RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site for Machine Learning to Enhance Human-Centered Computing

Drexel University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This award renews an exemplary Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site on human-centered computing research at Drexel University. The RET site nurtures a long-term partnership between Drexel and greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area high schools and community colleges to advance science and engineering education by providing cutting-edge summer research experiences to cohorts of high school teachers and community college teachers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The research projects will focus on machine learning to enhance human-centered computing. THE RET Site will provide hands-on experiments and regular interactions with faculty mentors who are actively involved in leading-edge research related to the RET Site theme. The participating teachers will translate their research experiences and knowledge into classroom practice by developing instructional modules and course materials that they will introduce in their classrooms and share with other teachers in their school district. These activities all contribute to the formation of a community of practice partnership between the Drexel faculty and the surrounding high schools and community colleges that has the potential to significantly enhance and improve STEM education in the greater Philadelphia area. RET participants will attend a 6-week summer institute to participate in cutting-edge research projects with mentoring from computer science faculty who lead human-centered computing projects. The projects focus on areas such as brain-computer interfaces, smart garments for health care, driver distraction, and smart textiles. The objectives of the program include: building partnerships between high schools, community colleges, industry, and the university; introducing teachers to cutting edge computer science research with social impact; informing and exciting teachers about computer science principles and computational thinking; producing learning materials which emphasize social relevance for use in high school and community college STEM curricula; and expanding the pipeline of students studying STEM and computing curricula in college. The RET Site project will provide a platform for the participating teachers to develop effective practical problem-based instructional materials and laboratory modules that they will share with other teachers in their school district during the academic year. The teacher-created modules and lessons will be disseminated locally through the Drexel REThink project web site and nationally through TeachEngineering.org, a nationally recognized repository for searchable, standards-based engineering curricula, as well as the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles Teacher community. The RET Site project will boost the quality of instruction in the Greater Philadelphia area high schools and community colleges and strengthen the curricula. The excitement of learning about innovative computing technologies can inspire the students to pursue further computing education and related careers. The Drexel RET Site program can synergize community computer science education initiatives that lay the foundation for quality computing education in the schools and provide for the future computing workforce needs of the community.