Targeted Infusion Project: Infusing Learning Initiatives for Improving the Programming Proficiency of Computer Science Majors at Morgan State University (A Multi-Year Initiative)

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU- up）通过有针对性的输液项目，支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以提高HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们可以攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。摩根州立大学打算加强其计算机科学课程，以提高学生在编程方面的表现。该项目将注意力集中在两个“关键”计算机课程上，因为它们是“看门人”课程和/或有针对性的编程课程。由于84.5%的学生来自STEM领域代表性不足的群体，该项目准备从这些群体中培养更多的计算机科学家，他们将在计算机科学行业更具竞争力。该项目的成功实施也有望对同行机构的类似项目产生影响。这个项目的目标是：1)在摩根州立大学的两门CS编程课程中注入两种不同的学习计划，基于编程的问题解决策略和编程工具使用工作流，并评估参加这些课程的CS专业学生的能力，根据这些计划成为熟练的程序员。2)进行为期3年的纵向调查，以获取有关入学，信心水平，开发技能集的信息。以及摩根州立大学所有CS专业学生的未来/职业抱负。为了检验这两种计划的影响，将采用评估心理社会属性、编程理解、编程任务效率和工具可用性的措施。同样，诸如留校率、平均绩点和毕业率等相关因素也将被评估。这个项目的潜在贡献是1)评估学生学习主动性的有效性，2)展示这些实践可以帮助计算机科学专业的学生成为熟练的程序员的证据。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), through Targeted Infusion Projects, supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. Morgan State University intends to enhance its computer science curriculum to effect improved student performance in programming. The project focuses its attention on two “key” computer courses as they serve as ‘gatekeeper’ courses and/or targeted programming courses. With a student population that is 84.5% from groups who are typically underrepresented in STEM fields, the project is poised to prepare larger numbers of computer scientists from those groups, who will be more competitive in the computer science industry. Successful execution of the project also promises to impact analogous programs at peer institutions.The goals of this project are to: 1) infuse two distinct learning initiatives, programming-based problem-solving strategies and a programming tool usage workflow, into two CS programming courses at Morgan State University and evaluate the ability for CS majors, enrolled in these courses, to become proficient programmers based on these employed initiatives, and 2) conduct a 3-year longitudinal survey that captures information about the matriculation, confidence levels, developed skill-sets, and future/career aspirations of all CS majors at Morgan State University. To examine the impact of both initiatives, measures for evaluating psycho-social attributes, programming comprehension, programming task efficiency, and tool usability will be employed. Likewise, relative factors such as retention, GPA, and graduation rates will be evaluated. The potential contributions of this project are to 1) evaluate the effectiveness of both learning initiatives on student learning, and 2) show evidence that these practices can aid in the Computer Science majors’ ability to become proficient programmers.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.