SBIR Phase I: REACT: Fostering Computational Thinking through Real-time Classroom Learning Assessment

这个SBIR第一阶段项目建议建立一个名为REACT（计算思维的实时评估和评估）的网络学习工具，该工具基于一种高度创新的评估方法，将帮助教师进行计算机科学教育。人们对让更多的学生接触计算机科学以及扩大女性和少数族裔学生参与STEM的兴趣越来越大。然而，问题是如何做到这一点。REACT团队在不同的市中心、偏远农村和美洲原住民社区进行的研究表明：a)存在一个定义明确的策略，可以使计算机科学教育在公立学校发挥作用；b)很难创造出支持高度参与和教育的教学方法所需的课堂环境，而这些方法构成了该策略的核心。开放式项目对不同性别和种族的学生都有很大的启发作用。建议建立和评估一个网络学习工具，该工具将评估学生构建的游戏（或模拟），并向教师提供关于学生实际实时学习内容的反馈。这种反馈是一种嵌入的、形成性的评估，它直接从学生的项目中给教师提供重要的信息，使教师能够在课堂上做出关键的教学决策。更广泛的商业影响包括嵌入式评估的好处，即直接利用学生创建的项目而不是通过测试向学生征求信息的评估。评估问题的一部分是很难从设计工件中提取有意义的信息。就游戏设计而言，从程序和游戏本身中提取信息是最有用的。REACT采用了一种高度创新的模式匹配方法，称为计算思维模式分析（CTPA）。CTPA可以找到与游戏设计和计算科学建模相关的模式。一个成功的嵌入式、形成性评估基于设计的工件，如程序，可以推进学习科学，并通过创建闭环学习环境，向学生和教师提供实时信息，显著增强课堂和在线学习。REACT可能会导致一个重要的转折点，因为嵌入式的形成性评估为教师提供了重要的信息，因为他们正在做出重要的教学决策。这可能与扩大计算机科学学习的参与高度相关。使用支持性网络学习方法的教师将能够更好地吸引和激励女性和服务不足的人群。这种增加的参与可以显著扩大学生对计算机科学教育的接触。

This SBIR Phase I project proposes to build a Cyberlearning tool called REACT (Real Time Evaluation and Assessment of Computational Thinking) based on a highly innovative assessment methodology that will help teachers with computer science education. There is growing interest in having more students exposed to computer science and in broadening STEM participation for women and minority students. However, the question is one of how. Research by the REACT team - conducted in diverse innercity, remote rural and Native American communities - indicates that: a) a well-defined strategy exists that can make computer science education work in public schools, and b) it is difficult to create the classroom environment needed to support the highly engaging and educational pedagogical approaches that form the heart of this strategy. Open ended projects can be highly inspiring to students across genders and ethnic groups. It is proposed to build and evaluate a cyberlearning tool that will assess student-built games (or simulations) and provide the teacher with feedback on what students are actually learning in real time. This feedback is an embedded, formative assessment that gives the teacher important information directly from their students' programs and enables teachers to make crucial instructional decisions during lessons. The broader/commercial impact includes the benefits of embedded assessment - that is, assessment that taps directly into student created projects instead of soliciting information from students through tests. Part of the assessment problem is that it is difficult to extract meaningful information from design artifacts. In the case of game design, it is most useful to extract information from the programs and games themselves. REACT employs a highly innovative pattern matching approach called Computational Thinking Pattern Analysis (CTPA). CTPA can find patterns that are relevant to game design as well as computational science modeling. A successful embedded, formative assessment of design-based artifacts like programs could advance learning sciences and significantly enhance in-class and online learning by creating closed loop learning environments presenting real time information to students and teachers. REACT could result in an important tipping point because embedded, formative assessment provides crucial information to teachers as they are making crucial instructional decisions. This could be highly relevant to broadening participation in computer science learning. A teacher using a supportive Cyberlearning approach would be able to better engage and motivate female and underserved populations. This increased engagement could significantly scale up the exposure of students to computer science education.