Collaborative Research: Chicago Alliance For Equity in Computer Science (CAFECS)

德保罗大学与学习伙伴关系、芝加哥洛约拉大学、芝加哥公立学校（CPS）和芝加哥伊利诺伊大学合作，提出了一个研究实践者伙伴关系——芝加哥计算机科学公平联盟（CAFECS）——旨在确保所有CPS学生在高中都能获得包容性、高质量的入门级计算机科学教育。CPS是全国第三大学区，要求所有学生在2017年秋季或更晚开始高中学习，完成计算机科学（CS）课程。CAFECS将确保CPS为教师提供足够的支持，并要求所有学校在整个地区提供高质量的CS。CAFECS将为至少25,000名芝加哥青少年提供计算机科学的基础实践。CAFECS源于大学CS与教育研究人员，以及CPS教师和管理人员之间建立的良好伙伴关系。十年前，双方在芝加哥建立了合作伙伴关系，共同目标是为所有CPS高中学生提供有意义和吸引人的计算机科学教学。CAFECS目前通过广泛测试的探索计算机科学（ECS）课程和专业发展计划，以其引导式探究方法和通过多种学习模式和文化敏感内容吸引学生的重点，覆盖了大量不同的人群。超过200名教师完成了CAFECS提供的ECS专业培训。在2016-2017学年，大约有7000名学生在63所高中（106所学区高中）完成了ECS。这些ECS课程的学生群体涵盖了长期以来在计算机领域代表性不足的最大群体，其中女性占44%，非裔美国人占38%，西班牙裔占47%，这与整个地区的人口统计数据一致。在这一初步成功的基础上，CPS必须继续发展为教师和校长提供大规模专业发展的机制，以确保所有学校为所有CPS学生提供高质量的CS课程。该项目旨在建立大学合作伙伴与CPS之间的既定关系，以便他们在项目范围之外继续为社区服务。

DePaul University, in collaboration with The Learning Partnership, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and the University of Illinois at Chicago, proposes a researcher practitioner partnership - the Chicago Alliance For Equity in Computer Science (CAFECS)- with the aim of ensuring that all CPS students have access to inclusive, high-quality, introductory computer science education in high school. CPS, the third largest school district in the nation, requires all students starting high school in Fall 2017 or later to complete a computer science (CS) course. CAFECS will ensure that CPS provides sufficient support to teachers and holds all schools accountable for offering high-quality CS across the entire district. CAFECS will empower at least 25,000 Chicago teens with the foundational practices of computer science.CAFECS stems from a well-established partnership between university CS and educational research faculty, along with CPS teachers and administrators. The partnership began forming in Chicago a decade ago around the common goal of providing all CPS high school students access to meaningful and engaging computer science instruction. CAFECS is currently reaching a large and diverse population through the extensively-tested Exploring Computer Science (ECS) curriculum and professional development program, with its guided-inquiry approach and a focus on engaging students through multiple modes of learning and culturally sensitive content. Over 200 teachers have completed ECS professional development delivered by CAFECS. In the 2016-2017 school year, approximately 7,000 students have completed ECS in 63 high schools (of the 106 district-run high schools). The student population in these ECS courses spans the largest population categories long underrepresented in computing includes 44% females, 38% African-American, and 47% Hispanic, which is consistent with the district-wide demographics. Building on this initial success, CPS must continue to develop mechanisms for providing professional development for teachers and principals at scale in order to ensure that all schools offer a high quality CS course to all CPS students. The project seeks to build upon established relationships between the university partners and CPS so that they will continue to serve the community beyond the scope of the project.