Building Capacity to Support Elementary CS Pathways Tailored to Rural Needs in Idaho

基础计算机科学教育对于激发和保持学生对计算机的兴趣和积极的态度至关重要。年仅五岁的孩子就能理解基本的计算机科学和编程概念，然而全国只有四分之一的小学提供计算机科学课程。农村社区通常对与人口较少、经济萧条和大量贫困家庭有关的计算机教育有特定需求。美国研究所、爱达荷州STEM行动中心和BootUp专业发展之间的这种伙伴关系将支持爱达荷州农村地区设计包容性的K-5计算机科学课程途径。项目团队将合作深化伙伴关系，同时与农村社区的地区和学校合作伙伴合作，确定支持该途径的未来方向。美国研究所、爱达荷州STEM行动中心和BootUp专业发展之间的研究-实践伙伴关系将开发爱达荷州小学CS协作（IECC），以支持爱达荷州学区K-5计算机科学路径的设计。IECC将解决CS途径发展面临的挑战，特别是低收入农村社区的挑战，例如资源稀缺和学生接触CS的机会相对较低。项目活动包括促进伙伴关系会议，以建立合作伙伴关系；爱达荷州初级计算机科学概况综述；以及为行政人员、教师和家庭制定一套CS计划和学习机会。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。

Elementary computer science education is crucial for initiating and maintaining students’ interest in and positive attitudes toward computing. Children as young as five can understand basic computer science and programming concepts, yet only a quarter of elementary schools across the nation offer computer science instruction. Rural communities often have specific needs around computing education related to smaller populations, depressed economies, and a high number of families living in poverty. This partnership between American Institutes for Research, Idaho STEM Action Center, and BootUp Professional Development will support rural districts in Idaho in the design of an inclusive, K-5 computer science course pathway. The project team will collaborate to deepen their partnership, while engaging with district- and school-level partners from rural communities to define future directions for supporting the pathway.This research-practitioner partnership between American Institutes for Research, Idaho STEM Action Center, and BootUp Professional Development will develop the Idaho Elementary CS Collaborative (IECC) to support the design of K–5 computer science pathways in Idaho school districts. The IECC will address challenges to CS pathway development particular to low-income, rural communities, such as resource scarcity and relatively low exposure to CS among students. Project activities include facilitated partnership meetings to build the RPP; a landscape review of elementary computer science in Idaho; and the development of a set of CS planning and learning opportunities for administrators, teachers, and families.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.