CPATH CDP: ProjectMT -- A Real-World, Project-Based Computer Science Curriculum

传统的计算机科学课程强调以讲座为基础的课堂教学，对现实世界的问题和项目的接触有限。通常，计算机制作的“玩具”项目与现实世界中出现的项目几乎没有相似之处。学生们发现很难将他们正在学习的内容与快速变化的计算机世界联系起来，经常导致他们对计算机科学感到沮丧。CS毕业生通常面临着专业软件开发的准备不足，以及在现实世界的计算环境中开始工作时陡峭的学习曲线。另一方面，它已被证明，在现实世界的项目为基础的课程，学生的学习动机要高得多。学生更愿意自主学习项目相关材料，所学知识持续时间更长。ProjectMT的目标是通过将真实世界的项目融入整个CS课程来增强CS教学和学习体验。这个过程进一步丰富了稳定和一致的本地工业联系，带来了创新的计算理念，技术和现实世界的经验。学士学位水平的学生将参与现实世界的应用程序的开发，并从事项目和类相关材料的积极学习。在CS课程的拟议创新将准备每个毕业生准备从第一天起在行业中有竞争力和成功的工作。通过试点课程的开发，它将增加对项目为基础的教学和学习的知识体系的设计和教学现实世界的项目为基础的课程，鼓励学生主动学习的策略，以及面临的挑战课程范围的改革。该项目汇集了MTSU的CS系，MTSU的其他部门，当地利益攸关方和地区机构的教育工作者的教师。它建立了一个框架，支持以项目为中心的课程开发。该框架包括与当地利益相关者互动的具体组成部分，用于项目收集，评估和报告交流;项目管理课程结构，用于维护项目数据库，将项目分配给课程，并跟踪项目开发;以及将当地教育工作者纳入合作课程开发和项目实施的机制。学生在项目为基础的课程预计将更积极地学习CS课程，学习课程材料更好，有更好的培训，为他们未来的工作，并更致力于在CS学科的工作。

Traditional computer science curriculums emphasize lecture-based classroom teaching, with limited exposure to real-world problems and projects. Often, instructor-crafted "toy" projects provide little resemblance to those that arise in the real-world. Students find it difficult to relate what they are studying to the fast-changing computing world, frequently resulting in them becoming discouraged with computer science. A CS graduate is often faced with poor preparation for professional software development and a steep learning curve upon beginning work in a real-world computing environment. On the other hand, it has been shown that in real-world project-based courses, student motivation for learning is much higher. Students are more willing to learn project related material on their own, and the knowledge learned lasts longer. The goal in ProjectMT is to enhance the CS teaching and learning experience with real-world projects woven into the entire CS curriculum. The process is further enriched with a stable and consistent local industrial connection that brings in innovative computing ideas, technologies, and real-world experiences. Bachelor's-level students will participate in the development of real-world applications, and engage in active learning of project and class-related materials. The proposed innovation in the CS curriculum will prepare each graduate to be ready to work competitively and successfully in the industry from day one. Through pilot course development, it will add to the body of knowledge on project-based teaching and learning additional findings for designing and teaching real-world project-based courses, strategies for encouraging student active learning, and challenges facing curriculum wide transformation. The project brings together faculties at MTSU's CS department, other departments at MTSU, local stakeholders and educators at area institutions. It establishes a framework that supports project-centric curriculum development. This framework includes specific components to interact with local stakeholders for project collection, evaluation, and report communication; a Project Management Course structure to maintain a database of projects, assign projects to courses, and track project development; and mechanisms to include local educators in collaborative course development and project implementation. Students in the project-based curriculum are expected to be more motivated to study in CS courses, learn the course material better, have better training for their future jobs, and be more committed to work in the CS discipline.