About GSDL

The Gender & Science Digital Library is a cutting-edge project from the Gender & Diversities Institute at EDC, in conjunction with the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF has established the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) program a massive, international initiative which will result in a network of learning environments and resources for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. The program is aimed at meeting the needs of students and teachers at all levels--K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and lifelong learning--in both individual and collaborative settings, as well as formal and informal modes.

The Gender & Science Digital Library (GSDL) aims to provide high-quality digital resources to 1) help educators promote interest and engagement with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education by learners of all ages, particularly females, 2) encourage learners to pursue science education and future careers in science, 3) provide an inter-disciplinary examination of the role of gender in the creation, teaching and learning of science, and 4) build community among all interested users for the purposes of inquiry, information exchange, best practices development and mentoring.

The collection will offer exceptional resources and services that help educators in promoting and implementing gender-equitable science education in both formal and informal settings, to both male and female students, and assisting in increasing female involvement in the sciences. In addition, it will provide resources to researchers and others working to understand the link between gender and science, including how gender influences the development of science and the role of women within science.
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Educators and learners of all ages and in both formal and informal learning environments (K-12, community college, university, teacher preparation programs, women's studies programs), gender & equity researchers, practitioners, parents, and community members.

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Today's technology-based, global economy places an increasingly high premium on STEM education. Yet, international studies show that male and female students in the United States routinely rank below world standards in math and science achievement. Educators and researchers committed to increasing science interest and achievement in students struggle in their efforts to find materials that will enable them to understand issues surrounding male-female dynamics and roles in relation to science education and practice, increase male acceptance and support of women as scientists, and male and female students in the study of science.

As a global and cross-disciplinary resource, the GSDL is a leader in this unique and ground-breaking digital library initiative. The primary objective of the GSDL is to create a high-quality, interactive library of gender and STEM resources for K-12, higher education (community college and university), women's studies, teacher preparation programs, and informal learning environments.

The GSDL will assist educators and researchers in promoting and implementing gender-equitable STEM education in both formal and informal settings, to both male and female students, and assisting in increasing female involvement in the sciences. In addition, it will provide resources to researchers and others working to understand the link between gender and science, including how gender influences the development of science and the role of women within science. While focussing on gender equitable STEM resources as the core of its content, the GSDL will also develop a number of related categories such as gender fair science curriculum, teacher guides for integrating gender equitable instruction into existing curricula, resources on women in science, and strategies to bridge gender and racial divides in the sciences.
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Items are identified for the GSDL based on the following criteria:


• Alignment with national goals and national standards - resources that support national goals in STEM education.


• Curriculum level and subject treatment - gender-equitable STEM curriculum resources, educational technology resources, and professional development resources appropriate for use by our audience.


• Language - primary language of resources in the collection is English. However, resources in Spanish and other languages, when available and appropriate for use in multicultural settings, are also included.


• Chronology - resources that are currently available online.


• Geography - resources appropriate for use in the United States and internationally. This may include resources produced in other countries, as well as resources of a local, state, and/or regional nature (when interest in these resources exists at a national/international level).


• Cultural diversity - resources, to the extent possible, reflect cultural diversity or exhibit cultural neutrality; exhibit sensitivity to issues related to gender, ethnicity, disability, underserved populations, and special needs populations; and communicate respect for and appreciation of diverse cultures and the global community.


• Sources - resource sources whose goal is to promote equitable, innovative, standards based, STEM teaching, to encourage student inquiry-based learning, and are engaging to both male and female students, particularly females.


• Collection formats - All electronic formats are collected.


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Review Process
Upon identification of an online resource, every effort is made by a team of internal content specialists to determine the appropriateness of including the resource in the GSDL collection. Resources are then reviewed by external reviewers to determine if they should be included in the GSDL.

Review Criteria Summary
Resources are reviewed to evaluate their 1) discipline content and accuracy, and 2) equitableness. GSDL Review criteria have been reviewed by our advisors, and with other experts, researchers and scientists in academia and industry. These criteria reflect the defined needs of the target audience, articulate clear gender equity guidelines that are inclusive and respectful of diversity, and align with national science and gender equity standards, as well as other frameworks as appropriate. Review categories include:

• General criteria - measures overall appropriateness of the resource and its content for inclusion in the GSDL in relation to subject domain, grade/age level, need, communicability, and free availability of the item.


• Science Accuracy criteria - measures accuracy of content and conformance to national standards, pedagogical effectiveness, ease of use in the instructional environment, level and quality of documentation, robustness and significance.


• Gender/Diversity Equity criteria - measures fair representation of males and females and of gender issues, fair representation of people of color and people with disabilities and of related race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation and disability issues.


• Instructional Design criteria - measures the nature and scope of the instructional component of the resource.


• Media Design criteria - measures engagement, learning interface, navigation, and technical requirements of the resource.


To view our Review Criteria in detail, please click here .

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