematics and related careers as masculine domains. Female tutors and female computer lab technicians, peer tutoring, scheduled review sessions, and access to computer-assisted instructional materials were provided to help women develop confidence in their mathematics ability. The retention rate for women in technical curricula increased from 53% to 61.2% after exposure to the new program. In addition, the dropout rate for women in remedial mathematics decreased at the end of the experimental year compared to the previous 2 years. An expanded project emphasizing career education and targeting local high school seniors was implemented in the 1988-89 school year. This project focused on increasing the number of women who elect to take technical curricula, increasing the retention rates of women in technical curricula, and disseminating information about careers for women in nontraditional technical fields. Support services similar to those offered the previous year were provided. In conjunction with Gruman Aircraft Systems, IBM, and AT&T Bell Laboratories, a Career Day was held with presentations from women within these industries. The 1988-89 results were also successful, with retention rates for women increasing from 70.5% in 1987-88 to 89.2% in 1988-89. Appendixes include a 14-item bibliography, a Career Day program, and a list of projects designed to encourage women to pursue careers in science and technology. (WJT)
Descriptors: College School Cooperation, Community Colleges, Developmental Studies Programs, Engineering Education, Majors (Students), Mathematics Instruction, Nontraditional Occupations, Program Descriptions, Remedial Mathematics, Science Education, Technical Education, Two Year Colleges, Womens Education
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: City University of New York Queensborough Comm C
Note: Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (15th, Baltimore, MD, October 26-29, 1989).


