What Features of the Exploring Computer Science Course Equitably Inspire Students to Pursue Further Computer Science Coursework?

本项目确定了探索性计算机科学课程中影响学生学习的因素。计算机科学的未来轨迹。探索计算机科学(ECS)是加州大学洛杉矶分校在NSF的支持下开发的一项课程和专业发展计划，其目标是扩大未被充分代表的群体在计算机科学领域的参与，并为公立学校的计算机科学教育建立一个全国性的框架。ECS专业发展计划旨在为教师实施探究性活动做好准备，同时指导教师建立一种包容所有学生的课堂文化。本项目调查ECS课程和专业发展计划实现其基本成果目标的程度。本项目涉及两个研究问题：(1)ECS实施的质量是否影响女性和少数民族学生在高中继续计算机科学课程学习并取得成功的概率？(2)ECS的各个组成部分如何共同作用，对女性和少数民族学生在高中继续计算机科学课程学习并取得成功的概率做出贡献？本项目扩展了当前关于教学实践、学生对教学实践的看法、学生愿望和实际选课之间的关系的研究。它对ECS的基本逻辑模型进行了实证研究。这项研究涉及芝加哥公立学校的案例研究，这些学校参与了ECS专业发展计划并正在实施ECS。来自该项目的经验证据将用于加强ECS课程和专业发展计划，并验证ECS计划是否实现了其声明的目标，即有助于扩大代表不足的群体对计算机科学的参与。NSF支持的ECS课程是国家为建立中学水平的计算机科学教育而做出的最大努力。这项工作为更大的国家努力做出了贡献。

This project identifies the factors of the Exploring Computer Science curriculum that affect students? future trajectory in computer science. Exploring Computer Science (ECS) is a curriculum and professional development program that was developed at UCLA, with NSF support, with the goal of broadening of participation of underrepresented groups in in computer science and establishing a national framework for public school computer science education. The ECS professional development program is designed to prepare teachers to implement the inquiry-based activities while guiding teachers to build a classroom culture that is inclusive of all students. This project investigates the extent to which the ECS curriculum and professional development program is achieving its basic outcome goal. This project addresses two research questions: (1) Does the quality of ECS implementation influence the probability that female and minority students will pursue and succeed in further computer science coursework in high school?; and (2) How do the components of ECS work together to contribute towards the probability that female and minority students will pursue and succeed in further computer science coursework in high school?This project extends current research on the relationship between teaching practices, student perceptions of teaching practice, student aspirations, and actual course selection. It provides an empirical investigation of the underlying logic model of ECS. The research involves case studies in Chicago Public Schools that have participated in the ECS professional development program and are implementing ECS. The empirical evidence from this project will be used to make enhancements to the ECS curriculum and professional development program as well as provide validation of whether the ECS program is meeting its stated goal of contributing to broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in computer science. The NSF supported ECS curriculum is the largest national effort to establish secondary school level computer science education. This work contributes to a much larger national effort.