Fostering elementary students' computing career aspirations through a physiological computing curriculum

每天，生理计算的先进应用，如可穿戴技术（如智能手表）和脑机接口，都在重塑我们的生活，推动新的科学前沿。人类技术前沿的进步要求下一代科学家做好准备，他们可以进一步开发和测试这些技术。然而，我们国家的一些地区正经历着合格求职者的严重短缺。这个ITEST设计和开发项目解决了阿拉巴马州劳动力发展的挑战，为参加课后设置的小学高年级儿童创建了生理计算课程。参与的孩子们将测量他们自己的生理数据（如肌肉能量），并设计计算机程序对他们的数据进行实时反应。通过课程和课外活动，该项目还使参与的孩子和他们的家人接触到新兴的计算机职业。通过关注参与如何影响儿童的职业抱负和学习STEM的信心，该项目有可能告知当前对年轻学习者在生理计算过程中遇到的障碍、挑战和成功的理解，以及他们对基础计算机科学概念的概念理解是如何演变的。预计未来几代工程师和科学家将需要与通过电活动创建计算机应用程序和与人类运动和情感相关的程序相关的技能，这个为期三年的项目将开发并迭代实施一个标准一致的生理计算课程，并采用学科素养方法，鼓励职业探索和批判性思维。本研究以设计为基础的实施研究来检验其假设，即参与生理计算环境和相关的职业丰富活动将提高小学生对计算机科学的概念理解、学习STEM的自我效能感和STEM职业抱负。该项目旨在招收100多名小学生，并通过专业发展培养20名（在职和职前）教师，以提高教师的技术、教学和内容知识，以指导课程。数据来源包括教师焦点小组、学生调查和访谈、学生的概念图和设计蓝图，以及在屏幕上解决问题任务时的眼睛注视和扫描路径。该项目由“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目资助，该项目支持有助于提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）以及信息和通信技术（ICT）职业的知识和兴趣的实践、项目要素、背景和过程的理解。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。

Every day, advanced applications of physiological computing such as wearable technologies (e.g., smartwatches) and brain-computer interfaces are reshaping our lives and pushing new scientific frontiers. Advancements in the human-technology frontier demand the readiness of next-generation scientists who can further develop and test such technologies. Yet, regions of our nation are experiencing a significant shortage of qualified job candidates. This ITEST design and development project tackles the challenge of workforce development in the state of Alabama, by creating a physiological computing curriculum for upper elementary school children enrolled in afterschool settings. Participating children will measure their own physiological data (such as muscle energy) and design computer programs that react to their data in real time. Through the curriculum and extracurricular activities, the project also exposes participating children and their families to emerging computing careers. By focusing on how participation impacts children’s career aspirations and confidence for learning STEM, the project has the potential to inform current understanding of the barriers, challenges, and successes young learners experience during physiological computing and how their conceptual understanding of foundational computer science concepts evolves. Anticipating that future generations of engineers and scientists will need skills related to creating computer applications and programs associated with human movements and emotions via electrical activity, this three-year project will develop and iteratively implement a standards-aligned, physiological computing curriculum with a disciplinary literacy approach that encourages career exploration and critical thinking. The project uses design-based implementation research to examine its hypothesis that participation in the physiological computing environment and related career enrichment activities will enhance elementary students’ conceptual understanding of computer science, self-efficacy for learning STEM, and STEM career aspirations. The project aims to enroll over 100 elementary students and prepare 20 (in-service and pre-service) teachers through professional development to enhance teachers’ technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge to lead the lessons. Data sources include teacher focus groups, student surveys and interviews, students’ conceptual drawings and design blueprints, and eye gaze and scan paths during on-screen problem-solving tasks. This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.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.