Collaborative Research: BPC-DP: A Cultural Shift in Computer Science: Introducing Computation through E-Textiles

麻省理工学院与科罗拉多大学博尔德分校合作，提出了一个通过电子纺织品引入计算的项目。在美国，计算机科学是一门压倒性的男性学科。这种性别失衡的许多关键因素都是文化因素；也就是说，围绕计算机科学发展起来的文化具有各种属性，对男性比对女性更有吸引力。作为回应，该项目寻求设计一种进入该主题的替代文化路径--一条不声称要改变或甚至隐含地批评现有CS文化的路径，而是寻求提供一种非常不同的文化，通过这种文化，新的人群(尤其是女性)可以对计算机着迷。具体地说，该项目将开发和传播通过织物和电子纺织品(或电子纺织品)使人们参与计算的工具。这项工作将建立在不断努力创造可访问的、强大的工具和材料的基础上，这些工具和材料允许用户设计和构建他们自己的可编程互动时尚。在这种计算机科学的另类文化中，用户进行的项目类型内容丰富，但令人耳目一新的非传统：它们是有形的、丰富多彩的、戏剧性的、丰富的互动性和美丽的。该项目建议通过两个相辅相成的工作途径鼓励这一新文化的发展：为LilyPad Arduino(由私人投资机构开发的工具包，使人们能够制作电子纺织品)开发一个可视化编程环境，以及为教育工作者开发、传播和评估“电子纺织品”工具包。该工具包将通过国家妇女和信息技术中心(NCWIT)开发的大型网络进行传播，其有效性将由NCWIT的社会科学小组进行评估。这些努力是吸引广大电子纺织品受众的关键下一步，也是通过这次接触，在计算机领域吸引新的和多样化的受众的关键步骤。

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in collaboration with the University of Colorado at Boulder, proposes a project to introduce computation through e-textiles. Computer science in the United States is an overwhelmingly male discipline. Many of the the crucial factors in this gender imbalance are cultural; that is, the culture that has grown up around computer science has a variety of attributes that appeal more to males than females. In response, this project seeks to design an alternative cultural pathway into the subject -- a pathway that does not purport to change or even implicitly criticize the existing CS culture, but rather seeks to provide a very different culture through which new populations (and especially females) can become fascinated with computing. Specifically, this project will develop and disseminate tools for engaging people in computing through the medium of fabrics and electronic textiles (or e-textiles). The work will build upon ongoing efforts to create accessible, powerful tools and materials that allow users to design and build their own programmable interactive fashion. The types of projects that users undertake within this alternative culture of computer science are rich in content, but refreshingly nontraditional: they are tangible, colorful, dramatic, richly interactive, and beautiful. This project proposes to encourage the growth of this new culture via two complementary avenues of work: the development of a visual programming environment for the LilyPad Arduino (a toolkit developed by the PIs that enables people to build e-textiles) and the development, dissemination, and evaluation of an "E-textiles in-a-Box" kit for educators. This kit will be disseminated through the large network developed by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) and its effectiveness will be assessed by NCWIT's social science team. These efforts are crucial next steps in engaging a broad audience in e-textiles and -- via this engagement -- a new and diverse audience in computing.