Coaching for Equity in Computer Science

圣斯科拉斯蒂卡学院将在计算机科学(CS)教育的背景下研究教练，支持开发两个教练计划，将为多达36名教练和72名教师提供服务。辅导是K-12教育系统中普遍存在的一部分，然而，在计算机科学的背景下，它还没有得到很大的研究。计算机科学是K-12学生在公民参与、发展合作、解决问题和创造力等方面的关键学习领域。然而，就像在其他教育领域一样，对于那些在计算机领域历来代表性不足的人来说，他们在CS学习方面的获取、参与和参与率并不平等。总体而言，辅导已被证明有助于更多地采用和改进公平的教学做法，提高学生的学习成果，并缩小成绩差距。项目团队将创建CS教练专业发展计划，并与CS教育社区共享工具。建立和支持CS教练计划有可能有助于为所有K12学生促进CS的可持续性和公平性目标做出持久和实质性的工作。本项目将创建CS教练专业发展，并在两个背景下研究教练的实施。Code Savvy的教练计划将支持明尼苏达州专注于在高中水平教授CS内容的教练和教师，并将包括面对面和虚拟教练的混合。NCCSE辅导计划将重点放在为高级进修计算机科学原理和计算机科学A课程的教师提供全国性的虚拟辅导计划。本项目将采用混合方法设计，研究培训计划对改善教师实践的影响，这是Csta为CS教师定义的标准。项目工作人员将解决以下研究问题：1)教师应用CS实践的能力和CS概念的知识如何因指导过程而改变；2)CS指导对教师实施公平教学实践的能力有何影响；3)CS指导过程中和之后教师实践的变化是什么；以及4)CS指导是否促进了教师的专业成长和作为计算机科学教师的身份。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。

The College of St. Scholastica will study coaching within the context of computer science (CS) education, supporting the development of two coaching programs that will serve up to 36 coaches and 72 teachers. Coaching is an existing and pervasive part of the K-12 education system, however, it has not been studied significantly within the context of computer science. Computer science is a critical area of study for K-12 students for civic engagement, developing collaboration, problem solving, and creativity among others. As in other areas of education, though, there are unequal rates of access, participation, and engagement in CS learning for those historically underrepresented in computing. In general, coaching has been shown to increase the adoption and improvement of equitable teaching practices, to increase student learning outcomes, and reduce achievement gaps. The project team will create a CS coaching professional development program and share tools with the CS education community. Establishing and supporting CS coaching programs has the potential to contribute lasting and substantive work towards advancing the sustainability and equity goals of CS for all K12 students.This project will create CS coaching professional development and study the implementation of coaching within two contexts. Code Savvy’s coaching program will support Minnesota coaches and teachers focused on teaching CS content at the high school level and will involve a mix of in-person and virtual coaching. The NCCSE coaching program will focus on a nationwide virtual coaching program for teachers of the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles and Computer Science A courses. Using a mixed methods design, this project will study the impact of the coaching programs on improving teacher practice as defined by the CSTA Standards for CS Teachers. The project staff will address the following research questions: 1) how does teachers’ ability to apply CS practices and knowledge of CS concepts change as a result of the coaching process; 2) what impact does CS coaching have on teacher capacity to implement equitable teaching practices; 3) what, if any, changes to teacher practice are sustained during and after the CS coaching process; and 4) does CS coaching facilitate teacher professional growth and identity as a computer science teacher.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.