A Learning Environment for an Open-Source Contribution Model

在改善本科STEM教育的支持下：西班牙裔服务机构（HSI计划），这个轨道2项目旨在研究一种方法，让学生在不同的STEM计划中学习入门计算机科学课程，为开源项目做出贡献。该项目将使用开源软件（OSS）项目，让学生完全在线参与真实的软件工程场景。该项目将扩大关于如何利用一个真正的开放源码软件项目作为学习环境的知识，以及如何让学习者参与活动，特别是来自STEM中历史上被剥夺权利的群体的学习者。此外，该项目还将进一步了解设计一个结构化学习路径的可行性，该路径从非代码贡献开始（例如，文档，错别字更正，翻译），并演变为其他类型的贡献。该项目将设计一个在线学习环境，个人可以在其中做出最初的非代码贡献，适应开源贡献模式，并与OSS社区建立关系。这种环境将促进脚手架那些希望深入学习，使基于代码和其他技术的贡献，并帮助学生建立一个基于开放源码软件贡献的专业知识。作为该项目的一部分，将开发一个名为开放源码软件门户的门户网站，重点是非程序员学习者。这些学习者将能够探索开源环境，了解不同的项目元素及其在开源贡献过程中的作用。在这种非正式的学习环境中，该项目将吸引广泛的学生作为非代码贡献者，他们将获得有关开源贡献模型的知识。提高非代码贡献者的技能也将支持OSS项目的可持续性。该项目的第一阶段将侧重于开放源码软件门户支持学习开放源码贡献模式的可行性。在这一阶段使用的方法将是参与式设计，观察性研究和学生调查。在第二阶段，该项目将寻求了解OSS-Doorway如何支持来自STEM历史上被剥夺权利的群体的学生的学习。项目团队将应用GenderMag检查方法的改编版本，以评估拟议的解决方案如何支持不同的人群。该团队还将对学生进行观察性研究和调查，并以考虑学生人口统计特征和生活经历的方式分析数据。因此，该项目将为教授开源贡献过程提供包容性策略。HSI计划旨在加强本科STEM教育，扩大STEM的参与，并建立HSI的能力。实现这些目标，鉴于HSIs的多样性和背景，需要创新的方法，激励机构和社区转型，促进基础研究（i）参与学生学习，（ii）关于如何有效地使STEM多样化和增加参与，以及（iii）该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，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。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 2 project aims to investigate an approach to prepare students taking introductory computer science classes in different STEM programs to contribute to open-source projects. The project will use open-source software (OSS) projects to engage students in real software engineering scenarios, entirely online. The project will expand knowledge about how to leverage an authentic OSS project as a learning environment and how to engage learners in the activities, particularly learners from historically disenfranchised groups in STEM. In addition, the project will advance knowledge about the feasibility of devising a structured learning path that begins with non-code contributions (e.g., documentation, typo corrections, translations) and that evolves to other types of contributions. The project will design an online learning environment where individuals make initial non-code contributions, acclimate to the open-source contribution model, and establish a relationship with the OSS community. This environment will promote scaffolding to those wishing to delve deeper into learning to make code-based and other technical contributions, and help students build a professional resumé based on OSS contributions. A portal called the OSS-Doorway will be developed as part of this project, focusing on non-programmer learners. These learners will be able to explore the open-source environment and understand different project elements and their roles in the open-source contribution process. Within this informal learning environment, the project will engage a broad range of students as non-code contributors who will gain knowledge about the open-source contribution model. Improving the skills of non-code contributors will also support the sustainability of OSS projects. The first phase of this project will focus on the feasibility of OSS-Doorway to support learning of the open-source contribution model. The methods used in this phase will be participatory design, observational studies, and student surveys. In the second phase, the project will seek to understand how OSS-Doorway supports the learning of students who come from groups historically disenfranchised in STEM. The project team will apply an adapted version of the GenderMag inspection method to assess how the proposed solution supports diverse populations. The team will also employ observational studies and surveys with students and analyze the data in a manner that considers student demographic characteristics and lived experiences. As such, this project will provide inclusive strategies for teaching the open-source contribution process. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning, (ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs are supported by this program.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.