Supporting Student Success and Increasing Diversity in Computer Science

该项目由美国国家科学基金科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金项目(S-STEM)资助，将支持德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校(UTSA)的高成就、低收入、有经济需求的学生。在整个五年中，该项目将为计算机科学专业一年级和高年级学生提供62个奖学金。增加美国计算机科学毕业生队伍中观点的多样性，对国家的繁荣和福祉具有重要的战略意义。需要让计算机科学工作者中代表性不足的女性和少数族裔学生参与进来，以帮助消除所开发系统中的隐性偏见。缺乏榜样和导师，无法与其他学生和教职员工建立联系，以及校园资源利用率低，都给家庭中第一个接受高等教育的学生带来了挑战。向大型、非人性化、严谨的课程过渡的困难和财务压力带来了额外的挑战。UTSA是南得克萨斯州最大的为少数族裔服务的机构，拥有大量的第一代学生。该项目将调查多年来循证活动和经验活动的结合情况，同时考虑到个别参与者的需要。S-STEM Track 2项目的目标是增加德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校(UTSA)计算机科学专业的优秀低收入学生的数量，他们加入劳动力大军或继续深造计算机科学。该项目的目标包括(A)开发新的方法和调查，以更好地确定个别学生的学习需要；(B)监测每个参与者的学习进度；以及(C)根据个别参与者的学习需求和进度，整合多种活动。通过以研究为基础、以经验为基础、以学生为中心的教育活动，UTSA的目标是将计算机科学专业的学生留存率从70%提高到90%。它还旨在将学生毕业率从60%提高到80%。个性化的教师和同行指导、个人辅导、为期一周的迎新“快速启动”计划、两周一次的小组会议、出席会议和参与研究项目将补充其他高影响力的实践，以支持学生的参与和成功。每个学生的进步都会被跟踪。将启动个性化的早期干预措施，以使所有学者继续完成他们的学位，进入技术劳动力队伍或在计算机科学方面继续深造。将鼓励学者参与招聘和外联活动，分享自己的故事，并为其他人提供榜样。这一结合的活动有可能显著提高高成就、低收入学生的留校率和毕业率，并为推进STEM教育提供可持续的解决方案。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With funding from the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, this project will support high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at university of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). Throughout its five years, this project will fund 62 scholarships for students who are first-year and upper division students majoring in computer science. Increasing the diversity of perspectives in the nation's pool of computer science graduates is strategically important to the nation's prosperity and welfare. Engagement of underrepresented female and minority students in the computer science workforce is needed to help eliminate implicit bias in the systems developed. A lack of role models and mentors, failure to connect with other students and faculty, and low use of campus resources pose challenges for students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. Difficulty with the transition to large, impersonal, rigorous courses and financial stress pose added challenges. UTSA is the largest minority-serving institution in South Texas and has a large first-generation enrollment. The project will investigate the integration of evidence-based and experience-based activities over multiple years, taking into account the needs of the individual participants. The goal of this S-STEM Track 2 project is to increase the number of high-achieving, low-income students majoring in computer science at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) who join the workforce or pursue advanced studies in computer science. The project objectives include (a) developing new methods and surveys to better identify the academic needs of individual students, (b) monitoring the academic progress of each participant, and (c) integrating multiple activities based upon the learning needs and progress of individual participants. Through research-based and experience-based, student-centered educational activities, UTSA aims to increase the retention of students majoring in computer science from 70% to 90%. It also aims to improve the student graduation rate from 60% to 80%. Personalized faculty and peer mentoring, individual tutoring, a week-long orientation "jump start" program, biweekly group meetings, conference attendance, and involvement in research projects will complement other high-impact practices to support student engagement and success. The progress of each student will be tracked. Individualized, early interventions will be initiated to keep all scholars on track to complete their degrees and proceed to the technical workforce or pursue advanced studies in computer science. Scholars will be encouraged to participate in recruiting and outreach events to share their own stories and provide role models for others. This combination of activities has the potential to significantly improve the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students, and provide sustainable solutions to advancing STEM education.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.