Collaborative Research: Creating and testing data science learning tools for secondary students with disabilities

这个合作项目的主要目标是为高中学习者创建和评估一个普遍可访问的数据科学基础设施，重点是残疾学生。数据科学对于行业相关计算思维技能的发展至关重要。由于数据科学技能提供了引人注目的职业道路，包括数据科学在内的计算课程在学龄前至12年级的水平上迅速增长。一项对已有规模的数据科学计划的仔细调查表明，这些工具和课程在很大程度上无法为残疾人使用，它们也没有强有力的人为因素证据来支持它们的设计。这些问题至关重要，必须解决，以实现劳动力公平和多样化的科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）管道。该项目将汇集计算机科学、机械工程、教育、社会科学和认知神经科学领域的研究人员，重新思考支持高中数据科学教学的工具。总体目标将是创建和评估数据科学工具和课程，这些工具和课程不仅要符合可访问性的法律规定，而且要仔细考虑学习者（包括残疾人）的需求。该项目将涉及众多战略合作伙伴，包括两所残疾学生学校、残疾、机会、互联网和技术中心，以及一个代表计算可访问性（AccessComputing）、数据科学行业（RStudio）和数据科学治理（计算机械协会数据科学工作组）的顾问委员会。严谨的研究计划将包括迭代、以用户为中心的开发、实证定量调查、定性焦点小组和最终的课堂实地研究，所有研究的参与者估计共有385名学生、105名教师和30名行业专业人士。通过创建、部署和严格评估首个面向所有人的数据科学工具和课程，该项目旨在为所有学生进入数据科学领域创造公平的途径。该项目由“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目资助，该项目支持有助于提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）以及信息和通信技术（ICT）职业的知识和兴趣的实践、项目要素、背景和过程的理解。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。

The main goal of this collaborative project is to create and evaluate a universally accessible data science infrastructure for high-school-aged learners, with a focus on students with disabilities. Data science is critical in the development of industry-relevant computational thinking skills. Computing initiatives, including data science, are rapidly growing at the preschool-12th grade level because of the compelling career pathways that data science skills provide. A careful investigation into already-at-scale data science initiatives shows that such tools and curriculum are largely not accessible to individuals with disabilities, nor do they have a strong foundation of human factors evidence supporting their designs. These issues are crucial and must be resolved for workforce equity and a diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline. This project will bring together investigators in computer science, mechanical engineering, education, social science, and cognitive neuroscience to rethink the tools that support the teaching and learning of data science at the high school level. The overarching goal will be to create and evaluate data science tools and curriculum that are not just in legal compliance for accessibility, but that carefully take into account the needs of learners, including those with disabilities. This project will involve numerous strategic partnerships including two schools for students with disabilities, the Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology Center, and an engaged advisory board representing computing accessibility (AccessComputing), data science industry (RStudio), and data science governance (Association for Computing Machinery Data Science Task Force). The rigorous research plan will include iterative, user-focused development, empirical quantitative investigations, qualitative focus groups, and a culminating in-classroom field study, targeting an estimated total of 385 students, 105 teachers, and 30 industry professionals as participants across all studies. By creating, deploying, and rigorously evaluating the first data science tool and curriculum that is accessible to all, the project intends to help create equitable pathways for all students to enter the field of data science. This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.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.