CS4NorthCal: Scaling an Evidence-based Model for Teacher Preparation and Support to Provide Equitable and Inclusive CS Education in California High Schools

旧金山州立大学、WestEd和20多个学区将合作推出CS4NorthCal，以应对高中计算机科学(CS)教育中的两大挑战：(1)学生无法获得严格的CS教学；(2)高中CS课程缺乏性别、种族、残疾和种族多样性。通过扩展一种有效的备课、专业发展(PD)模式，并持续支持高中CS教师提高其CS内容知识和教学技能，该项目将增加面向所有高中生的严谨和有吸引力的CS课程。高中CS课程中女生和URG学生的比例将会增加，这些学生将获得需求技能，使他们能够进入CS劳动力大军。在该项目中确定和测试的改善教师准备和支持的战略将引起广泛关注，因为全国各地的学区正在或将面临同样的问题，因为它们正在或将面临同样的问题，因为它们正在增加自己的计算机科学课程。在这个项目的过程中，RPP将为200名教师提供服务，并支持25,000多名高中生。CS4NorthCal的目标是为高中CS教师的准备、PD和持续支持扩大一个有效的、基于证据的模式。CS4NorthCal将制定一项三管齐下的战略，以培养和支持致力于在整个北加州实现卓越CS教育的高中教师：(1)扩大针对CS教师准备和PD的教师认证计划，以增加授权高中CS教师的数量。(2)为刚获认证的高中CS教师扩展专业学习社区(PLC)，提供有关CS课程和包容性教学策略的持续专业学习。(3)建立和扩大高中CS教师导师计划，为新获得认证的教师提供持续的、严格的支持，以提高他们的保留率和技能。RPP联合开发了4个研究问题，以调查如何最好地设计认证课程、PLC和教师指导计划，以使不同学科和地理背景的教师能够公平地教授高中CS：(1)如何设计在线认证课程，以有效地培养教师掌握CS内容知识和技能？(2)如何设计在线认证课程，以支持教师制定文化响应和包容性的CS教学策略？(3)如何设计认证课程和持续支持，以满足不同学科背景的教师的需求和准备程度？(4)教师如何参与持续支持(例如，PLC，导师)专注于持续发展他们的内容知识和适应文化的教学技能？该项目将为高中CS教师的准备和支持提供关键数据，所产生的知识可被全国各地的州用于提高CS课程和支持所有学生的学习。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已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。

San Francisco State University, WestEd, and 20+ school districts will collaborate and launch CS4NorthCal to address 2 major challenges in high school computer science (CS) education: (1) a lack of student access to rigorous CS instruction and (2) a lack of gender, ethnic, disability, and racial diversity in high school CS courses. By scaling an effective model for preparation, professional development (PD), and ongoing support for high school CS teachers to improve their CS content knowledge and pedagogical skills, this project will increase rigorous and engaging CS course offerings to all high school students. The percentage of female and URG students in high school CS courses will grow, and these students will gain in-demand skills that allow them to enter the CS workforce. The strategies identified and tested in this project for improving teacher preparation and support will be of broad interest, as school districts throughout the country are facing, or will face, the same problems, as they ramp up their own CS offerings. Over the course of this project, the RPP will serve 200 teachers and support 25,000+ high school students.The goal of CS4NorthCal is to scale up an effective, evidence-based model for preparation, PD, and ongoing support of high school CS teachers. CS4NorthCal will institute a 3-pronged strategy to prepare and support high school teachers committed to CS education excellence throughout Northern California: (1) Scaling a teacher certification program for CS teacher preparation and PD to increase the number of authorized high school CS teachers. (2) Expanding Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for newly certified high school CS teachers to provide continuous professional learning on CS curricula and inclusive pedagogical strategies. (3) Establishing and scaling a high school CS teacher mentorship program to offer ongoing, rigorous support to newly certified teachers to improve their retention and skills. The RPP has jointly developed 4 research questions to investigate how best to design certification courses, PLCs, and teacher mentorship programs to prepare teachers of varying disciplinary and geographic backgrounds to teach high school CS equitably: (1) How can online certification courses be designed to effectively prepare teachers with CS content knowledge and skills? (2) How can online certification courses be designed to support teachers in developing culturally responsive and inclusive teaching strategies for CS? (3) How can certification courses and ongoing support be designed to address the needs and readiness levels of teachers with different disciplinary backgrounds? (4) How do teachers engage in ongoing support (e.g., PLCs, mentoring) focused on the continuing development of their content knowledge and culturally responsive teaching skills? This project will contribute critical data to the evidence base for high school CS teacher preparation and support, and the knowledge generated can be used by states across the nation to ramp up their CS offerings and support learning for all students.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.