CPATH-2: Collaborative Research: From Middle School to Industry: Vertical Integration to Inspire Interest in Computational Thinking

CPATH-2：协作研究：从中学到工业界：垂直整合激发计算思维兴趣

• 批准号: 0939088
• 负责人: Andrea Fontenot
• 金额: $ 23.3万
• 依托单位: Texas Tech University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-15 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0939088&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CPATH; Collaborative; Research; Middle; Industry

This project, InspireCT, employs vertically integrated project teams to expose students to the excitement of computational thinking in action. This vertical integration results in a hands-on, active learning experience that can occur while students are still deciding what to study as undergraduates. InspireCT will revitalize undergraduate computing education by engaging students in team project applications of computing much earlier than is done today. The project includes participants at four levels of computing knowledge: pre-college students in grades 6-12, less experienced undergraduates, advanced undergraduates, and practicing professionals. At the center of the project are advanced undergraduates and team projects typical of computing degree capstone experiences. The less experienced students are integrated into the excitement typical of capstone projects by activities appropriate to their experience level. The professionals provide projects and mentoring to ensure good connection with professional practice and actual applications of computational thinking.InspireCT also makes use of mentoring - the project explores the impact of mentoring on student learning, and also examines the positive impact of the younger students seeing the successes of the more advanced students. This is expected to engender a positive attitude among less experienced students toward the study of computing. Intellectual Merit - This project creates and disseminates a new approach to introducing and engaging students in computational thinking activities. This active learning approach is expected to improve student learning and to create a much more direct engagement with computing by "doing" rather than "hearing about" computational thinking. The project focuses upon computational thinking concepts such as problem solving, abstraction, design, and thinking algorithmically. But the project also suggests that definitions of computational thinking need to include team level, collaborative efforts since this is how most professionals engage in computational thinking. Research indicates that understanding the collaborative and social aspects of computational thinking may be central to attracting more women students. The project addresses significant challenges including shifts in instructional role, definition of appropriate activities for vertical integration, and changes in instructional role. At the same time, the project builds on a substantial base of theory and prior results in areas such as active learning, capstone projects, and gender equality in computing education. The theory and related work both indicate that the benefits could be very substantial if this project is successful in addressing the challenges and meeting the goals. Broader Impact - InspireCT impacts students at both the pre-college and undergraduate levels. Sparking student interest at that earlier age and improving learning outcomes via active learning constitutes a potentially transformative impact on computing education. The social and applied aspects of this approach also provide key characteristics that research shows are effective in attracting women to computing. The community building aspect of the project includes both pre-college and undergraduate instructors. The InspireCT activities are organized to help identify and establish a series of collaborations between pre-college instructors and undergraduate faculty.

这个名为 InspireCT 的项目采用垂直整合的项目团队，让学生体验到计算思维的激动人心的实践。这种垂直整合带来了一种动手、主动的学习体验，这种体验可以在学生还在决定本科学习什么的时候发生。 InspireCT 将通过比现在更早地让学生参与计算的团队项目应用来振兴本科计算机教育。该项目包括四个级别的计算机知识参与者：6-12 年级的大学预科学生、经验较少的本科生、高年级本科生和执业专业人士。该项目的核心是高年级本科生和典型的计算机学位顶点经验的团队项目。经验不足的学生可以通过适合他们经验水平的活动融入到顶点项目典型的兴奋中。专业人士提供项目和指导，以确保与专业实践和计算思维的实际应用保持良好联系。InspireCT 还利用了指导——该项目探讨了指导对学生学习的影响，并考察了年轻学生看到计算思维的积极影响。更先进的学生的成功。预计这将使经验不足的学生对计算机学习产生积极的态度。智力优势 - 该项目创建并传播了一种新方法来介绍和吸引学生参与计算思维活动。这种主动学习方法有望改善学生的学习，并通过“做”而不是“听”计算思维来更直接地参与计算。该项目侧重于计算思维概念，例如问题解决、抽象、设计和算法思维。但该项目还表明，计算思维的定义需要包括团队层面的协作努力，因为这是大多数专业人士从事计算思维的方式。研究表明，了解计算思维的协作和社交方面可能是吸引更多女学生的核心。该项目解决了重大挑战，包括教学角色的转变、垂直整合适当活动的定义以及教学角色的变化。与此同时，该项目建立在主动学习、顶点项目和计算机教育性别平等等领域的坚实理论基础和先前成果的基础上。理论和相关工作都表明，如果该项目成功应对挑战并实现目标，效益将非常可观。更广泛的影响 - InspireCT 影响大学预科和本科阶段的学生。在早期激发学生的兴趣并通过主动学习提高学习成果对计算机教育具有潜在的变革性影响。这种方法的社会和应用方面还提供了研究表明可以有效吸引女性进入计算机领域的关键特征。该项目的社区建设方面包括大学预科和本科生导师。 InspireCT 活动的组织目的是帮助确定和建立大学预科教师和本科生教师之间的一系列合作。