HSI Implementation and Evaluation: Bridging the Gap: Designing a Technology Learning Community Integrating Computational Thinking to Improve STEM Engagement Across Disciplines

在改善本科STEM教育：西班牙裔服务机构（HSI计划）的支持下，该项目旨在创建一个技术学习社区，将计算思维整合到正式的课堂和非正式的课外学习环境中，以减轻HSI学生在STEM中遇到的恐吓障碍。虽然计算领域和职业是21世纪世纪的焦点，但许多少数民族学生和妇女在STEM中的代表性仍然不足，这可能会影响创新。研究表明，这通常是由于缺乏自信和自我效能感。该项目将创建一个可推广和有效的模型，使西班牙裔，URM和女性识别的学生获得所需的自我效能，通过在正式和非正式学习中结合计算思维，坚持在STEM/相关领域。涉及计算机信息系统（CIS）和非CIS专业（即，社会科学和商业），这个以技术为重点的学习社区将提高学生解决问题的能力和创新能力。通过将计算思维注入CIS和非CIS课程，为学生提供通过Hack-a-thons和Make-a-thons解决现实世界问题的机会，以及提供教师培训-该项目将提高持久性，保留，提高城市资源管理局/女学生对STEM/相关领域的兴趣，促进创新。该项目的目标是创建一个包容性的技术学习社区（TLC）通过三个目标来提高学生的效率，STEM参与度，STEM兴趣和持久性：（1）在CIS和非CIS课程中整合计算思维，使用真实的世界问题来引入人工智能伦理和数据科学等概念。(2)通过混合成功和创新实验室，Hack-A-Thons和协作Make-A-通村项目为社会公益搭建正式和非正式学习的桥梁，由教师，同行导师和行业专家支持。(3)通过培训跨CIS和非CIS学科（如商业，社会科学）的教师来扩展跨学科的计算思维。该项目将研究如何将联合收割机计算思维和基于项目的学习结合起来，将正式的课堂活动与非正式的学习联系起来，共有600名HSI学生参加。该项目将通过纳入当地企业和孵化器伙伴关系来促进关系和参与。这项干预措施进行了一项研究，探讨通过让不同的学生参与跨学科学习来增加STEM参与度的TLC是否可以满足三大需求：提高保留率和持久性，减少STEM恐吓障碍，以及填补跨学科学习社区的空白。实现这些目标，鉴于不同的性质和背景下的HSIs，需要创新的方法，激励机构和社区转型，促进基础研究（一）参与学生学习，（二）关于如何有效地多样化和增加STEM的参与，以及（三）提高我们对如何在HSIs建立机构能力的理解。HSI计划所支持的项目也将从这些方法中汲取经验，以产生关于如何实现这些目标的新知识。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。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 2 project aims to create a Technology Learning Community that integrates Computational Thinking into both formal classroom-based and informal co-curricular learning environments to mitigate the intimidation barriers encountered by the HSI students in STEM. While computational fields and careers are the focus of the 21st century, many minority students and women are still underrepresented in STEM, which can impact innovation. Research shows this is often due to lack of confidence and self-efficacy. This project will create a generalizable and effective model that will enable Hispanic, URM, and female-identified students to gain the self-efficacy needed to persist in STEM/allied fields by combining Computational Thinking within both formal and informal learning. Involving both Computer Information Systems (CIS) and non-CIS majors (i.e., social science and business), this technology focused learning community will improve the student's problem-solving skills and innovation. By infusing Computational Thinking into both CIS and non-CIS courses, providing students access to solve real-world problems via Hack-a-thons and Make-a-thons, as well as providing faculty training - this project will improve persistence, retention, and increased interest of URM/women students in STEM/allied fields promoting innovation.The goal of the project is to create an inclusive Technology Learning Community (TLC) to increase student efficacy, STEM engagement, STEM interest, and persistence, through three objectives: (1) Integrate Computational Thinking in CIS and non-CIS courses using real world problems to introduce concepts such as Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Data Science. (2) Bridge formal to informal learning through a hybrid Success and Innovation Lab, Hack-A-thons, and collaborative Make-a-thon Projects for Social Good, supported by faculty, peer mentors, and industry experts. (3) Expand Computational Thinking Across Disciplines by training faculty across both CIS and non-CIS disciplines (such as Business, Social Sciences). The project will study how to combine Computational Thinking and Project-based learning to link formal classroom activities to informal learning engaging a total of 600 HSI students. This project will facilitate relationships and engagements by incorporating local business and incubator partnerships. This intervention conducts research on whether a TLC that increases participation in STEM by engaging diverse students in learning across disciplines can meet three major needs: increasing retention and persistence, reducing the STEM intimidation barrier, and filling a gap for interdisciplinary learning communities. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning,(ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also draw from these approaches to generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims.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.