CPATH: Planning Grant: Building A Community to Revitalize Community College Undergraduate Computing Pathways

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Abstract: NSF CPATH Proposal 0722176Planning Grant: Building a Community to Revitalize Community College UndergraduateComputing PathwaysPI: Jeffrey JohnsonThe National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET) at Bellevue Community College will lead a community-building, planning grant to analyze learning needs; research and evaluate educational models; and design and implement pilot learning projects to revitalize undergraduate computing education. Partners include the University of Washington-Bothell computer science/information technology (IT) program as well as IT computer science/transfer programs at Bellevue, Shoreline, and Cascadia Community Colleges. The Society for Information Management will provide industry-based validation. The project will focus on redesigning the first year of a computer science program to retain and support community college students in computer science transfer programs, thereby addressing attrition and promoting more computer science degree holders. The team will:adapt existing curricula in first-year math, science, and computer science courses to enhance learning for students;investigate and create learning experiences wherein students complete difficult technical requirements in an integrated format; andresearch the effectiveness of alternative pedagogical methodologies, mentorship by advanced students, and the establishment of learning communities.The technology-rich Seattle area provides an excellent test-bed for evaluating new computing pathway models. The project team will collaborate with community colleges locally and ATE centers nationally to develop pilot sites for the new models.