EAGER: Advancing Computational Thinkers and Computing Innovators in a Cyber-Enabled Community

该项目的主要目标是为计算机专业的学生以及来自不同学科的学生提供一个新的技术能力水平，以便拥有受过更好教育的计算机工作人员和公民。方法是通过发现和传授必要的计算思维技能。杰克逊州立大学是一所城市大学，为来自不同学术、社会、经济、种族和地理背景的学生提供服务。他们正在开发一种提供计算思维技能的模式，不仅面向计算机科学专业的学生，而且面向不同学科的不同群体的学生。为此，这个在网络社区中推进计算思考者和计算创新者的项目旨在促进人们对计算的兴趣和理解。这项工作的重点是建立一门关于计算思维的新课程，并通过在前两年的学习中整合计算思维的组成部分来提高大一和大二学生的经验水平。更具体地说，这个项目是：1)通过提高学生通过计算思维获得的解决问题的能力，为学生更好地准备计算机科学的核心课程；2)通过让学生在大一接触前沿研究，提高他们攻读计算机科学学位的兴趣；3)通过提供第一年和第二年的经验，提高计算机科学专业的保留率，重点是提高解决问题的能力和接触创新思维的机会；4)为全校学生提供计算思维概念和技能的知识准备=该项目还利用各种网络策略和技术，为跨学科的K-16社区提供了计算思维的初步框架。智力价值：这个项目将有助于计算思维的新发展领域。它的独特之处在于，它不仅通过一门课程来灌输计算思维，而且通过将高级计算思维模块整合到计算机科学的入门核心课程中，并通过引入高级计算主题来激发学生的创新思维。通过演示和分析练习来教授计算机高级主题，并通过使用为高中和一年级和二年级学生设计的网络技术来教授相同主题的核心概念，这一策略的结合也是独一无二的。这个项目与计算思维的倡导者一致，他们认为计算思维不仅会改变计算机科学教育，还会改变K-16教育。特别是，这项工作旨在探索计算思维的变革力量，并为跨学科的K-16计算思维创建框架和路线图。更广泛的影响：JSU是HBCU和城市机构，正在与HBCU以及大多数服务机构合作开展该项目。这将对在计算机和STEM学科中代表性不足的学生群体产生积极影响。该项目将确保hbcu和其他少数族裔服务机构成为不断发展的计算思维社区的一部分。预计该项目将通过接触前沿研究，重新激发非裔美国学生对计算机科学的兴趣。我们计划通过出版物和演讲等传统方式以及国家科学数字图书馆等各种与计算相关的途径传播这项资助产生的课程模块和框架。

The primary goal of this project is to provide a new level of technical competence to computing students as well as students from a variety of disciplines in order to have a better educated computing workforce and citizenry. The approach is through discovering and imparting the necessary Computational Thinking skills. Jackson State University is an urban institution and serves students from diverse academic, social, economic, ethnic and geographic backgrounds. They are developing a model for providing Computational Thinking skills, not only to Computer Science students but to a diverse group of students across a variety of disciplines.To this end, this Advancing Computational Thinkers and Computing Innovators in a Cyber-Enabled Community project aims to serve as a catalyst for increasing interest in and understanding of computing. This effort focuses on the establishment of a new course on Computational Thinking and on the enhancement of the freshman and sophomore level experience by integrating components of computational thinking throughout the first two years of study. More specifically, this project is: 1) Better preparing students for core Computer Science courses by providing students with enhanced problem solving skills gained through Computational Thinking; 2) Increasing student interest in pursuing a Computer Science degree by exposing them to cutting edge research in their Freshman year; 3)Increasing the retention rate of Computer Science majors by providing a 1st and 2nd year experience that focuses on enhanced problem solving skills and exposure to opportunities for innovative thinking; and 4)Preparing students across the university with knowledge of computational thinking concepts and skills = This project is also contributing an initial framework for computational thinking for the K-16 community across a variety of disciplines utilizing a variety of cyber-enabled strategies and technologies.Intellectual Merit:This project will contribute to the newly evolving area of Computational Thinking. It is unique in its approach of infusing Computational Thinking not only through a single course, but through the integration of advanced Computational Thinking modules through the introductory core ComputerScience courses and by introducing advanced computing topics with a goal of fueling innovative thought among students. It is also unique in its combination of strategies by teaching advanced topics in computing through demonstrations and analytical exercises and by teaching core concepts of the same topics through the use of cyber-enabled technologies designed for high school and 1st and 2nd year students. This project is aligned with advocates of computational thinking who believe that it will transform not only Computer Science education but K-16 education in general. In particular, this work seeks to explore the transformative power of Computational Thinking as well as create a framework and roadmap for Computational Thinking for K-16 across a variety of disciplines.Broader Impact:JSU, an HBCU and urban institution, is partnering on this project with both HBCUs, as well as majority serving institutions. This will have a positive impact on a community of students who are underrepresented in the computing and the STEM disciplines. This project will ensure that HBCUs and other minority serving institutions are a part of the evolving Computational Thinking community. It is expected that this project will revitalize interest in Computer Science among African American students through exposure to cutting edge research. We plan to disseminate the course modules and framework resulting from this grant through traditional means such as publications and presentations as well as various computing related pathways, such as the National Science Digital Library.