"New technological and workplace demands are increasing the need for workers who have flexible skills, a basic grasp of science and technology, and the ability to solve problems and to think critically." (Kober, 1993) The nation's economy is becoming increasingly dependent on the size and quality of a technological workforce at a time when the percentage of the U.S. population involved in science and engineering is decreasing compared with that of Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom (Oakes, 1990).
The underrepresentation of women and minorities - the fastest growing populations in the workforce - in science, mathematics, and technology undermines the country's ability to function effectively in a technology-based economy and the ability of women and minorities to compete for employment, wages, and leadership in any profession (Oakes, 1990).
According to the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council (1994), "Scientific literacy is the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for participation in civic and cultural affairs, economic productivity, and personal decisionmaking." This level of scientific literacy must be available to all students. In today's increasingly complex and global society, all citizens require the "habits of mind" that characterize effective scientific inquiry - curiosity, flexibility, and skepticism - and a fundamental understanding of science if they are to meet changing workforce needs and face challenges that range from individual well-being (e.g., how to reduce the risk of infection from the AIDS virus) to issues affecting all human beings (e.g., acid rain).