BPC-DP: Building Ecosystems of Belonging for Neurodiverse Computer Science Students

布法罗大学开放教育实验室正在设计和测试神经多样性微证书，以在本科计算机科学项目中创建一个归属感的生态系统。微证书，类似于数字徽章，是一种工具，可以提供简单的课程，然后评估和验证给定受众的学习情况。在这种情况下，学生是观众；该培训旨在提高讲师在本科课程中教授神经多样性计算机科学学生的准备能力，同时通过数字徽章向学生展示教师的培训信息。神经多样性是指自闭症谱系障碍和注意力缺陷/多动障碍（ADHD）等疾病常见的认知和大脑发育差异。这些学生往往被STEM的职业道路所吸引，并拥有使他们成为美国计算机劳动力中有价值成员的特质，但在毕业前就辍学了，因为他们遇到了不一致的教学实践，或者老师不鼓励为有隐形残疾的学生提供便利和支持。这些微证书旨在为教师提供所需的培训，使他们能够为神经多样性的计算机科学本科学生转变实践，并为学生提供识别训练有素的教师的机会。在通用学习设计框架的指导下，该项目由两个主要部分组成，该框架用于创建教育干预措施，以满足尽可能多的学生的需求。培训课程包括针对教师的先前的、试点的ADHD培训课程，以及为提高不同计算机科学专业学生的教育成功率而采取的额外循证策略。数字徽章（微证书）是与学生和教师共同设计的，旨在设计一个向教师提供课程并向学生展示教师培训的系统。当教师完成课程时，徽章直接向学生展示了教师的准备和了解学生需求的意愿。这可以让学生找到安全的导师，他们可以谈论他们的需求，并接受培训来支持他们，无论是选择导师还是选择课程。在协同设计和实现过程的多个阶段评估微凭证，以迭代设计。微型证书和课程将在项目完成后公布在开放教育实验室的网站上，以便其他学校访问和更新这些工具。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 University at Buffalo’s Open Education Lab is designing and testing neurodiversity micro-credentials to create an ecosystem of belonging in undergraduate Computer Science programs. Micro-credentials, similar to digital badges, are tools that can deliver bite-size curriculum and then both assess and verify learning for a given audience. In this case, students are the audience; this training is designed to increase instructor preparedness for teaching neurodiverse Computer Science students in undergraduate programs while presenting students with information about their instructors’ training through digital badges. Neurodiversity refers to differences in cognition and brain development common to conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These students are often attracted to STEM career paths and possess traits that would make them valuable members of the United States’ computing workforce, but drop out before graduation when they encounter misaligned teaching practices or instructors who discourage accommodations and supports for students with invisible disabilities. These micro-credentials are designed to give instructors the training they need to be able to transform their practice for neurodiverse undergraduate Computer Science students, as well as providing students with opportunities to identify trained instructors. In a process guided by the Universal Design for Learning framework, which is used to create educational interventions that will meet the needs of as many students as possible, the project consists of two major components. The curriculum for the training is comprised of prior, piloted ADHD training course for teachers and additional evidence-based strategies for improving educational success among diverse Computer Science students. The digital badges (micro-credentials) are co-designed with students and faculty to design a system of delivering curriculum to instructors and displaying instructor training to students. As instructors complete courses, badges display instructor preparation and willingness to learn about student needs directly to students. This allows students to identify instructors who will be safe to talk to about their needs and trained to support them, whether choosing mentors or making class selections. Micro-credentials are evaluated at multiple stages of the co-design and implementation process to iterate on the design. The micro-credentials and curriculum will be published on the Open Education Lab’s website at the completion of the project to allow other schools to access and update the 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.