Collaborative Research: Identifying Participation Barriers to Computer Science Education in Rural Mississippi

K-14项目“合作研究：确定密西西比州农村计算机科学教育的参与障碍”的主要目标是发展研究人员-实践者伙伴关系(RPP)，以确定密西西比州高度贫困农村地区参与计算机科学教育的障碍。在过去的两年里，密西西比州教育部(MDE)和密西西比州立大学(MSU)研究和课程股(RCU)合作实施了一项全州范围的计算机科学试点，免费提供给K-12学校。试点进入第三年，该州148个学区中有74个现在提供计算机科学课程；然而，据观察，位于该州最农村、最贫困和最低收入地区(主要是三角洲地区)的学区没有参与为教师提供免费计算机科学专业发展的机会，从而为学生提供课程，这些课程将开始为他们在要求非常高的高薪职业生涯中的工作做准备。通过RPP，将调查问题和看法，以确定为什么这些学区没有利用这个机会在课堂上提供计算机科学教育。这个由密西西比州立大学和密西西比州立大学(MVSU)合作的项目位于三角洲，密西西比州立大学(MVSU)是一所四年制高等教育机构，它将与MVSU周围六个地区的教师、管理人员和辅导员以及当地社区大学、企业主、社区领袖和家长建立合作伙伴关系，以确定阻碍计算机科学教育机会的问题。找出和解决在这些类型的人口和地理领域缺乏参与的根本原因，将给予那些最直接参与的人发言权，同时也将改变人们对计算机科学的看法，并基于更多样化的群体，主要是非裔美国教师和学生的贡献，扩大该领域的参与。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The primary goal of the small strand, K-14 project "Collaborative Research: Identifying Participation Barriers to Computer Science Education in Rural Mississippi" is to develop a researcher-practitioner partnership (RPP) to identify barriers to participation in computer science education in high poverty, rural areas of Mississippi. In the past two years, a collaborative effort between the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) and Mississippi State University's (MSU's) Research and Curriculum Unit (RCU) implemented a statewide computer science pilot offered free of charge to K-12 schools. Entering the third year of the pilot, 74 of 148 school districts in the state are now offering computer science courses; however, it has been observed that districts situated in the most rural, highest poverty, and lowest income areas in the state (primarily the Delta region) are not participating in the opportunity to provide their teachers free computer science professional development and thereby offer students access to courses that would begin preparing them for jobs in a very high-demand, high-salary career. Through a RPP, issues and perceptions will be investigated to determine why these districts are not taking advantage of this opportunity to offer computer science education in the classrooms.This collaborative project between MSU and Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), a four-year institution of higher learning located in the Delta, will form a partnership with teachers, administrators, and counselors from six districts in the area surrounding MVSU, as well as the local community college, business owners, community leaders, and parents, to identify issues acting as barriers or constraints to computer science education opportunities. Identifying and addressing the root causes of the lack of participation in these types of demographic and geographic areas will give a voice to those who are most directly involved, while also transforming perceptions of computer science and broadening participation in the field based on contributions from more diverse groups, primarily African American teachers and students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.