Computational Creativity to Improve Computer Science Education for CS and non-CS Undergraduates

计算思维和创造性思维都经常被认为是关键的劳动力素质。内布拉斯加大学林肯分校的这个项目将建立在以前由TUES项目（DUE-1122956“整合计算和创造性思维”）资助的工作基础上。项目团队将制作一套经过验证的高质量计算创造力练习（CCEs）和相关的计算创造力课程。他们还将开展严格的研究，以了解CCEs的有效性，协作互动和学生学习过程如何影响CCEs，以及CCEs对计算机科学（CS）和科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）课程的入学和保留的影响。cce为创造性地解决需要CS原理的问题提供了机会，而无需编写程序代码。这些练习鼓励创造性能力的发展，并已在一系列计算机科学入门课程中实施，这些课程具有共同的核心内容，但根据学生申报的专业为不同的学生群体量身定制。在这个新项目中，研究小组将扩大推广和推行综合素质评估，并进一步了解影响综合素质评估成效的因素。除了传播练习和项目成果，以及为感兴趣的教员举办讲习班外，项目的影响还将进一步扩大，因为由此产生的计算创造力课程可以通过远程教育提供。此外，项目团队将更新和增强已经部署在b谷歌的探索计算思维网站上的K-12版本的练习。这个项目的基础是计算思维和创造性思维都被视为认知工具。cce以教学设计原则为基础，如基于问题的学习、书面分析和反思。cce与统一学习模型的学习原则相对应，统一学习模型是一种源自认知神经科学、认知科学和心理学研究的学习理论。这个项目的主要贡献将是研究什么实施条件会影响练习的有效性，学生的特点如何影响练习的有效性，以及为什么练习会对学习产生影响。有一个广泛的评估计划，利用多种类型的数据，包括嵌入在练习中的评估，调查和焦点小组，课程和练习成绩，以及将提供与课程材料的特定元素的参与措施的元数据。除了项目结果和工件之外，所收集的数据和元数据的大量数据库也将提供给其他研究人员。

Both computational and creative thinking are frequently cited as critical workforce attributes. This project, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will build on work previously funded under the TUES program (DUE-1122956 "Integrating Computational and Creative Thinking"). The project team will produce a final suite of validated, high quality Computational Creativity Exercises (CCEs) and an associated computational creativity course. They will also carry out rigorous research to understand the efficacy of the CCEs, how that is affected by collaborative interactions and student learning processes, and the impact CCEs have on enrollment and retention in computer science (CS) and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. CCEs provide an opportunity to creatively solve problems that require a CS principle without writing program code. The exercises encourage development of creative competencies and have already been implemented across a set of introductory CS courses that have common core content but are tailored for different student populations based on their declared majors. In this new project the research team will expand the dissemination and implementation of the CCEs and gain increased understanding of the factors that influence efficacy of the exercises. In addition to dissemination of the exercises and project outcomes, and a workshop for interested faculty, the project impact will be further broadened because the resulting Computational Creativity Course can be delivered via distance education. In addition, the project team will update and enhance K-12 versions of the exercises that have been deployed on Google's Exploring Computational Thinking site. The foundation of this project is that both computational thinking and creative thinking are viewed as cognitive tools. The CCEs are anchored in instructional design principles such as problem-based learning, written analysis, and reflection. The CCEs correspond to the learning principles of the Unified Learning Model, a learning theory derived from research in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, and psychology. The main contribution of this project will be to study what implementation conditions impact exercise effectiveness, how student characteristics impact exercise effectiveness, and why exercises produce an effect on learning. There is an extensive evaluation plan that utilizes many types of data including assessments embedded within the exercises, surveys and focus groups, course and exercise grades, and metadata that will provide measures of engagement with specific elements of course material. In addition to project results and artifacts, the substantial database of data and metadata collected will also be made available to other researchers.