Designing to Overcome the Asymmetry Problem in Computer and Information Science Service Learning

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With support from the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program: Education and Human Resources (IUSE: EHR), this project aims to serve the national interest by enabling computer science educators to deliver more valuable service learning experiences. Service learning is an authentic educational experience in which students provide service to a community partner while learning content knowledge, professional skills, and critical thinking. Service learning can also shape the professional identities of students, while improving communication skills, empathy, and civic awareness. Though all of these general outcomes align with educational and accreditation goals in computer and information science, very little empirical research has been conducted to understand instructional design choices in these disciplines that maximize benefits for students, educators, or community partners. In many cases, the needs of community partners are minimized in computer and information science service learning to the detriment of community relationships and student learning. This Engaged Student Learning track Exploration and Design tier project is designed to study the various benefits of service learning in computer and information science to students, educators, and community partners. The project aims to identify best principles in curriculum design for equitably balancing benefits across stakeholders and to co-design a suite of curricular and instructional resources to support educators in delivering more valuable service learning experiences. Computer and information science service learning courses often emphasize student outcomes over community partner outcomes, limiting benefits to both students and communities. The goal of this project is to develop resources for designing curriculum that more equitably balances benefits across stakeholders. This research will triangulate across a mixed-methods research design that will analyze data gathered through surveys, document analyses and interviews to gain a deep understanding of the intentions, costs, and benefits of computer and information science service learning from the viewpoint of educators, students, administrators, and community stakeholders. The project team will incorporate initial research findings into participatory design workshops, the design of curricular resources, and pilot course offerings. A publicly available repository of these resources, broadly advertised, is designed to enable computer and information science educators to create service learning experiences that maximize benefits for students, educators, and community partners. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.