Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences (CIRCLS)

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are transforming learning across the lifespan within home, community, educational and workplace settings. Harnessing these advanced technologies to address nationally-important learning needs in STEM (and STEM-enabling areas) requires the integration of interdisciplinary research in the learning and computer sciences. The mission of the Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences (CIRCLS) is to: a) connect NSF-funded learning technology researchers and serve as a community-based hub across the interdisciplinary research community (to include learning sciences, computer sciences, social sciences, and engineering); and, b) support the field by synthesizing emerging insights, findings and advances in ways that strengthen learning with emerging technology. As a center, CIRCLS will bring investigators together to share expertise, coordinate efforts, and synthesize knowledge across projects. This includes a strong focus on broadening participation among graduate students, early career scholars, equity scholars, and practitioners - aiming to serve a field with over 1,000 active participants. In addition, CIRCLS will communicate widely to broader research and development audiences and policy makers regarding research advances through its newsletter, website, reports and events. Specifically, CIRCLS will lead six activities that go beyond the reach of existing conferences, societies and journals to foster synergies among computer scientists, learning scientists and relevant disciplines. The interrelated activities include the following: (1) Hosting bi-annual multi-disciplinary research convenings in a highly interactive format that builds relationships, identifies priority issues for emerging learning technologies, and focuses on collectively advancing research to address tensions and challenges; (2) Building capacity around artificial intelligence synergies within education via working groups for graduate students and early career scientists across locations to tackle tough problems that transcend any individual project; (3) Organizing field-driven research syntheses, to generate concise, compelling summaries across projects on topics that are foundational to the work or reflect emerging designs and insights; (4) Expanding reach, engagement and dissemination of the field’s research, focused on broader audiences to include researchers, policy makers, educational practitioners, and other interest groups, through a mix of social media, newsletters and other effective formats; (5) Curating the portfolio of awards to collect and report detailed, consistent information about funded research, which will help the field to understand the state of the art, to analyze of advances and gaps, and to plan the future; and (6) Gathering community feedback and engaging an advisory group composed of leaders from multiple disciplinary perspectives to guide continuous improvement.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.