BPC-DP: Outreach and Pedagogy to Increase Undergraduate Diversity at Engineering Schools

该项目支持中学和大学两级的活动，旨在增加不同性别和族裔的学生对计算机和工程的参与，并培养培养留住能力的本科生环境。在该项目期间与高中建立的支线网络与学生及其顾问、教师和家长建立了直接联系，以告知他们计算机专业的回报和机会，并为他们参加本科计算机课程做好准备。为教师和辅导员举办的发展研讨会将他们与该计划联系起来。该项目包括所有即将入学的工程学学生通过修订的入门课程让他们接触计算机的活动。留任努力包括通过指导、教学方法培训以及与教师责任的联系来建立一个支持性的学术和教职员工社区。形成性和总结性评价确定了需要改进的领域以及各种活动对实现项目目标的影响。该项目的学术价值在于课程的开发和评估，这可能为解决中学和大学一级的多样性问题提供最佳做法。评价应有助于确定一套有效的活动，以促进指导和外联，并建设学术社区，包括教师和大学教职员工。该项目的更广泛影响包括吸引和留住妇女和代表性不足的少数群体进入计算机科学和工程。该项目有可能为培养更多样化的学生和教职员工群体创造新的模式，并在促进信息技术学科学习的同时促进发现和理解。该项目还将提供受过更好技术教育的劳动力，以满足国家安全和经济优先事项。

This project supports activities at both the secondary school and university level aimed at increasing the participation of gender and ethnically diverse students in computing and engineering as well as fostering an undergraduate environment that cultivates retention. A feeder network established with the high schools during the project builds direct links with students and their counselors, teachers, and parents to inform them about the rewards and opportunities in the computing professions and to prepare them for undergraduate computing programs. Developmental workshops for teachers and counselors link them to the program. The project includes activities for all incoming engineering students to expose them to computing through a revised introductory curriculum. Retention efforts involve establishing a supportive academic and faculty community through mentoring, training on pedagogical methods, and linkage to faculty accountability. Formative and summative evaluations identify areas for improvement and the impact of the various activities on reaching project goals. The intellectual merit of this project lies in the curriculum development and assessment which may provide best practices in addressing diversity concerns at both the secondary and university level. The evaluations should help define a set of activities that are effective for mentoring and outreach and for building academic communities including teachers and university faculty.The broader impacts of the project include attracting and retaining women and under-represented minorities into computer science and engineering. The project has the potential to produce new models for developing a more diverse group of students and faculty members and to advance discovery and understanding while promoting learning in the information technology disciplines. The project will also provide a better technically educated workforce to meet national security and economic priorities.