The CryptoClub: Extending Learning with Student-Generated Tutorials

在现有的CryptoClub课外项目中，中学生使用数学来制作和破译密码。CryptoClub网站有用于加密、破解消息、寻宝和其他活动的工具。在这个项目中，15个密码俱乐部的学习是通过让学生生成教程来解释他们如何解决数学和密码问题来扩展的。课后设置的灵活性提供了尝试内容和技术的机会。开发了学生友好的方法来创建教程，并调查了在CryptoClub程序中整合教程制作的最佳实践。由学生和教师创建的经过审查的数学和密码学在线教程集合将在CryptoClub网站上向所有人开放。至少有15名教师将接受培训，以帮助他们的学生编写教程。然后，这些教师可以在教授其他数学科目时使用这种学习技巧。这项研究调查了学生和教师认为有吸引力和易于学习的教程的特点。研究了可以作为有用的教程和促进交流技能的数学问题的种类。通过专注于特定主题并使用同一俱乐部中的学生作为对照，项目领导层可以对在这些主题上发生的学习进行受控研究，从而调查学生是否从开发视频教程的经验中学习数学。该项目还考虑了促进教程开发的技术和软件，以及在线分享、评级和分类视频教程的系统，以促进教程的开发、提交和使用。评估由一名独立评估员和一个咨询委员会进行。学生将培养数学、计算机技术和通信方面的技术素养和技能，并意识到密码学也可能成为STEM职业。该项目加深了学生对数学推理的理解，支持了他们自我效能感的发展，并增加了他们对STEM和使用数学的STEM职业的兴趣。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。

In existing CryptoClub after school programs, middle school students use mathematics to make and break secret codes. The CryptoClub website has tools for encrypting, messages to crack, treasure hunts and other activities. In this project, the learning in fifteen Crypto Clubs is extended by having the students generate tutorials that explain how they solve mathematics and cryptographic problems. The flexibility of the after school setting provides the opportunity to experiment with content and technology. Student-friendly ways to create the tutorials are developed and best practices for incorporating tutorial making in CryptoClub programs are investigated. A collection of vetted online tutorials about mathematics and cryptography created by students and teachers is to be available to all on the CryptoClub website. At least 15 teachers are to be trained to assist their students in developing tutorials. These teachers can then use this learning technique as they teach other mathematics topics. The research investigates the features of the tutorials that students and teachers consider to be appealing and easy to learn from. The kinds of mathematics problems that make helpful tutorials and promote communications skills are studied. By focusing on specific topics and using students within the same clubs as control, the project leadership can conduct a controlled study of learning that occurs on those topics and thus investigate whether the students learn mathematics from the experience of developing video tutorials. The project also considers the technology and software that facilitate the development of the tutorials and the system for online sharing, rating and sorting of video tutorials that promote the development, submission and use of the tutorials. Evaluation is done by an independent evaluator and an advisory board. Students will develop technical literacy and skills in mathematics, computer technology and communications and become aware of cryptography as a possible STEM career as well. The project deepens students' understanding of mathematical reasoning, supports their development of self-efficacy and increases their interest in STEM and STEM careers that use mathematics.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.