Embedding Equitable Design through Undergraduate Computing Curricula

该项目旨在通过研究一种促进包容和公平实践的计算机科学（CS）教学新方法，为国家利益服务。几十年来，典型的计算机科学本科学位课程的结构几乎没有变化。课程很少包括CS伦理或可用性等课程，这些课程教CS学生系统如何影响人和社会。当这些课程被包括在内时，它们在很大程度上与计算机科学学位的其他课程脱节。因此，进入劳动力市场的学生往往会设计出对该软件的大部分预期用户极不公平的软件。这个项目将研究一种新的计算机科学教学方法，将公平的软件设计嵌入到计算机科学本科四年的课程中。新方法不需要对课程进行大的改变，而是将公平和包容融入到学生们已经在做的CS工作中。通过三所大学、20多名教师和6000多名学生的参与，该项目将调查新方法的有效性、可持续性和影响。本项目是基于公平设计方法的基础。该项目的预期结果将包括新的课程材料，以支持将现有的计算机科学课程转变为嵌入公平设计的课程，并为教师提供专业发展，以促进在他们的课程中成功嵌入公平的软件设计。作为这项工作的一部分，将调查的研究问题将产生知识，使CS教师能够更好地了解变化对学生创建公平的高质量软件的能力的影响，对计算机课程和专业文化的影响，以及该方法在几种不同教育环境中的可行性。NSF IUSE: EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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 interest by investigating a new approach to teaching computer science (CS) that fosters inclusive and equitable practices. The structure of a typical undergraduate computer science degree program has changed little in decades. The curricula rarely include courses like CS ethics or usability that teach CS students how systems affect people and society. When such courses are included, they are largely disconnected from the rest of the CS degree. As a result, students entering the workforce tend to design software that is highly inequitable for large portions of the intended users of that software. This project will investigate a new approach to teaching CS that embeds equitable software design into computing courses throughout all four years of the undergraduate CS curriculum. The new approach does not require large changes to the curriculum, but instead integrates equity and inclusion into the CS work the students are already doing. Through the participation of three universities, over 20 faculty, and over 6000 students, this project will investigate the effectiveness, sustainability, and impact of the new approach.This project is based on the foundations of equitable design methods. The expected results of this project will include new course materials to support transforming an existing CS curriculum to one that embeds equitable design, and professional development for faculty to foster success at embedding equitable software design into their courses. Research questions that will be investigated as part of this work will generate knowledge that will allow CS teachers to better understand the impacts of the changes on the ability of students to create high-quality software that is equitable, the impacts on the culture in computing classes and majors, and the feasibility of the approach across several different educational settings. 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.