Improving Undergraduate Computing Education through Virtual Peer Instruction in Interactive Ebooks

该项目旨在通过调查在虚拟学习环境中使用同伴教学来服务于国家利益。几十年的研究已经提供了证据表明，同伴教学提高学生的学习和参与。然而，到目前为止，所有关于同伴教学的研究都是在面对面的讲座环境中进行的。许多计算机教师正在采用交互式电子书，它的好处是包含可执行代码和即时反馈的练习问题。这个项目将利用这样的互动电子书，以增加通过设计，建设和测试一个系统，将服务于互动电子书中的同伴教学问题的同伴教学。关于实施同伴指导的研究有可能提高在STEM本科课程中取得成功的学生的数量和多样性，这一目标与NSF加强和改善美国STEM教育的努力相一致。新的同伴指导应用程序称为Peer+，将利用免费电子书进行课前阅读和阅读评估。该系统将挖掘现有的电子书和公共问题库，以确定同行指导问题。Peer+系统将用于调查：1）同步和异步在线同侪讨论对学习和学生满意度的影响; 2）同侪指导对一个月后知识保留的影响; 3）Peer+对学生保留的影响，特别是对于代表性不足的学生;以及4）教师的态度和知识如何由于研讨会和Peer+的使用而发生变化。 将采用基于设计的研究方法，基于社会建构主义和期望价值理论。 这项研究的目的是既有助于理论，也测试系统在真实的教育环境。定性和定量研究措施将用于评估Peer+使用的影响。 NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。该奖项反映了NSF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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by investigating the use of Peer Instruction in a virtual learning environment. Decades of research have provided evidence that Peer Instruction improves student learning and engagement. However, thus far all research on Peer Instruction has been done in a face-to-face lecture setting. Many computing instructors are adopting interactive ebooks, which have the benefit of containing executable code and practice problems with immediate feedback. This project will leverage such interactive ebooks to increase the adoption of Peer Instruction by designing, building, and testing a system that will serve Peer Instruction questions in interactive ebooks. Research on this implementation of Peer Instruction has the potential to improve the number and diversity of students who succeed in STEM undergraduate courses, a goal that aligns with NSF's efforts to enhance and improve STEM education in the United States.The new Peer Instruction application, called Peer+, will leverage free ebooks for pre-lecture reading and reading assessment. The system will mine existing ebooks and public question banks to identify Peer Instruction questions. The Peer+ system will be used to investigate: 1) the effect of synchronous and asynchronous online peer discussion on learning and student satisfaction; 2) the effect of Peer Instruction on retention of knowledge up to a month later; 3) the effect of Peer+ on student retention, especially for underrepresented students; and 4) how instructor attitudes and knowledge change due to a workshop and use of Peer+. A design-based research approach will be used, based on social constructivism and expectancy-value theory. The research is designed to both contribute to theory and also test the system in real educational settings. Both qualitative and quantitative research measures will be used to evaluate the impact of Peer+ use. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.