CAREER: Blocks, Stickers, and Puzzles: Rethinking Computational Literacy Experiences in Informal Environments

计算机械协会最近的一份报告估计，到十年结束时，美国一半的STEM工作岗位将在计算机领域。然而，女性和代表性不足的群体在大专计算机科学课程中的参与率仍然令人沮丧，而且一直很低。计算机科学教育研究中最重要的发现之一是，对计算机的非正式体验(在许多年龄段和许多环境中)在多大程度上影响着年轻人从高中到本科学位课程的发展轨迹。正如早期的语言和数学素养从家里开始，并通过校内外的各种经历在整个童年得到加强，出于多样性和能力的原因，仅有计算素养的正式经验不足以培养下一代科学家、工程师和公民。因此，这一职业研究计划试图为重新思考非正式环境中的计算素养的概念和设计框架做出贡献，以努力吸引广泛和不同的受众。它建立在文化形式的概念之上，以了解各种学习环境中现有的计算素养实践，并贡献创新的技术设计。作为在非正式环境中加强学习的总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划为在这些环境中STEM学习的设计和开发提供新的方法和基于证据的理解提供资金。这一职业研究计划试图了解文化形式在非正式计算学习体验中的作用，并为为年轻人设计此类体验开发一种有理论基础的方法。这项工作始于这样一个前提，即新形式的计算素养将从现有的文化形式的识字和算术中诞生(即，对于数学素养，有一些形式，比如数歌--“10只小鸭子出去玩”)。这些形式中的许多都发生在父母和孩子之间的家里，老师和学生之间的学校，以及朋友和兄弟姐妹之间的各种其他地方。这一研究计划分三个阶段进行设计和开发，重点关注关键研究问题，包括了解(1)文化形式如何帮助塑造非正式学习环境中的受众体验；(2)不同文化形式如何与青年与身份相关的需求和动机互动；以及(3)如何创建基于这些形式的新型计算扫盲体验。每个阶段包括归纳研究，试图理解计算素养在世界上的存在，以及设计阶段，以具体的学习目标为指导，解决计算素养的具体方面。数据收集策略将包括自然主义观察、半结构化和深入访谈以及学习评估；结果衡量将集中在围绕学习经验的自愿参与、动机和坚持性。研究和设计的背景将是博物馆、住宅和课外项目。这项研究建立在PI十年来设计和研究各种学习环境中的计算素养体验的经验基础上，这些学习环境包括博物馆、家庭、校外项目和教室。让广大和不同的受众参与STEM计算领域的未来，是美国教育系统的当务之急，无论是在学校还是在其他地方。这一项目将对现有的促进校内计算能力的努力起到补充作用，如果成功，将有助于造就一个更具代表性、计算能力更强的公民群体。综合教育计划支持在学习科学、计算机科学和人机交互的交叉点对研究生和本科生进行新兴研究方法的培训和指导。这项工作还将发展可能影响到数千名青年的公众可获得的学习经验。这些体验将在博物馆、网络和应用商店中提供。

A recent report by the Association for Computing Machinery estimates that by decade's end, half of all STEM jobs in the United States will be in computing. Yet, the participation of women and underrepresented groups in post-secondary computer science programs remains discouragingly and persistently low. One of the most important findings from research in computer science education is the degree to which informal experiences with computers (at many ages and in many settings) shape young people's trajectories through high school and into undergraduate degree programs. Just as early language and mathematics literacy begins at home and is reinforced throughout childhood through a variety of experiences both in school and out, for reasons of diversity and competency, formal experiences with computational literacy alone are insufficient for developing the next generation of scientists, engineers, and citizens. Thus, this CAREER program of research seeks to contribute to a conceptual and design framework to rethink computational literacy in informal environments in an effort to engage a broad and diverse audience. It builds on the concept of cultural forms to understand existing computational literacy practices across a variety of learning settings and to contribute innovative technology designs. As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in these settings. This CAREER program of research seeks to understand the role of cultural forms in informal computational learning experiences and to develop a theoretically grounded approach for designing such experiences for youth. This work starts from the premise that new forms of computational literacy will be born from existing cultural forms of literacy and numeracy (i.e., for mathematical literacy there are forms like counting songs -- "10 little ducks went out to play"). Many of these forms play out in homes between parents and children, in schools between teachers and students, and in all sorts of other place between friends and siblings. This program of study is a three-phased design and development effort focused on key research questions that include understanding (1) how cultural forms can help shape audience experiences in informal learning environments; (2) how different cultural forms interact with youth's identity-related needs and motivations; and (3) how new types of computational literacy experiences based on these forms can be created. Each phase includes inductive research that attempts to understand computational literacy as it exists in the world and a design phase guided by concrete learning objectives that address specific aspects of computational literacy. Data collection strategies will include naturalist observation, semi-structured, and in-depth interviews, and learning assessments; outcome measures will center on voluntary engagement, motivation, and persistence around the learning experiences. The contexts for research and design will be museums, homes, and afterschool programs. This research builds on a decade of experience by the PI in designing and studying computational literacy experiences across a range of learning settings including museums, homes, out-of-school programs, and classrooms. Engaging a broad and diverse audience in the future of STEM computing fields is an urgent priority of the US education system, both in schools and beyond. This project would complement substantial existing efforts to promote in-school computational literacy and, if successful, help bring about a more representative, computationally empowered citizenry. The integrated education plan supports the training and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students in emerging research methods at the intersection of the learning sciences, computer science, and human-computer interaction. This work will also develop publically available learning experiences potentially impacting thousands of youth. These experiences will be available in museums, on the Web, and through App stores.