Expanding Pathways into Computer Science

培养计算机科学教师，帮助高中生在严谨的学术计算机科学课程中取得成功，这是国家的需要，特别是在农村社区。STEM- c（科学、技术、工程和数学，包括计算机）伙伴关系项目支持STEM专家和K-12学校系统之间的研究驱动型伙伴关系，以实现更好的K-12级别STEM教育的制度变革。在之前的合作伙伴关系的基础上，这个STEM-C合作伙伴关系的计算机科学教育扩展项目将永久地增加和提高南达科他州拉皮德城地区9年级和10年级学生的计算机科学学习机会。在三年的时间里，该合作伙伴关系将支持24名现任教师提供探索计算机科学（ECS）课程。该合作伙伴关系由两个核心合作伙伴领导，即黑山州立大学和拉皮德城地区学校，这两个学校分别为南达科他州最多的职前教师和最多的保留地印第安人K-12学生提供服务。其他合作伙伴包括拉皮德城地区的大多数地区，南达科他州矿业和技术学院，教育技术和创新，以及桑福德地下研究设施，该地区的主要科学研究实验室。除了在拉皮德城地区学校和邻近学区建立探索计算机科学课程外，该合作伙伴关系还将在K-12教师中建立强大的能力，以更好地实施该课程。它还将在教师培训机构、当地科学设施、K-12区和一所区域科技大学之间建立联系。该项目将在现场和研讨会上开展教师培训活动，并将提供各种外展培训，旨在鼓励教师、管理人员和年龄太小而无法参加ECS课程的年轻人对计算机科学的可能性感到兴奋。此外，本计划将为计算机科学教育领域贡献有关高中计算机科学教与学的研究成果。教育研究议程将探讨参与ECS课程对学生对计算机科学的本质、重要性及其与他们生活的相关性的态度和信念的影响程度和方式；和他们的内容知识的计算机科学和相关的解决问题的能力。研究还将探讨教师参与EPCS项目提高教师提供高质量教学能力的程度和方式。合作伙伴共同建立在先前以数学教育为重点的数学和科学伙伴关系项目的成功基础上，包括开发新教材的方法、引进和发展教学教练团队、为管理人员提供培训机会以及家庭参与。将开发研究工具来衡量学生对计算机科学的本质、重要性及其与日常生活的相关性的态度和信念。这些工具，加上地平线课堂观察协议，将用于评估计算机科学课程的影响，以及在混合方法研究中对教师和学习者的相关推广。

Developing computer science teachers that can support high school students in being successful in rigorous, academic computer science courses is a national need, particularly in rural communities. The STEM-C (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, including Computing) Partnerships program supports research-driven partnerships between STEM experts and K-12 school systems to bring about institutional change for better STEM education at the K-12 level. Building on a prior partnership, this STEM-C Partnership's Computer Science Education Expansion project will permanently increase and enhance computer science learning opportunities for 9th and 10th grade students in the Rapid City, South Dakota, area. Over a three-year period, this Partnership will support twenty-four current teachers in offering the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) course. This Partnership is led by two core Partners, the Black Hills State University and the Rapid City Area Schools, which serve the most pre-service teachers and the most off-reservation Native American K-12 students in South Dakota, respectively. Additional Partners include most of the districts in the Rapid City region, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Technology and Innovation in Education, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility, a major scientific research lab in the region.In addition to establishing the Exploring Computer Science Course at Rapid City Area Schools and neighboring school districts, this Partnership will build strong capacity within K-12 teachers to implement the course well. It will also build linkages among teacher training institutions, local science facilities, K-12 districts, and a regional science and technology university. The project will conduct teacher training activities both on-site and at workshops, and will provide a variety of outreach trainings designed to encourage teachers, administrators, and youth too young to take the ECS course to become excited about the possibilities within computer science. In addition, the project will contribute research findings to the field of computer science education about the teaching and learning of computer science at the high school level. The educational research agenda will address the extent to and ways in which participation in the ECS course influences students' attitudes and beliefs about the nature of computer science, its importance, and its relevance to their lives; and their content knowledge of computer science and related problem-solving skills. Research will also explore the extent to and ways in which teacher participation in the EPCS Project increases teachers' capacity to provide high-quality instruction. Together, the Partners build on the success of a prior Math and Science Partnership project focused on mathematics education, including ways of developing new instructional materials, the introduction and development of a team of instructional coaches, training opportunities for administrators, and family engagement. Research instruments will be developed to measure students' attitudes and beliefs about the nature of computer science, its importance, and relevance to daily life. These instruments, plus the Horizon Classroom Observation Protocol, will be used to evaluate the impact of the computer science courses and associated outreach on teachers and learners in a mixed methods study.