Building Career Interest in Computer Science through Advanced Real-World Technology Projects

据估计，康涅狄格地区有7000个计算机职位空缺，12000个先进制造业职位空缺。尽管非裔美国人和拉丁裔工人现在占总劳动力人口的29%，但他们只占计算机科学和先进制造业劳动力的15%和16%。为了增加获得这些高薪技术工作的机会，该项目将设计并实施一个为期五周的计划，旨在提高市中心高中学生对先进制造业中计算机科学应用的兴趣。该计划活动将在康涅狄格州的社区学院进行，该地区的计算机科学和先进制造业将提供大量投入。该项目的总体目标是激励高中生从事STEM技术人员的职业，从而帮助解决先进技术劳动力的需求。该项目将实施基于问题的学习，教授学生解决现实世界中与行业相关的挑战的过程，包括无人机的建造、编程和飞行。此外，通过参与挑战和相关行业的实习，它将帮助学生学习团队合作和领导能力等专业技能。支持学生坚持的策略将包括指导、职业简介视频、学生成功故事和来自行业的演讲嘉宾。该项目将为高中和社区大学的教育工作者提供专业发展讲习班。这些研讨会将侧重于如何使用无人机介绍计算机科学以及如何将专业技能融入课程。参与的教师将开发将在全国分发的课程模块，并有助于项目的可持续性。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。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。

It is estimated that the Connecticut region has 7,000 unfilled computer jobs and 12,000 unfilled jobs in advanced manufacturing. Although African American and Latino workers now represent 29% of the general workforce population, they comprise only 15% of the computer science and 16% of the advanced manufacturing workforce. To increase access to these high-paying technical jobs, this project will design and implement a five-week program intended to increase the interest of inner-city high school students in computer science applications in advanced manufacturing. The program activities will take place at Connecticut’s Community Colleges, with significant input from regional computer science and advanced manufacturing industries. The overall goal of the project is to motivate high school students to pursue careers as STEM technicians, thus helping to address advanced technology workforce needs.The project will implement problem-based learning to teach students the process of solving real-world, industry-relevant challenges that include the building, programming, and flying of drones. In addition, it will help students learn professional skills such as teamwork and leadership, through participation in the challenges and through internships in related industries. Strategies to support student persistence will include mentoring, career profile videos, student success stories, and guest speakers from industry. The project will provide professional development workshops for high school and community college educators. These workshops will focus on how to use drones to introduce computer science and how to integrate professional skills into the curriculum. The participating teachers will develop curriculum modules that will be distributed nationally and contribute to the sustainability of the project. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.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.