Collaborative Research: Broadening Participation in Computing through Authentic, Collaborative Engagement with Computing for the Greater Good

协作研究：通过真实、协作的方式参与计算，以实现更大的利益，从而扩大对计算的参与

• 批准号: 2012979
• 负责人: Lori Postner
• 金额: $ 31.42万
• 依托单位: Nassau Community College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-10-01 至 2025-09-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2012979&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Broadening; Participation; Computing

Increasing the number of computer science graduates is a national priority for continued economic growth in the United States. Accomplishing this goal is challenging, as millions of available computer science jobs go unfilled each year due to the lack of skilled applicants. A critical step in increasing the computing workforce is to increase and broaden participation in undergraduate computer science. One proven approach to do so is connecting computing to societal benefits, and such connection is also known to attract students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in computing. Through a collaboration between Drexel University, Nassau Community College, Western New England University, Worcester State College, and Dickinson College, this project will make the connection between society and computing through the NSF-supported Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software (HFOSS) approach. HFOSS is like the Habitat for Humanity project, but instead of helping communities build houses, HFOSS supports the development of free software that benefits communities. Examples of HFOSS projects include free, open software for disaster management, education, economic development, and public health. This project will enable students at the five partnering institutions to engage with a complex, authentic software development environment that supports collaborative, active learning with genuine tasks that make a difference in communities. Students will learn contemporary software engineering and develop professional skills while gaining first-hand experience with the positive impact that computing can have on society. This project has the potential to transform computing education by using computing for the greater good as the framework to improve student engagement, learning, and diversity in computer science.In addition to instructor-led HFOSS development projects, this project will provide students with an extended range of HFOSS educational opportunities, including authentic but controlled practice environments within computing classrooms (HFOSS kits) as well as community-based Client Oriented-FOSS projects that pair an instructor with students and a local non-profit organization on a small software product to benefit the non-profit. The computing courses implementing HFOSS will use Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning to scaffold students' computer science learning and early professional skill development. Research conducted by the project team is designed to advance knowledge about constructivist approaches to computing education including guided inquiry learning and communities of practice. This research includes innovative studies of the changes in role and identity of instructor and student that accompany a shift to active learning, together with studies of student engagement, retention, and diversity. The evidence-based learning approaches and engagement with authentic contexts implemented and researched by this project have potential applications across STEM education. This project is supported by the NSF IUSE: EHR Program, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. It is also supported by the IUSE:CUE program, which seeks to re-envision the role of computing in undergraduate education while continuing to emphasize the need for more diverse student populations for careers in both computing and non-computing fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

增加计算机科学毕业生的数量是美国持续经济增长的国家优先事项。实现这一目标是具有挑战性的，因为由于缺乏熟练的申请人，每年数百万可用的计算机科学工作都没有填补。 增加计算劳动力的关键步骤是增加和扩大对本科计算机科学的参与。 一种经过验证的方法是将计算与社会利益联系起来，并且这种联系也吸引了来自传统在计算中代表不足的团体的学生。 通过德雷克塞尔大学，拿骚社区学院，西新英格兰大学，伍斯特州立大学和狄金森学院之间的合作，该项目将通过NSF支持的人道主义者免费和开源软件（HFOSS）方法建立社会与计算之间的联系。 HFOSS就像人类的栖息地项目一样，但是HFOSS支持社区建造房屋，而是支持开发受益社区的免费软件。 HFOSS项目的示例包括免费的，用于灾难管理，教育，经济发展和公共卫生的开放软件。 该项目将使五个合作机构的学生能够与复杂的，真实的软件开发环境互动，该环境支持协作，积极学习，并具有在社区中产生影响的真正任务。学生将学习当代软件工程并发展专业技能，同时获得第一手经验，并以计算对社会的积极影响。 This project has the potential to transform computing education by using computing for the greater good as the framework to improve student engagement, learning, and diversity in computer science.In addition to instructor-led HFOSS development projects, this project will provide students with an extended range of HFOSS educational opportunities, including authentic but controlled practice environments within computing classrooms (HFOSS kits) as well as community-based Client Oriented-FOSS projects that pair an instructor with students and a local non-profit organization在小型软件产品上受益于非营利组织。 实施HFOSS的计算课程将使用面向流程的指导询问学习来脚手架学生的计算机科学学习和早期的专业技能开发。项目团队进行的研究旨在促进有关计算教育的建构主义方法的知识，包括指导性的探究学习和实践社区。这项研究包括对教师和学生的角色和认同的变化的创新研究，这些研究与积极学习的转变以及学生参与，保留和多样性的研究有关。该项目实施和研究的基于证据的学习方法和与真实背景的参与在STEM教育中具有潜在的应用。该项目得到了NSF IUSE：EHR计划的支持，该计划支持研发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。 通过参与的学生学习轨道，该计划支持有希望的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。 IUSE：CUE计划也支持它，该计划旨在重新涉及计算在本科教育中的作用，同时继续强调需要在计算和非计算领域中更多样化的学生群体从事职业的需求。这项奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过评估了基金会的范围和广泛的影响，并通过评估了支持和广泛的影响。

项目成果

The Power of Open Source for Social Good to Increase Diversity in Computing

开源对社会公益的力量可增加计算的多样性

• DOI: 10.1145/3408877.3439628
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: SIGCSE '21
• 作者: Ellis, Heidi J.;Hislop, Gregory W.;Postner, Lori
• 通讯作者: Postner, Lori

Humanitarian Applications Increase Interest and Motivation of Women in Computing

人道主义应用增加了女性对计算机的兴趣和动力

• DOI: 10.1145/3545945.3569832
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: SIGCSE 2023
• 作者: Postner, Lori;Hislop, Gregory W;Ellis, Heidi J.C.
• 通讯作者: Ellis, Heidi J.C.