This project will develop generalizable data-driven tools that addresses the conceptually and practically complex activity of constructing adaptive support for individualized learning in STEM domains.

We propose to develop infrastructure to enhance and scale CSEd research by leveraging the power of data-driven AI and ML. To do so, we need to overcome 3 challenges: data (there is not enough quantity and quality of data), analytics (developing and sharing data mining and AI methods for CSEd is highly siloed and disconnected) and evaluation (AI-based interventions and tools are not easily deployed and replicated). To address these challenges, we will develop a large collection of resources including datasets, analytical approaches, reusable smart learning content, and tools and user services that enables the community to reuse the resources and contribute to the collection.

This project will support implementation and study of the Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) curriculum. We aim to increase implementation of BJC in New England states and beyond particularly in high-need districts. We will study the effects of BJC implementation on the participation of girls, Black, Latinx and low-income students.

We will develop new data-driven methods to support students automatically as they create novel, open-ended and creative, computational artifacts. Specifically, we will develop techniques to adaptively scaffold project design and planning, detect students' programming goals, offer on-demand example-based support and tailor help to students needs through an interactive help interface. We will augment the popular Snap programming environment, which is already used in hundreds of high school and college classrooms, with these features and evaluate their effective in a series of experiments designed to explore how students approach open-ended tasks and how best to support them.

There is a real need for a follow-on course once high school students, and especially girls, to take after their interest in computing has been elevated by the new Computer Science principles course. We proposed to design and study Beyond CSP, a new course focused on CS concepts that have broad appeal but are traditionally considered advanced and are only taught to CS majors in college. The course topics will include distributed computing, computer networking, cybersecurity, machine learning, the Internet of Things and others. We theorize that a course that teaches these advanced computational methods in disciplinary contexts across a variety of STEAM fields, will make the connection to skills that a modern workforce needs readily apparent. Moreover, it will also have a much broader appeal to young learners. In fact, we propose to tailor the curriculum especially to appeal to girls by focusing on specific disciplines such as healthcare and climate change, and emphasizing collaboration and team work.

The RET Site at NC State University will immerse a diverse group of teachers in a vibrant research community building and analyzing cutting-edge socially relevant and human-centered applications including games, tutors, and analytics platforms. We will recruit teacher teams to include at least one who is learning to teach introductory computer science (e.g. Computer Science Principles), as well as STEM teachers and one teacher or undergraduate with significant programming experience. Teachers will learn about the socially relevant applications of computing and how computer science can be used within almost all careers, and they will develop lessons that help raise student interest in computing while teaching disciplinary content. We will connect teachers to resources from the STARS Computing Corps, an NSF-funded national consortium of institutions dedicated to broadening participation in computing. We will to create a supportive culture of collaboration while promoting individual contributions to research through just-in-time training throughout the summer.

The STARS Computing Corps Alliance for Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) will serve as national resource for transforming computer science education through 1) building capacity among faculty and students for creating an equitable and inclusive learning climate in their computing departments, 2) building capacity among faculty and students for conducting research and taking action to address BPC challenges, and 3) promoting persistence in computing degree programs, particularly among groups that are underrepresented in computing. A multi-year study provides evidence that shows that the STARS Computing Corps approach is effective for supporting these goals, and indicates the value of a community of practice that engages computing faculty and students at institutions of higher education (IHEs) with a shared commitment to take action to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in computing. This proposal seeks to further develop STARS as a national resource that builds broader capacity for research and practice, ignites action, and fosters a wider academic community centered on building capacity for inclusive computing education experiences, environments, and practices in higher education.

The goal of this STARS proposal is to demonstrate the impact of the STARS Computing Corps on broadening the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in computing, at a national scale. To do so, STARS will research its cohort-based model that has engaged departments, faculty, and students in an inclusive community of practice, continue its thriving RESPECT BPC research and STARS Celebration BPC leadership conferences and improve recognition and the research base for BPC and STARS efforts. Collectively, these efforts will demonstrate how STARS has served as a national resource that catalyzes, develops, and celebrates BPC leadership for computing students, alumni, and faculty.

The REU Site at NC State University will immerse a diverse group of undergraduates in a vibrant research community of faculty and graduate students building and analyzing cutting-edge human-centric applications including games, tutors, and mobile apps. We will recruit students from underrepresented groups and colleges and universities with limited research opportunities through the STARS Computing Corps, an NSF-funded national consortium of institutions dedicated to broadening participation in computing. Using the Affinity Research Groups and STARS Training for REUs models, we will engage faculty and graduate student mentors with undergraduates to create a supportive culture of collaboration while promoting individual contributions to research through just-in-time training for both mentors and students throughout the summer.

Conference Proposal: 2022 CISE EWF PI Meeting and REU Site PI meeting