Collaborative Research: Creating High-Completion CS Online Learning Using Educational Psychology Principles

将计算机科学整合到高中课程中可以增强对广泛职业感兴趣的学生的准备。为了实现这一目标，高中教师必须做好教学准备，并拥有有效的教学工具和资源。在这个项目中，来自佐治亚理工学院和路德学院的合作团队将把他们现有的面向高中教师的计算机科学原理电子书改编成面向学生的通用计算机科学原理（CSP）电子书。他们将比较电子书在不同人群中的可用性，并比较远程学习和面对面学习的学生的学习效果。他们的一般研究问题是：在低认知负荷、基于原则的电子书格式中，我们能学到什么关于计算机科学的知识？这项工作的长期影响是创造一种新的在线学习模式，帮助成年人完成计算机科学学习，也帮助传统学生。电子书结合了教育心理学的发现，如工作实例，多模态演示，低认知负荷练习，小团体活动的社会支持，以及频繁的测试与实例穿插。电子书采用情境化的方法，在吸引和留住女性和代表性不足的少数民族学生方面取得了成功。项目团队将进行两项研究：研究#1:CSP面对面课程与电子书：项目团队将向面对面的CSP课程（包括高中和本科生）和一组对在线学习CSP感兴趣的学生（最有可能在佐治亚州农村）提供CSP电子书。他们会比较这些学生的学习成果。他们还对书中特性使用的减少感兴趣。当学生不再沉迷于网上的材料时，是因为材料本身的原因，还是因为网上课程的传递机制？研究#2：教师与学生：项目团队正在为CSP内容创建两个电子书，一个给教师，一个给学生。通过比较这些人群，他们可以更好地了解非传统学生和传统学生使用电子书的不同之处。他们将根据内容知识（使用他们将作为项目的一部分开发的新的有效度量）和可用性（教师和学生使用不同的功能，或者使用不同的比率？）进行比较。他们还将使用访谈和调查来了解使用和完成电子书的动机差异。

Integrating computer science into the high school curriculum can enhance the preparation of students interested in a broad range of careers. To accomplish this goal, it is essential that high school teachers be well prepared to teach their students and have effective tools and resources available for instruction. In this project the collaborative team, from Georgia Tech and Luther College, will adapt their existing Computer Science Principles eBook for high school teachers to become a general purpose Computer Science Principles (CSP) eBook for students. They will compare the usability of the eBook on the different populations and compare learning outcomes of students who learn at a distance to those who use the eBook in a face to face environment. Their general research question is: What can be learned about CS in a low-cognitive load, principles-based eBook format? The long term impact of this work is to create a new model for online learning that helps adults complete computer science learning and also helps traditional students.The ebook incorporates findings from educational psychology such as worked examples, multiple modality presentations, low cognitive load exercises, social supports from small group activities, and frequent testing interleaved with examples. The eBook utilizes contextualized approaches which have been successful in engaging and retaining female and under-represented minority students. The project team will conduct two studies: Study #1: CSP face-to-face class vs eBook: The project team will provide the CSP eBook to a face-to-face CSP class (both high school and undergraduate) and to a set of students interested in studying CSP on-line (most likely in rural Georgia). They will compare these students for learning outcomes. They are also interested in the drop-off in use of features within the book. When students stop engaging in the on-line materials, is that because of the materials, or is it because of the on-line course delivery mechanism? Study #2: Teachers vs Students: The project team is creating two eBooks for CSP content, one for teachers and one for students. By comparing these populations, they can develop a better understanding of how non-traditional and traditional students use e-books differently. They will do comparisons based on content knowledge (using a new validated measure they will develop as part of the project) and usability (do teachers and students use different features, or at different rates?). They will also use interviews and surveys to understand differences in motivations to use and complete the eBook.