Creating Infrastructure for Computer Science Education in Rural North Louisiana

该项目旨在满足国家需要，培养更多受过计算思维和计算机科学原理培训的高素质教师。为了维持和发展我们的经济，美国必须在技术和网络安全领域保持高度竞争力。要做到这一点，美国学生必须接受计算机科学原理和计算思维的教育。该项目旨在通过增加在计算机科学和相关领域接受过高度培训的STEM认证教师的数量来满足这一需求。它将通过为未来的教师提供奖学金、培训和实习机会以及支持新教师来做到这一点。主修或辅修计算机科学/网络工程的学生将获得辅修中等教育和教学认证，并获得额外的计算机科学认证。其他STEM专业的学生可以完成由该项目开发的新的在线计算机科学教育证书。这一证书将为他们在相关的STEM课程和课外活动(如机器人俱乐部)中注入计算思维做好准备。因此，该项目将有助于增加教师的数量，帮助培养掌握计算机知识的人口，以及熟练的计算机科学劳动力和未来的技术领导者。路易斯安那理工大学的这个项目包括与国家综合网络教育研究中心和六个高需求学区(比恩维尔教区、卡多教区、林肯教区、瓦奇塔教区、里奇兰教区和温恩教区)的伙伴关系。该项目的五年目标包括招聘、准备和留住20名STEM教师，他们在计算机科学原理方面接受过高度培训，将在需求旺盛的北路易斯安那州高中任教。该项目的理论基础是，为了让更多的学生接触到计算机科学原理和计算思维，必须在这些领域培训更多的教师。该奖学金计划的本科教师候选人将包括计算机科学和网络工程专业、计算机科学辅修专业以及任何其他对计算机科学感兴趣的STEM专业的学生。该项目的重点是增加任职人数不足的群体的参与，并将支持本科生和在职教师。通过对项目要素、毕业生人数和毕业生成效的评估，该项目将增加有关有效计算机科学教育的知识库。结果将通过时事通讯、学术期刊、会议演示、新闻稿、博客帖子和社交媒体传播。该项目的更广泛影响包括覆盖数千名路易斯安那州的高中生，改善计算机科学教育的基础设施和STEM教师的发展，特别是在计算机科学培训的STEM教师极度短缺的州。这个Track 1：奖学金和津贴项目由罗伯特·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 STEM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 serve the national need of preparing a greater number of high-quality teachers trained in computational thinking and computer science principles. To sustain and grow our economy, the United States must remain highly competitive in technology and cybersecurity areas. To do so, U. S. students must be educated in computer science principles and computational thinking. This project aims to address this need by increasing the number of STEM-certified teachers who are highly trained in computer science and related areas. It will do so by providing scholarships, training, and internships to future teachers, as well as by supporting new teachers. Students majoring or minoring in Computer Science/Cyber Engineering will obtain a minor in secondary education and teaching certification, with an additional computer science certification. Other STEM majors could complete a new online Computer Science Education Certificate that will be developed by the project. This certificate would prepare them to infuse computational thinking into related STEM classes and extracurricular activities such as robotics clubs. Thus, the project will contribute to increasing the number of teachers who will help to prepare a computationally knowledgeable population, as well as the skilled computer science workforce and technology leaders of tomorrow.This project at Louisiana Tech University includes partnerships with the National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center and six high-need school districts (Bienville Parish, Caddo Parish, Lincoln Parish, Ouachita Parish, Richland Parish, and Winn Parish). The project’s five-year goals include recruiting, preparing, and retaining 20 STEM teachers who are highly trained in computer science principles and who will teach in high-need north Louisiana high schools. The theoretical basis for the project is that, to enable more students to be exposed to computer science principles and computational thinking, more teachers must be trained in these areas. The undergraduate teacher candidates recruited for this scholarship program will include computer science and cyber engineering majors, computer science minors, and any other STEM majors interested in computer science. The project includes a focus on increasing participation of underrepresented groups and will support both undergraduates and in-service teachers. Through evaluation of program elements, resulting number of graduates, and effectiveness of graduates, this project will add to the knowledge base about effective computer science education. Results will be disseminated through newsletters, scholarly journals, conference presentations, press releases, blog posts, and social media. The project’s broader impacts include reaching thousands of Louisiana high school students and improving the infrastructure of computer science education and development of STEM teachers, especially in states with extreme shortages in computer science-trained STEM teachers. This Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends 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 STEM 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.