CS for Oregon: Antiracist Teacher Leadership for Statewide Transformation

Portland State University, Portland OR

Investigators

Abstract

Portland State University, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State University-Cascades propose to continue the CS for Oregon project to develop and promote antiracist Computer Science Education in Oregon. The project builds on the success of the 2017 CS for Oregon award (Award# 1738883), which provided Exploring Computer Science professional development to over 67 teachers to bring Exploring Computer Science classes to 49 schools in 36 school districts. The project team’s past efforts also initiated the training of three new ECS facilitators in the state. The new project continues to expand the learning community of equity focused CS educators by continuing to offer the ECS Professional Development to teachers across the state, particularly in districts that serve historically excluded from commuter science. It will also cultivate a group of Computer Science Social Justice Teacher Leaders who are building upon what they learned in ECS and applying it to developing antiracist curriculum and equitable programs of study in their schools and districts, and learning how to engage in district, regional, and statewide efforts to advance equity in Computer Science and STEM education. In addition, the project team will work with the Oregon Department of Education to develop a computer science equitable learning outcomes report card to help statewide leadership celebrate the successes of schools that are broadening participation in the CS courses and programs of study. The project team brings together expertise in Computer Science Research, Education Research, and High School teaching practice. In addition to faculty from the three universities, the team includes a Computer Science Pathway teacher from McMinnville High School, who is an ECS teacher and an ECS facilitator. Two team members have extensive experience working with Oregon’s regional STEM hubs, which are charged with improving outcomes and reducing equity gaps in STEM education. The team works closely with key personnel from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) as the Oregon team participating in the Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) BPC Alliance. 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.