Deepening Computational Thinking for English Learners by Integrating Community-Based Environmental Literacy

该项目解决了两个对国家未来至关重要的问题：计算思维，这是STEM所有领域的基础；环境扫盲，一套对支持当代和子孙后代生态健全、经济繁荣和公平的社区至关重要的知识、技能和实践。在这样做的过程中，它的重点是接触到西班牙裔和英语学习者，这是K-12学生人口中增长最快的两个部分，但在STEM中尚未得到充分代表。在这项研究项目中，加州大学欧文分校和三家为95%以上的拉美裔学习者提供服务的当地教育机构组成了研究-实践-伙伴关系(RPP)，以促进拉美裔和英语学习者的计算思维。该伙伴关系将开发和实施一项为期两年的小学课程，将计算思维与语言和识字教学以及支持文化的教育学相结合。该课程利用拉美裔学习者独特的文化和语言资产，同时发展计算和语言技能。该项目将开发、实施和评估与环境素养相结合的计算思维课程的第三年。这将使学生加深对当地环境现象的理解，了解计算机科学在应对影响当地社区的挑战方面的价值，并通过科学合作和交流提高他们的语言和识字技能。该项目将解决以下研究问题：(1)在将以公平为导向的RPP扩展到更多的学区和年级以及整合新内容方面面临哪些挑战，以及如何最好地应对这些挑战；(2)在拉美裔英语学习者比例较高的五年级学生中，将计算机科学和基于社区的环境素养结合起来的最佳做法是什么；与课程的接触如何影响学生在环境素养知识、科学知识、计算思维、计算机科学认同感和学术语言水平方面的学习过程和结果？它将通过以设计为基础的实施研究来解决这些问题，该研究以教师指导、学生学习以及从业者、学生和研究人员发现的教学实践问题为中心。项目小组将收集和分析广泛的数据，包括课程设计会议和课堂观察的实地笔记；教师和学生的访谈和调查；以及对学生在计算机科学、环境素养、科学知识以及语言和识字方面的学习结果的评估。该项目将产生重要的新知识，向教育研究人员和实践者传播有关如何最好地将计算思维与其他STEM内容相结合的知识，供不同的初学者学习，特别是在环境扫盲领域。它还将制作和传播开放获取的课程、教师和学生的教学资源以及可供全国其他学区和教育工作者使用和改编的专业发展内容。这个项目是通过CS for All：Research and RPPS计划资助的。这个奖项反映了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。

This project addresses two issues of critical importance to the nation's future: computational thinking, which is foundational to all areas of STEM, and environmental literacy, a set of knowledge, skills, and practices vital to supporting ecologically sound, economically prosperous, and equitable communities for present and future generations. In doing so, it focuses on reaching Hispanics and English learners, two of the fastest growing segments of the K-12 student population, but ones that are not yet fully represented in STEM. In this research project, UC Irvine and three local education agencies serving 95%+ Hispanic learners formed a Research-Practice-Partnership (RPP) to promote computational thinking among Hispanics and English learners. The partnership will develop and implement a two-year elementary school curriculum that integrates computational thinking with language and literacy instruction and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The curriculum leverages the unique cultural and linguistic assets of Hispanic learners to simultaneously develop computing and language skills. The project will develop, implement, and evaluate a third year of the computational thinking curriculum integrated with environmental literacy. This will allow students to deepen their understanding of local environmental phenomena, come to understand the value of computer science in addressing challenges affecting their local communities, and enhance their language and literacy skills through scientific collaboration and communication.The project will address the following research questions: (1) What are the challenges faced in expanding an equity-oriented RPP to additional school districts and grade levels and to integration of new content, and how are those challenges best addressed; (2) What are the best practices for integrating computer science and community-based environmental literacy among fifth grade students with a high percentage of Hispanic English learners; and (3) How does engagement with the curriculum affect the learning processes and outcomes of the students in environmental literacy knowledge, science knowledge, computational thinking, computer science identity, and academic language proficiency? It will address these questions through design-based implementation research centered on teacher instruction, student learning, and problems of teaching practice as identified by practitioners, students, and researchers. The project team will collect and analyze a wide range of data, including field notes from curriculum design meetings and classroom observations; teacher and student interviews and surveys; and assessments of students' learning outcomes in computer science, environmental literacy, science knowledge, and language and literacy. The project will generate important new knowledge disseminated to educational researchers and practitioners about how computational thinking can best be integrated with other STEM content for diverse learners at the elementary level, especially in the area of environmental literacy. It will also produce and disseminate an open access curriculum, instructional resources for teachers and students, and professional development content that can be used and adapted by other school districts and educators across the country. This project is funded through the CS for All: Research and RPPs program.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.