Enhancing Critical Reasoning in Computer Education

佛罗里达圣约翰河州立大学的这个项目与行业合作伙伴合作，旨在通过在整个计算机教育课程中结合基于问题的学习（PBL）和强调批判性思维，提高计算机科学和信息技术（CS/IT）毕业生的实践知识、批判性思维技能和工作准备能力，以满足佛罗里达州东北部对CS/IT领域训练有素的技术人员的当地行业需求。将PBL纳入CS/IT也是为了提高女性的参与度、留任率和成功。该计划将利用学生的才能来解决当前的社区问题，并通过在顶点课程中结合基于社区的学习技术，使学生了解传统行业以外领域对CS/IT的需求。该项目将通过项目网站、ATE Central和年度课程展示会进行宣传。课程发展计划将广泛供其他电脑资讯科技培训计划使用和改编。该项目将扩展CS/IT毕业生的批判性思维技能，每年影响200多名学生参加基础和高级课程，从而获得11个大学学分证书和4个网络，编程，信息技术和互联网服务的副学士学位。具体来说，1)基础入门课程将被修订，通过直接从行业中得出的问题来教授关键的技术和批判性思维过程；2)批判性思维和解决问题的学习成果将被映射并整合到更高级别的课程中；3)顶层课程将被修订，要求学生与社区和行业领导者合作，为当前的现实挑战确定和开发新的解决方案。当地的商业成员将作为课程设计团队的成员参与，提出问题，并审查新课程。整个CS/IT教师，包括兼职教师，将参与项目的设计和实施，以受益于所有CS/IT领域的技术专长，并确保在整个课程中实施新的教学方法。他们将参与课程重新设计工作和专业发展活动，以分享教学变化，并始终有效地纳入PBL。学院学术支持中心的导师将参加专业发展培训，以确保他们准备好帮助学生学习新的基于问题的课程。学生将发展技术技能，培养批判性推理和创造能力，并准备在竞争激烈和不断发展的CS/IT行业中创新，适应和茁壮成长。该计划将借鉴工程和计算机教育中成功的PBL计划，将额外的批判性思维和实践学习与当前CS/IT课程的强大技术方面相结合。这将确保学生在课程中需要获得的技能能够满足行业新的和不断发展的需求。新的PBL教学法将从基础课程开始逐步建立。在纳入下一阶段的课程之前，将对这些变化的有效性进行评估和改进。批判性思维的进步将通过测试前和测试后的评估来确定。一名独立的评估人员将对该计划进行年度总结和形成性审查。

Working collaboratively with industry partners, this project at Saint Johns River State College in Florida is designed to increase the practical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and work-readiness of computer science and information technology (CS/IT) graduates to meet local industry demand for highly trained technicians in the CS/IT fields in Northeast Florida by incorporating problem-based learning (PBL) and emphasizing critical thinking throughout the computer education curriculum. Incorporation of PBL in CS/IT is also designed to increase participation, retention, and success of women. The program will leverage student talent to address current community problems and expose students to the need for CS/IT in fields outside the traditional industries by incorporating community-based learning techniques in the capstone course. The project will be disseminated through the project website, ATE Central, and an annual Curriculum Showcase. Curriculum development projects will be widely available for use and adaption by other CS/IT training programs.The project will expand the critical thinking skills of CS/IT graduates and impact more than 200 students per year taking foundational and higher level courses leading to 11 college credit certificates and 4 associate degrees in Networking, Programming, Information Technology and Internet Services. Specifically, 1) the foundational introductory classes will be revised to teach key technical and critical thinking processes through problems drawn directly from industry, 2) critical thinking and problem-solving learning outcomes will be mapped and integrated in higher level courses, and 3) the capstone course will be revised to require students to work with community and industry leaders to identify and develop novel solutions for current, real-life challenges. Local business members will participate as members of the curriculum design team, provide problems, and review the new curriculum. The entire CS/IT faculty, including adjunct faculty, will be involved in the program design and implementation to benefit from the technical expertise of all CS/IT fields and ensure that new pedagogies are implemented across the curriculum. They will participate in curriculum redesign efforts and in professional development activities to share pedagogical changes and incorporate PBL consistently and effectively. Tutors from academic support centers at the college will be included in professional development trainings to ensure they are prepared to assist students with the new problem-based curriculum. Students will develop technical skills, cultivate critical reasoning and creative abilities, and be prepared to innovate, adapt and thrive in the competitive and evolving CS/IT industry. The program will draw from successful PBL programs in engineering and computer education to integrate additional critical thinking and hands-on learning with the strong technical aspects of the current CS/IT curriculum. This will ensure that skills that students need to gain in the courses will meet the new and evolving needs of industry. New PBL pedagogies will be built-in through a step-wise process beginning with the foundational courses. The effectiveness of these changes will be evaluated and improvement made prior to incorporation into the next level of courses. Gains in critical thinking will be determined through pre- and post-test assessments. An independent evaluator will provide an annual summative and formative review of the program.