Collaborative Research: Planning grant: E2textiles: Ethno Electronic Textile Designs for Broadening Participation in Computing for American Indian Youth, Teachers, and Communities

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The University of Pennsylvania and Arizona State University will investigate how American Indian youth, communities, and pre-service teachers learn and design with computational textiles. Computational or e-textiles,textile artifacts that contain embedded computers or are computationally generated, are promising portals into youths' existing interests in new media and design and connecting them to computer science education by using indigenous communities' existing craft practices and thus strengthening school-community relationships. The EthnoEtextiles project expands e-textiles in new directions by integrating the following successful developments and NSF work: (1) a computational construction kit, the Lilypad Arduino, that can promote the type of technology fluency missing in students' creative explorations with technology; (2) teacher professional development approaches that encourage culturally relevant and reflective teaching with technology; and (3) workshop models that create connections among youth, members of their community, and their cultural heritage. The purpose is to develop relationships and workshop models for youth and teachers that can become a platform for larger systemic and sustainable initiatives in computer science education for American Indian youth, teachers, and community members. The proposed project will contribute to our growing understanding of teaching and learning with electronic textiles in computer science education and help diversify participation by reaching traditionally underserved communities of American Indian peoples.