Advancing High School Computer Science Through Math and Science Integration

芝加哥公立学校(CPS)通过其CS4All计划，在K-12计算机科学(CS)教育方面处于全国领先地位，最近还将CS作为高中毕业要求，从2020年毕业班开始。CPS正在其高中分级实施CS毕业要求：第一级学校正在将探索计算机科学(ECS)课程整合到他们的课程中，第二级学校将在2019年前这样做。第三层约40所学校面临更多障碍(例如，缺乏资源、合格教师、减少学生接触)，并正在抵制向采用CS的过渡。该项目以这些学校为目标，重点是将计算思维融入数学和科学课程的教学中，并将检验这一努力将为计算机科学课程提供“桥梁”的假设。这项努力将集中在教师领导和随后的教师发展上。将对几门课程进行测试，以将其整合到现有课程中，例如支持科学课程中计算思维的项目GUTS(以科学的方式思考)和代数的引导。这一做法将改变学校文化和对CS的态度，并将为三流学校提供一座桥梁，使其能够在开设ECS课程方面实现足够的专业发展。这些努力最终将在全区100%覆盖CS毕业要求。通过对这一努力的记录和研究，该项目将成为全国其他地区将计算思维纳入科学和数学教学的典范，以及这将如何支持学校文化和提供计算机科学课程的能力的变化。该项目致力于STEM+C计划的核心目标，以支持在学前科学、技术、工程或数学(STEM)教学和学习中促进计算和计算思维的强大和发展基础的研究，以及在学前计算机科学教育中应用整合STEM内容。在这项建议中，研究问题包括：1)了解将计算机科学融入数学和科学，再加上教师领导的专业发展和辅导，是否可以支持围绕计算思维的学校层面社区的形成；2)了解围绕计算思维的强大的专业学习社区(PLC)如何促进CS课程的实施；以及3)了解CS集成将在多大程度上影响高中生的学习水平。调查将提供对教师实践和观念变化的洞察。我们将探索社交网络。体制变革将通过详细的比较案例研究加以记录。研究问题的答案将通过检查学生的学习结果、教学实践、教师社交网络和专业学习机会来获得。通过多种工具收集的数据广度将被用来检验这种方法和学生学习结果之间的关系。对12位教师领导者的案例研究将提供对教师互动影响CS理解的方式的洞察。

Chicago Public Schools (CPS), through its CS4All initiative, has led the nation in K-12 Computer Science (CS) education, and has recently made CS a high school graduation requirement, starting with the 2020 graduating class. CPS is experiencing a tiered implementation of the CS graduation requirement in its high schools: the first tier of schools is integrating the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) course into their curriculum and a second tier of schools will do so by 2019. A third tier of approximately 40 schools face additional barriers (e.g., lack of resources, qualified teachers, reduced student exposure) and are resisting the transition to CS adoption. The project targets these schools by focusing on integration of computational thinking into the teaching of mathematics and science courses and will test the hypothesis that this effort will provide a 'bridge' to computer science course offerings. The effort will focus on teacher leadership and subsequent teacher development. Several curricula will be tested for integration into existing courses, for example Project GUTS (Growing up thinking scientifically) for supporting computational thinking in science courses and Bootstrap for Algebra. This approach will change school culture and attitudes towards CS and will provide a bridge for third tier schools to achieve sufficient professional development for offering the ECS course. These efforts will ultimately culminate in 100% coverage of the CS graduation requirement across the district. Through documentation and study of this effort, the project will serve as a model for other districts nationwide for integrating computational thinking into the teaching of science and mathematics and how this could support change in school culture and capacity for offering computer science courses. The project addresses core objectives of the STEM+C program to support research advancing a strong and developmental foundation in computing and computational thinking in preK-12 science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning and the applied integration of STEM content in preK-12 computer science education. In this proposal the research questions involve: 1) understanding whether integration of CS into math and science, coupled with teacher leadership professional development and coaching, can support the formation of a school-level community around computational thinking; 2) understanding how a strong Professional Learning Community (PLC) around computational thinking might facilitate implementation of a CS course; and 3) understanding the extent to which high school students proficiency will be impacted by CS integration. Surveys will provide insight into changes in teacher practice and perceptions. Social networks will be explored. Institutional change will be documented through detailed comparative case studies. Answers to research questions will be attained by examining student learning outcomes, teaching practice, teacher social networks, and professional learning opportunities. The breadth of data gathered through multiple tools will be used to examine the relationship between the approach and student learning outcomes. Case studies of 12 teachers leaders will provide insight into the ways in which teacher interactions influence uptake of CS.