Collaborative Research: Broadening Participation and Building Pathways in Computer Science (CS) through Concurrent Enrollment

这个项目研究了并行招生(CE)计划的实施和结果，作为拓宽计算机科学(CS)高中到大学参与途径的一种工具。圣斯科拉斯蒂卡学院的移动计算机科学原理(Mobile CSP)项目是大学理事会批准的与高级选修课程(AP)CSP框架保持一致的成熟课程，它与康涅狄格州哈特福德的首都社区学院和明尼苏达州西南明尼苏达州立大学的CE项目以及每个州的合作学区形成了研究-从业者伙伴关系(RPP)。RPP项目探索CS通过CE能否拓宽高中到大学的途径，面向那些在这些领域传统上代表性不足的学生--女性、代表性不足的少数族裔和低SES学生。虽然AP CSP课程比以前的AP CS课程招收了更多样化的学生群体，但它不像其他AP课程那样多样化。在主要服务于少数族裔和低社会地位学生的学校中，CE计划似乎比AP具有更好的渗透率，显示出扩大其他学科参与和鼓励大学入学的前景。通过在两个不同的背景下(明尼苏达州的农村和低SES，以及康涅狄格州的城市、多样化和低SES)实施和研究CS，该项目有助于在各种背景下改变CS的教育途径，并了解将CSP作为CE实施的支持和障碍，以及扩大参与目标。该项目提供40名高中教师的专业发展和支持，在为期3年的课程中，在合作学区中教授CE版的Mobile CSP课程。这个RPP项目的目标是(1)检查和解决实施和保持移动CSP作为一门同时注册课程的支持和障碍，以及(2)研究CE实施CSP课程是否扩大了对计算的参与。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。

This project studies the implementation and outcomes of Concurrent Enrollment (CE) programs as a vehicle for broadening participation in high school to college pathways in Computer Science (CS). The Mobile Computer Science Principles (Mobile CSP) project at the College of St. Scholastica, an established curriculum endorsed by the College Board for its alignment with the Advanced Placement (AP) CSP framework, has formed a Research-Practitioner Partnership (RPP) with CE programs at Capital Community College in Hartford, Connecticut and Southwest Minnesota State University in Minnesota and with partner school districts in each state.The RPP project explores whether CS through CE can broaden the high school to college pathway in computing disciplines for those traditionally underrepresented in these fields--female, underrepresented minority, and low-SES students. While the AP CSP course has enrolled a more diverse group of students than previous AP CS courses, it is not as diverse as other AP courses. CE programs appear to have better penetration than AP among schools that predominantly serve underrepresented minorities and low-SES students, showing promise for broadening participation in other disciplines and encouraging college matriculation.By implementing and studying CS through CE in two different contexts (rural and low-SES in Minnesota and urban, diverse, and low-SES in Connecticut), the project contributes to transforming the educational pathways in CS in a variety of contexts and to understanding the supports and barriers to implementing CSP as CE with a broadening-participation goal. This project provides professional development and support of 40 high school teachers to teach a CE version of the Mobile CSP course among partnering school districts over the course of 3 years. The goals of this RPP project are (1) to examine and address the supports and barriers to implementing and sustaining Mobile CSP as a concurrent enrollment course and (2) to study whether a CE implementation of the CSP course broadens participation in computing.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.