Collaborative Research: CAFECS: Enhancing Culturally Responsive Teaching that Helps Students Build Connections Between Exploring Computer Science and their Lives

学习伙伴关系，与德保罗大学和芝加哥公立学校（CPS）合作，将解决计算机科学（CS）课程的性能差距拉丁美洲学生在芝加哥公立学校。 CPS使用探索计算机科学（ECS），一个计算机科学课程，旨在促进调查和基于公平的教学实践，但拉丁裔学生在CS相对于他们的同龄人表现不佳。研究表明，一个强调学生生活和学术内容之间联系的学习环境对拉丁裔学生尤为重要，PI假设这可以解释CPS中拉丁裔学生结果的差距。该提案的目标是调整建立联系计划，这是一项新的基于证据的战略，旨在帮助教师和学生将课程内容与学生的生活联系起来，作为ECS课程框架的补充。该项目的成果将有助于对文化敏感的教学法的文献，并进一步了解城市学区的独特专业发展需求。学习伙伴关系，与德保罗大学和芝加哥公立学校（CPS）合作，旨在解决探索计算机科学（ECS）课程成果的变化，为拉丁裔学生在芝加哥公立学校，包括课程表现和未来的课程选择。CAFÉCS辅导计划的先前证据表明，教师没有完全调整课程以适应学生的背景。研究表明，强调学生生活和学术内容之间联系的学习环境对拉丁裔学生尤为重要，PI推测这可能解释了CPS中拉丁裔学生结果的差距。该提案的目标是调整和实施建立联系计划，这是一项新兴的循证战略，有助于教师和学生将课程内容与学生的生活联系起来，作为ECS课程框架的补充。 建立联系计划的整合将有助于支持教师制定ECS建议的各种文化适应性课程。该项目将提供在线专业发展，将对构建连接计划的支持整合到ECS教学辅导中，并从改进科学专家那里为ECS教练提供指导。该项目的成果将指导研究人员如何以实际相关和有意义的方式测试他们的理论，该研究将有助于了解城市地区独特的专业发展需求的文献。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Learning Partnership, in collaboration with DePaul University and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will address gaps in computer science (CS) course performance among Latinx students in Chicago Public Schools. CPS uses Exploring Computer Science (ECS), a computer science curriculum designed to facilitate inquiry and equity-based instructional practices, yet Latinx students underperform in CS relative to their peers. Research shows that a learning environment that emphasizes the connection between students’ lives and academic content is particularly important for Latinx students, and the PIs postulate that this could explain the gap in outcomes for Latinx students in CPS. The goal of this proposal is to adapt the Build Connections program, a new evidence-based strategy to help teachers and students connect course content to students’ lives, as a complement to the ECS curriculum framework. The results of this project will contribute to the literature on culturally responsive pedagogy and further our understanding of the unique professional development needs of urban school districts.The Learning Partnership, in collaboration with DePaul University and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) seeks to address variations in Exploring Computer Science (ECS) course outcomes for Latinx students in Chicago Public Schools, including course performance and future course taking. Prior evidence from the CAFÉCS coaching program suggests that teachers are not fully adapting lessons to accommodate students’ backgrounds. Research shows that a learning environment that emphasizes the connection between students’ lives and academic content is particularly important for Latinx students, and the PIs conjecture that this might explain the gap in outcomes for Latinx students in CPS. The goal of this proposal is to adapt and implement the Build Connections program, an emerging evidence-based strategy that helps teachers and students connect course content to students’ lives, as a complement to the ECS curriculum framework. The integration of the Build Connections program will help support teachers in developing the kinds of culturally responsive lesson adaptations recommended by ECS. The project will provide online professional development, integrate support for the Build Connections program into ECS instructional coaching, and mentoring for the ECS coaches from an expert in improvement science. The results of this project will provide guidance to researchers on how to test their theories in practically relevant and meaningful ways, and the research will contribute to the literature on understanding the unique professional development needs of urban 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.