Training Computer Science Teaching Assistants to Motivate Students

本计划旨在重新设计、实施及评估一项计算机系助教训练计划，以服务国家利益。助教（TAs）在激励学生参与大型计算机科学课程方面可以发挥重要作用。然而，助教往往没有教学经验，也没有开发出有效激发学生参与所需的技能。CS助教培训项目的目的是使用基于当前动机理论的循证实践来重新设计、实施和评估一个培训计划，该计划旨在帮助CS助教使用包容性教学实践来激励所有学生参与CS课程。主要成果之一将是开发一个计算机助理培训原型，该原型可以为弗吉尼亚理工大学计算机助理部门的制度改进奠定基础，并作为其他部门和机构使用的计算机助理培训框架。大约80名CS助教将在每学期之前和期间参加培训。参加培训的助教以及参加课程的学生将在课程开始和结束时接受调查，以评估助教培训对他们的动机信念的影响。这些数据，以及学生的成绩，将被分析来回答这些主要的研究问题：在CS课程中，助教训练在多大程度上影响(a)学生在CS课程中的动机感知和成绩，以及(b)学生和助教的CS动机信念和目标？项目结果将通过会议报告、讲习班、列表服务、期刊和网站传播。该项目的长期成果可能包括改进评估CS助教培训的方法，改善其他机构的TA培训，以及增加由于CS自我效能感和归属感的增强而在CS领域未被充分代表的学生的代表性。NSF IUSE: EDU项目支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过其参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by redesigning, implementing, and evaluating a teaching assistant training project in a computer science (CS) department. Teaching assistants (TAs) can play an important role in motivating student engagement in large CS courses. However, TAs often do not have the teaching experience, nor have they developed the skills needed to effectively motivate student engagement. The purpose of the CS TA Training project is to use evidence-based practices based on current motivation theories to redesign, implement, and evaluate a training program designed explicitly to help CS TAs use inclusive teaching practices that motivate all students to engage in their CS courses. One of the primary outcomes will be the development of a CS TA Training prototype that can lay the groundwork for institutional improvement within the CS department at Virginia Tech and which serve as framework for TA training for use in other departments and institutions. About 80 CS TAs will participate in the training before and during each semester. TAs who participate in the training, as well as the students in their courses, will be surveyed near the beginning and end of the courses to assess the impact of the TA training on their motivational beliefs over time. These data, along with students’ grades, will be analyzed to answer these primary research questions: To what extent can TA training in CS courses affect (a) students’ motivational perceptions and grades in CS courses, and (b) students’ and TAs’ CS motivational beliefs and goals? The project findings will be disseminated through conference presentations, workshops, listservs, journals, and websites. Long-term outcomes of the project may include enhanced methods to evaluate CS TA training, improved TA training at other institutions, and increased representation of students underrepresented in CS fields due to their increased perceptions of CS self-efficacy and sense of belonging. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through its Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and 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.