UTeach and NYC: A Design Research Partnership to Expand and Improve High School Computer Science Education for Underrepresented Urban Youth

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Texas Austin (UT Austin) proposes a research-practitioner partnership (RPP) between and across six New York City public school districts to examine the degree to which co-design of curriculum, instructional practices, and teacher supports can build organizational capacity to support equitable computer science (CS) teaching and learning as called for by the CSforAll national movement. The project builds on the prior work of the UTeach Computer Science Program) which included creation of the UTeach CS Principle course and associated teacher professional development (PD). This work focuses on remaining questions about the organizational conditions and instructional practices that encourage broad student participation in CS, looking at underrepresented urban youth in particular. The project team of New York City public school administrators and classroom teachers will collaborate with researchers, curriculum developers, and professional learning and support specialists with the goal of improving Black and Latino/a student participation, learning, and engagement in CS. Methodologically, a Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) approach will be employed to address three overarching research questions: 1. What organizational conditions, processes, and supports are associated with improved participation by Black and Latino/a students in CS, as measured by the diversity of students enrolling in CS courses? 2. What kinds of project-based instructional strategies, materials, and interventions are associated with improved student learning in UTeach CS Principles among Black and Latino/a students, as measured by student scores on projects according to standard project rubrics and unit and Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores? 3. What kinds of non-cognitive approaches (e.g., teacher messaging, classroom routines, recruitment strategies, etc.) are associated with improved engagement and motivation by Black and Latino/a students in UTeach CS Principles and retention in CS based on enrollment in following CS courses? This project will advance will contribute to knowledge about effective organizational conditions, as well as instructional interventions to promote participation, engagement, and learning across diverse groups of students in AP CS Principles, the professional learning and support necessary to prepare teachers with diverse content backgrounds to teach CS, and the strategies employed to address problems of practice through collaborative, iterative design. 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.