Collaborative Research: Minoritized Youth Computer Science Learning, Belonging and Career Interest: Coding and Creating with Beats

计算机科学知识和技能在数字世界中是必不可少的。尽管在中学环境中提供计算机科学(CS)课程方面取得了进展，但一些学生群体在计算机领域的代表性仍然很低。该项目旨在通过关注以编码为基础的音乐为中心的创新技术体验，扩大年轻人对计算机的参与。该项目将在关键的中学阶段吸引黑人、拉丁裔和女性青年参与，届时许多学生将决定未来在CS的机会是否值得考虑。通过在大学校园举办的为期一周的暑期项目，该项目将开发和研究一系列与文化相关的活动，参与者通过使用Sonic Pi音乐软件编码真实的嘻哈节拍来学习如何演奏、操纵和创作。该项目通过(1)增强技术分析的深度，(2)使学生从节拍修改到节拍创作，以及(3)增加课程中自然包括的概念的范围，将先前的研究扩展到通过对节拍进行编码来学习节拍。这项跨越两所大学、一个当地学区和一个社区组织的合作努力将吸引利用Sonic PI进行表演的音乐家，并举办以学生作品为特色的年度比赛和音乐会，以帮助拓宽年轻人对CS和计算机相关职业的视角。项目团队还将准备40名教师和社区讲师，在他们自己的环境中促进类似的项目，确保项目持续时间之后的可持续性。该项目由学生和教师创新技术体验计划(ITEST)资助，该计划支持的项目旨在建立对实践、计划元素、背景和过程的理解，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。该项目采用基于设计的实施研究，在160名中学生和两个环境中反复改进教学方法，以最好地解决CS文化与计算机领域代表性不足的学生的文化和学习经验之间的不匹配。该项目将设计和调查暑期计划教学方法，突出特定的编码技术(例如，Sonic PI)、脚手架技术和学习活动如何支持年轻人的计算机科学知识、信心、归属感和职业意识。该项目将建立在以前资助的NSF STEM教育研究(例如EarSketch)的基础上，以Use-Modify-Create框架为基础，该框架阐明了青年在计算方面的学习轨迹。混合方法将为这项研究提供参考。来自观察、焦点小组和计算人工制品的定性数据将探索该计划在促进预期青年成果方面的前景和有效性。量化数据(例如经过验证的事前和事后调查)将确定有助于加强支架式方法的可行性、可持续性和社会有效性的新模式。从这项研究中获得的知识和见解将为其他地区的未来项目提供支持，并为在计算领域未被充分代表的学生提供强大的CS学习体验。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。

Computer science knowledge and skills are essential in the digital world. Despite progress in the availability of computer science (CS) coursework in secondary school settings, a number of student groups remain substantially underrepresented in computing. This project aims to broaden youth participation in computing by focusing on innovative technology experiences centered around coding-based music. The project will engage Black, Latinx, and female youth during the critical middle school years when many students decide whether future opportunities in CS merit consideration. Through week-long summer programs held on college campuses, the project will develop and study a series of culturally relevant activities where participants learn how to play, manipulate, and create by coding authentic-sounding hip-hop beats using Sonic Pi music software. The project extends prior research into CS learning through coding beats by (1) enhancing the depth of technical analysis, (2) moving students from beat modification to beat creation, and (3) increasing the range of concepts that can naturally be included in a course. This collaborative effort across two universities, a local school district, and a community organization will engage musicians who utilize Sonic Pi in performances and host annual competitions and concerts featuring student work to help broaden youth perspectives of CS and computing-related careers. The project team will also prepare 40 teachers and community instructors to facilitate similar programs in their own settings, ensuring sustainability beyond the duration of the project. 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.The project employs design-based implementation research to iteratively refine the instructional approaches across 160 middle school students and two settings to best address the mismatch between CS culture and the culture and learning experiences of students underrepresented in computing. This project will design and investigate a summer program instructional approach that highlights how particular coding technology (e.g., Sonic Pi), scaffolding techniques, and learning activities work to support youth's computer science knowledge, confidence, sense of belonging, and career awareness. The project will build upon previously funded NSF STEM education research (e.g., EarSketch) by grounding in the Use-Modify-Create framework, which articulates a trajectory of youth learning in computing. Mixed methods will inform the research. Qualitative data from observations, focus groups and computational artifacts will explore the promise and effectiveness of the program in promoting expected youth outcomes. Quantitative data (e.g., validated pre- and post-surveys) will identify emergent patterns that will help strengthen the feasibility, sustainability, and social validity of the scaffolded approach. The knowledge and insights gained from this research will provide evidence to support future programs across other regions and develop strong CS learning experiences for students underrepresented in computing.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.