CAREER: Blocks, Stickers, and Puzzles: Rethinking Computational Literacy Experiences in Informal Environments

美国计算机协会（Association for Computing Machinery）最近的一份报告估计，到本世纪末，美国一半的STEM工作岗位将属于计算机领域。然而，女性和代表性不足的群体在高等计算机科学项目中的参与度仍然很低，令人沮丧。计算机科学教育研究中最重要的发现之一是，（在许多年龄和许多环境下）非正式的计算机经验在多大程度上影响了年轻人从高中到本科学位课程的发展轨迹。正如早期的语言和数学素养始于家庭，并在整个童年时期通过学校和校外的各种经历得到加强一样，出于多样性和能力的原因，仅靠正式的计算素养经验不足以培养下一代科学家、工程师和公民。因此，这个职业研究项目旨在为重新思考非正式环境中的计算素养提供一个概念和设计框架，以吸引广泛和多样化的受众。它以文化形式的概念为基础，理解各种学习环境中现有的计算素养实践，并为创新的技术设计做出贡献。作为加强非正式环境中学习的总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划为在这些环境中设计和开发STEM学习的新方法和基于证据的理解提供资金。这个职业研究项目旨在了解文化形式在非正式计算学习经验中的作用，并为青年设计这种经验开发一种理论基础方法。这项工作的前提是，新的计算能力形式将从现有的识字和计算能力的文化形式中诞生（即，对于数学能力，有像数数歌曲这样的形式——“10只小鸭子出去玩了”）。其中许多形式发生在家庭中父母和孩子之间，学校里老师和学生之间，以及朋友和兄弟姐妹之间的各种其他场所。该研究项目是一个分三个阶段的设计和开发工作，重点关注关键研究问题，包括理解(1)文化形式如何帮助塑造非正式学习环境中的受众体验；(2)不同文化形态对青少年认同相关需求和动机的影响；(3)如何创建基于这些形式的新型计算素养体验。每个阶段都包括归纳研究，试图理解世界上存在的计算素养，以及设计阶段，以具体的学习目标为指导，解决计算素养的特定方面。数据收集策略将包括自然观察、半结构化和深度访谈以及学习评估；结果衡量将围绕学习经验的自愿参与、动机和坚持进行。研究和设计的背景将是博物馆、家庭和课外活动。这项研究基于PI在设计和研究包括博物馆、家庭、校外项目和教室在内的一系列学习环境中的计算素养体验方面的十年经验。在未来的STEM计算领域吸引广泛而多样化的受众是美国教育系统的当务之急，无论是在学校还是在其他地方。这个项目将补充大量现有的努力，以促进在学校的计算素养，如果成功，有助于带来一个更具代表性的，计算能力的公民。综合教育计划支持培训和指导研究生和本科生在学习科学、计算机科学和人机交互交叉领域的新兴研究方法。这项工作还将开发可公开获得的学习经验，可能影响成千上万的青年。这些体验将在博物馆、网络和应用商店中提供。

A recent report by the Association for Computing Machinery estimates that by decade's end, half of all STEM jobs in the United States will be in computing. Yet, the participation of women and underrepresented groups in post-secondary computer science programs remains discouragingly and persistently low. One of the most important findings from research in computer science education is the degree to which informal experiences with computers (at many ages and in many settings) shape young people's trajectories through high school and into undergraduate degree programs. Just as early language and mathematics literacy begins at home and is reinforced throughout childhood through a variety of experiences both in school and out, for reasons of diversity and competency, formal experiences with computational literacy alone are insufficient for developing the next generation of scientists, engineers, and citizens. Thus, this CAREER program of research seeks to contribute to a conceptual and design framework to rethink computational literacy in informal environments in an effort to engage a broad and diverse audience. It builds on the concept of cultural forms to understand existing computational literacy practices across a variety of learning settings and to contribute innovative technology designs. As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in these settings. This CAREER program of research seeks to understand the role of cultural forms in informal computational learning experiences and to develop a theoretically grounded approach for designing such experiences for youth. This work starts from the premise that new forms of computational literacy will be born from existing cultural forms of literacy and numeracy (i.e., for mathematical literacy there are forms like counting songs -- "10 little ducks went out to play"). Many of these forms play out in homes between parents and children, in schools between teachers and students, and in all sorts of other place between friends and siblings. This program of study is a three-phased design and development effort focused on key research questions that include understanding (1) how cultural forms can help shape audience experiences in informal learning environments; (2) how different cultural forms interact with youth's identity-related needs and motivations; and (3) how new types of computational literacy experiences based on these forms can be created. Each phase includes inductive research that attempts to understand computational literacy as it exists in the world and a design phase guided by concrete learning objectives that address specific aspects of computational literacy. Data collection strategies will include naturalist observation, semi-structured, and in-depth interviews, and learning assessments; outcome measures will center on voluntary engagement, motivation, and persistence around the learning experiences. The contexts for research and design will be museums, homes, and afterschool programs. This research builds on a decade of experience by the PI in designing and studying computational literacy experiences across a range of learning settings including museums, homes, out-of-school programs, and classrooms. Engaging a broad and diverse audience in the future of STEM computing fields is an urgent priority of the US education system, both in schools and beyond. This project would complement substantial existing efforts to promote in-school computational literacy and, if successful, help bring about a more representative, computationally empowered citizenry. The integrated education plan supports the training and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students in emerging research methods at the intersection of the learning sciences, computer science, and human-computer interaction. This work will also develop publically available learning experiences potentially impacting thousands of youth. These experiences will be available in museums, on the Web, and through App stores.