Building Capacity in Support of the Development of Computer Science Master Teachers for Rural South Georgia

该项目旨在建设在格鲁吉亚农村增加计算机科学硕士教师数量的能力。农村学校计算机科学教学的不足是STEM教育渠道中的一个严重缺口。为了帮助填补这一空白，该项目寻求定义教师所需的技能和知识，以便他们能够为学生提供有效的计算机科学学习体验。它还将确定能够帮助实现这一目标的当地资源。此外，它还将收集有关必须克服的挑战的数据，以增加初中和高中计算机科学教师的数量和多样性。还将评估农村、高需求学校系统的领导潜力。该项目旨在利用这一能力建设项目的成果，在现有的教育硕士学位课程中设计一个计算机科学硕士教师认可轨道。美世大学的这个项目包括与维雷格拉斯佐治亚技术学院和以下农村县学区的合作：本·希尔、布莱克利、埃文斯、杰夫·戴维斯、塔特诺、特鲁特伦和惠勒。其他合作伙伴是农村教育服务机构(RESA)：沿海平原RESA、佐治亚州心脏RESA和Okefenokee RESA。项目目标包括：1.进行需求评估，以确定支持农村学校系统计算机科学教学所需的基础设施。需求评估还将收集6-12年级STEM模范和认证教师对从事计算机科学教学和领导机会的兴趣的数据。2.调查与计算机科学教学和领导力相关的招聘、准备和支持流程。3.在现有的教育硕士学位课程中设计计算机科学硕士教师认可课程。这一认可轨道将基于通过与项目的前两个项目目标相一致的活动而形成的理解。数据将通过访谈和公开提供的文件收集。这些数据将使用扎根理论进行分析，以确定支持计算机科学教师和领导者发展所需的基础设施。数据分析还旨在确定教师对计算机科学教师领导认可计划、计算机科学教师领导准备和持续支持的兴趣和招聘能力。该项目的智力价值在于基于证据的决策过程，该决策过程将被用于设计一个计算机科学教师认可的示范轨道。该项目的更广泛影响包括它有可能增加南乔治亚州农村、高需求学校系统的学生学习计算机科学的机会。项目成果的传播将通过以下方式进行：在州和全国会议上发表论文；向州RESA主任和学校负责人提交报告；向州立法者、州教育主管以及州长和副州长办公室发送书面摘要；以及将手稿提交期刊发表。该能力建设项目由罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划(NOYCE)提供支持。Noyce计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人员成为有效的K-12 STEM教师，并支持经验丰富、模范的K-12教师成为高需求学区的STEM硕士教师。它还支持对高需求学区K-12 STEM教师的持久性、保留率和有效性的研究。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。

This project aims to build the capacity for increasing the number of computer science master teachers in rural Georgia. The shortage of computer science instruction in rural schools is a serious gap in the STEM education pipeline. To help fill this gap, this project seeks to define the skills and knowledge that teachers need so they can provide students with effective computer science learning experiences. It will also identify local resources that can help achieve this goal. In addition, it will collect data about challenges that must be overcome to increase the number and diversity of middle- and high-school computer science teachers. The leadership potential of rural, high-need school systems will also be assessed. The project intends to use the results of this capacity building project to design a computer science master teacher endorsement track within an existing Master of Education degree program. This project at Mercer University includes partnerships with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and these rural county school districts: Ben Hill, Bleckley, Evans, Jeff Davis, Tattnall, Treutlen, and Wheeler. Additional partners are Rural Education Service Agencies (RESA): Coastal Plains RESA, Heart of Georgia RESA, and Okefenokee RESA. Project goals include the following: 1. Conduct a needs assessment to determine the infrastructure needed to support computer science instruction in rural school systems. The needs assessment will also collect data about the interest among exemplary and certified grades 6-12 STEM teachers to pursue computer science teaching and leadership opportunities. 2. Investigate recruitment, preparation, and support processes pertinent to computer science teaching and leadership. 3. Design a computer science master teacher endorsement track within an existing Master of Education degree program. This endorsement track will be based on understandings developed through activities aligned with the project’s first two project goals. Data will be collected via interviews and publicly available documents. The data will be analyzed using grounded theory to identify the infrastructure needed to support computer science teacher and leader development. The data analysis also aims to determine teacher interest and recruitment capacity for a computer science teacher leader endorsement program, computer science teacher leader preparation, and ongoing support. The intellectual merit of the project resides in the process of evidence-based decision making that will be used to design a model computer science teacher endorsement track. The project’s broader impacts include its potential to increase computer science learning opportunities for students in South Georgia rural, high-need school systems. Dissemination of project findings will occur via: paper presentations at state and national conferences; reports to the state RESA directors and school superintendents; a written summary sent to state legislators, the State Superintendent of Education, and the Offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor; and manuscripts submitted to journals for publication. This Capacity Building project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts.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.