Diversity and Inquiry in K-12 Physical Science Teaching : Defying the Female Hispanic “Stereotype Threat ” Sandra B. Davis Carla J. Thompson Giang-Nguyen Nguyen University of West Florida Although recent national efforts to increase participation of females and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in education have been rekindled in 2012 through the emphasis on the 40th Anniversary of Title IX by the President Obama administration, major increases in the participation of these underrepresented groups in the sciences have been documented only in the biological sciences (Drew, 2011; French, 2012). One reason posited for explaining the increase in participation of females in the biological sciences is the emphasis of the biological sciences and medical fields on helping people or nurturing career fields. Opposing this rationale are the physical sciences which are perceived as difficult content involving considerable knowledge in mathematics. Teacher preparation in the physical sciences requires considerable attention to inquiry-based learning as well as addressing factors contributing to the lack of representation of females and minorities in physical sciences fields. The “stereotype threat” phenomenon relates to actions often associated with underrepresented groups in math and science fields, such as females, minorities, and rural students. For example, unconscious gender and ethnicity stereotyping comments and actions may occur in classrooms by teachers and students that may prevent female and minority students from joining the Community of Learners (COL). Promoting diversity among COLs, alleviating stereotypes, and encouraging underrepresented groups in their active participation within COLs focused on inquiry-based teaching and learning environments are considerations that prompted the current case study effort. The 6E Learning Model in graduate science education founded on the conceptual framework of the National Science Education Standards (NSES) and involving a sequence of six phases provided the venue for the case study. 45